Boss Mick McCarthy says now’s the time for striker Paul Taylor to start showing why former manager Paul Jewell paid Peterborough an initial fee of £1.5 million for him in August 2012.

The 26-year-old, who spent nearly a year out with a foot injury, came into the Blues side as a late replacement for new loanee Jonny Williams ahead of last week’s 1-0 victory over Birmingham and was widely viewed as Town’s man of the match.

McCarthy has confirmed that Taylor — who has made only six league starts since joining Town — will again be in his XI at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

“He played very well on Saturday,” McCarthy said. “I was delighted with him. He did all the other things that I’ve been banging at him to do and if he plays like that, well, he’s playing again, isn’t he? If you play as well as that you get back in the team.

“He had a long injury, that took him a while to recover from, of course. I think it’s time for him, for his own career to start pulling up trees, starting to play well and stay in the team and play like the player that Ipswich bought.”

The Liverpudlian reciprocated Portman Road’s warm ovation as he left the field having been subbed towards the end on Saturday and McCarthy hopes there’ll be a repeat performance at the Riverside: “Tayls wants to play, he loves his football, that’s for sure. Let’s hope he’s applauding our crowd again.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy was pleased to see Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who is continuing to work towards full fitness, score a 25-yard stunner and, more importantly, get 90 minutes under his belt as the U21s beat QPR 1-0 on Tuesday.

“It was a really good goal. He missed a much easier one, like, but it was a really good goal,” the Blues boss said.

“He needed 90 minutes. He had to play and it’ll do him good and, of course, it doesn’t matter scoring the goal, he knows he can score goals, that’s not in doubt.

“The 90 minutes was probably more important to him. He’ll probably tell me differently. It’s more important to me that he played 90 minutes. I’m not concerned about him scoring.”

McCarthy is hopeful that the 27-year-old former Wolves man will get back to his best before the end of the season rather than in the next campaign when he may not still be at Portman Road.

“I wouldn’t be counting on next season because he’s only signed until the end of this season, so I’d prefer it if it was this season,” McCarthy said.

“I hope so, he’s had his 90 minutes, he’s got fitter and fitter, he’s training well. Let’s hope it’s this season. I can’t vouch for next.”

Photo: Action Images

bigolconnor added 06:19 - Mar 7 I'm very happy at the moment, however I do feel that Scott Loach is one, hard done by, ... Player
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Len_Brennan added 06:37 - Mar 7 @bigolconnor: Whatever about Taylor & SEB, one player who won't be here next season is Scott Loach. Mick clearly doesn't fancy him & to be fair SL has given him a few reasons to have that view over the last 16 months or so. For me Gerken is the better & more dependable keeper, although I think he has mistakes in him too which cost/will cost us important points over the season. A new keeper is a must over the summer, with Gerks staying on as reserve & boyhood Town fan Loach moving on I'm afraid.

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bohslegend added 07:15 - Mar 7 @len_brennan have to say I agree. Loachy is a nice lad, an Ipswich fan etc, but Gerks has done well and deserves to be in the team more than Loachy at the moment. What can you do? There's only one keeper every week. It's unfortunate but I agree, he'll probably move on.
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wkj added 07:15 - Mar 7 I also feel sorry for loach but Gerks has been very consistent and feel he edges it.
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essexboy added 07:17 - Mar 7 Looking forward to tomorrow,just hope we play with 3 up front.As for SL,it is a shame,he is a very good shot stopper but does not command his area as well as DG.Not much between them though.I agree we do need a goalkeeper for next season,but let's worry about the rest of this season,I still feel we have an outside chance of a top six place if you look at the other clubs fixtures.Fingers crossed.3 points Saturday will do.CCOYB

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Flewitt85 added 08:24 - Mar 7 Wasnt the biggest fan of Taylor, must be honest. But seen him couple times in u21 and heard how he played last saturday im starting to like him, just hope he continues on this run til the end of the season and into next season upfront with DM then hopefully we can push on to the play offs next season or even automatic promotion (got to think positive)
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BlueandTruesince82 added 10:03 - Mar 7 Hopefully Taylor will come good, it feels like the run in could be make or break for him at Town. I think Gerkin has been great this season, yes he has made a couple of mistakes but every keeper does over the course of a season. Loach for me has made more mistakes during fewer games, he hanr hit the form he showed a few seasons ago at Watford. I dont see the need for a new no1, I think its a case of soes Loach offer enough competetion for Gerkin, if not then someoen else needs to come in, Hennessey would have been a decent shout. For me 1 x flair player in the middle and 1x right wing back idealy with a bit of experiance to pass on to Hewitt and Veseli. That would leave Smith, Berra and Chabo competing for 2 spots at the back, Mings and cressies competing for LB and a defnce really starting to look like it has some competition in it. Maybe 1 more quality striker depending on how Taylor goes for the next few games,

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Michael11 added 10:30 - Mar 7 I really hope Taylor can be the creative spark behind the strikers that we've lacked for so long. Hopefully Ebanks-Blake can get fully fit and stays for next season. I feel like he owes us a little bit for paying him and getting him fit while he's been injured. With a full pre-season with us in the summer he could be a great player for us next year.
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BlueBhoy added 10:33 - Mar 7 Taylor is a bit like lee Martin in some ways. Shows flashes of brilliance and matey runs , but his head can't keep up with his quick feet. For me he is better playing as a kind of attacking midfielder , drawing defenders in and letting the two big lads attack the balls he puts in the box or picking off any lose balls. I think he definitely has talent and could never understand why he got slated. Always played well, when it have seen him.

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Bradley19ITFC added 10:45 - Mar 7 Next season, I'm thinking Taylor just behind Murph and Didzy and if SEB's still here he may come in for Murphy, when he gets fully fit and scoring goals for fun.
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northernblues added 16:49 - Mar 7 Well i hope he is given time to shine, not 1 or 2 games!
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blueboy1981 added 18:40 - Mar 7 .......... even now McCarthy seems reluctant to play him - one thing is certain is that if Taylor does anything other than play out of his skin, he will be OUT - unlike a few others who shall remain nameless !!!!
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blueboy1981 added 18:43 - Mar 7 ....... sock it to em' Taylor - show everyone what we have been missing. We believe in you - warts an' all accepted, for now anyway, or until you get that total act of yours together.
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brittaniaman added 19:04 - Mar 7 INITIAL FEE HEY ?????????????????
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TimmyH added 20:10 - Mar 7 So it could also be about money and as most of our starting 11 were bought for next to nothing or on a free transfer that Taylor has to prove himself even more than the rest. Interesting that Mick got almost that much in a bonus for keeping us up...don't mention that Mick do you?
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