Boss Mick McCarthy says keeper Dean Gerken fully deserves his new contract despite having lost his first-team place to Bartosz Bialkowski in recent months. Yesterday, the 29-year-old former Colchester and Bristol City man signed a new deal until June 2017 with an option for a further season.

“It’s great for him,” McCarthy said. “He’s got that based on his performances before and the fact that Bart is keeping him out now is only testament to Bart’s performances, there’s nothing wrong with Gerks.

“He got injured [in the warm-up at Blackpool in November] and missed the game, so Bart came in and was outstanding.

“I seem to remember Gerks getting the gig in a similar fashion when Loachy was missing.”

Having returned to the side for last week’s FA Cup third round draw at Southampton, Bialkowski looks set to come back into the team for tomorrow’s home game with Derby.

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