Boss Mick McCarthy says he could look to send defender Matt Clarke on loan somewhere else when his spell with Town’s FA Cup third round opponents Portsmouth comes to an end on January 3rd, the 19-year-old having largely been on the League Two side’s bench in recent weeks.

McCarthy says he was pleased by the draw, although disappointed that Clarke would be ineligible if he was still with Pompey at that point.

“I was, except Clarkey can’t play in it," he said. "He played in the last FA Cup game against Accrington.

“He played in that game because he hasn’t been playing. But that’s something I’ll review anyway. He needs to play, Clarkey, so that might be something we have to think about with Portsmouth.

“But they’re a good footballing team and we’ve had them watched a fair bit because we’ve had Clarkey watched, certainly early on. It’ll be an interesting game, it’ll be good.”

Clarke joined the League Two side in August and has made 15 starts and one sub appearance. But prior to the Accrington game last Saturday, he hadn’t started a match since October 10th but said earlier in the week he’d be be up for extending his stay with the Hampshire side.

But McCarthy says if the Barham-born centre-half isn’t going to play regularly while at Fratton Park he’ll look to send him elsewhere.

“If he’s not playing, I won’t [extend his loan],” he added. “I’m not picking [Portsmouth manager] Paul Cook’s team, far from it, and I’ve had this discussion with Paul, otherwise I wouldn’t even dream of talking to you about it.

“He’s got two other lads who have got in the team and are playing well, but Clarkey needs to play. He can be a sub with me, he had that last year. So, if he’s not playing then we’ll change that and get him somewhere else if we can.”

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