Town owner Marcus Evans says the Blues could return to spending significant fees again this summer, having largely relied on free transfers, loans and players available for bargain sums in recent seasons after paying out big money for players in his early years at the club.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview in today’s match programme, which also appears on the club site, Evans says that if manager Mick McCarthy wants to sign a player who would cost a significant fee then it would be discussed and revealed that a large offer was rebuffed in January.

“If Mick identifies a player that will cost us, say, a million, then we will look at it and discuss it,” Evans writes.

“I will look at transfer fees and we made a substantial bid for a player in January that was turned down but I will always weigh up how best the money we have available can be spent.

“I work closely with Mick on that, obviously. I spend the money and he has the fun! But seriously I feel we work well together.

“I provide hopefully a stable environment into which new players want to come and existing players want to stay.

“He works to get the best out of whatever squad we have available and we both look at how I can support a year-on-year improvement in the squad.

“Mick’s shown an excellent recruitment in his time here and we invested in the squad last summer which I felt was a step up from the previous year when we got to the play-offs.”

He feels that injuries seriously hampered the Blues this season with too many of the more creative players unavailable too often.

“Ultimately injuries have held us back this year from reaching our full potential,” he adds. “I think the injuries to our creative players have had a big impact.

“I’ve heard the criticism of our style of play at home games over the last month or two but I think any team would be affected by the loss of their most creative players, their most influential players and we have clearly missed David McGoldrick, Teddy Bishop, Ryan Fraser and Daryl Murphy.”

Evans also writes about what he has learnt during his eight and a half years at the club, manager Mick McCarthy and the academy, and also brands the current situation with Financial Fair Play “a total farce”. The full interview appears in today’s programme and is on the club site.

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 08:09 - Apr 30 We have heard all this before. Milne stated that the Mings money would be reinvested but then the club cleverly worded it to be 'invested in the running of the club'. The lack of ambition did, as expected, cost us. This squad isn't good enough and desperately needs significant investment. Particularly in the midfield, where you could easily be looking to spend several million. Whatever Evans says the proof will be in the pudding. Can't help but feel this is one last throw of the dice after a rumoured 3,000 have decided not to renew(that includes half season ticket holders and those who bought tickets after last years early bird). The fact we supposedly put in a big offer in January could of course be more spin. Put in an offer for a million for a player worth three million, knowing it won't be accepted, then tell every one we tried. If MM wanted that player we should have signed him unless the demands were way over.

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RegencyBlue added 08:15 - Apr 30 Actions speak louder than words. Unless we see some quality brought in over the summer this is just more spin.
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Keaneish added 08:16 - Apr 30 Who wrote this? Bohslegend? "Ultimately injuries have held us back this year from reaching our full potential,” he adds. “I think the injuries to our creative players have had a big impact." Yawn. You have the loan window to mitigate against this and Teddy Bishop is still too young to carry that responsibility. If I remember rightly, McGoldrick was in and out before he got injured. Don't try and pull the wool over our eyes.

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Penguinblue added 08:21 - Apr 30 First priority a football manager. If story true don't let MM waste your money - hoofball will always reign. Say no to hoofball McCarthy OUT
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Blue_Dwarf added 08:22 - Apr 30 Wouldn't trust anything ME says in the programme, he appointed 2 of our worst ever managers and gave them funds and now we had a manager who showed signs of success and he allowed him to spend peanuts on squad fillers. Hopefully lessons learnt and we will see some quality rather than quantity in the summer, depth comes from producing your own.
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trncbluearmy added 08:38 - Apr 30 A blatant and crass attempt to sell more tickets not matched by actions offer in January?! in your dreams
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righty added 08:40 - Apr 30 Prebbs007 don't know why you are being marked down what you say is the absolute truth anyone name one player who would walk into Burnley or Brighton side I will tell you none McCarty and Evans OUT
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BrettenhamBlue added 08:41 - Apr 30 We will just end up signing new "hoofers" ; not looking forward to that. Either that or huge 6ft 8 strikers who can get their heads on those rockets coming from the clouds.
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onthehoof added 09:05 - Apr 30 Having seen the title and read MEs full article, I just knew this would stir the passion of the great ITFC fans this AM. Although there are comments from all perspectives, the fact that you are joining the debate speaks volumes in the passion for our great football club. I think it is quite simple.....we have read what ME has to say....so now its time to prove it.........talk the talk now walk the walk! (no Johnny Wark jokes thank you :)) Looking forward to seeing the improvement

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strikalite added 09:08 - Apr 30 Agree Jimmy, we may be lucky and pick up a half decent punt for £1m from a desperate Club like Bolton but even talented League One players unproven at our level will cost at least double that...do we have proper scouts overseas can anybody tell me? Something tells me that we don't....it's certainly where I'd be searching for quality on the ball which is desperately needed and can have a huge sell on value too..

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Michael11 added 09:08 - Apr 30 Talk is cheap, Marcus. You've said the same rubbish for 3 years running now and still haven't kept your word. Probably another ploy to make people renew season tickets and believe this will be the year we invest again!
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MattinLondon added 09:17 - Apr 30 I still think that I'm going to invest in a decent neck cushion in time for next season.
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manualthetisfanclub added 09:29 - Apr 30 Seeing is believing! Less talk more action required!
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prebsa added 09:30 - Apr 30 I think people are getting too excited about the fact that he is talking about money and that we made a bid. We dont know the size of the substantial bid it could of been 1mil it could of been 5, but just because he says that does not mean he is going to go out and buy the 5 or so players i think we need. And if Marcus does give Mick the money to spend whats to say he wont just go and buy stronger workhourses who still play the same brand of football we play right now? Im not saying that will happen so we have to just wait and see, but right now i am not filled with much hope. My biggest worry is that if Mick gets the money that people like Jewell and the dark lord got and spends it wrong and we get nothing again then Evans is going to back to hiding on free transfers and loans, and that is not what we want! I just cant see Mick buying anyone other than more hard workers who dont have the ability to get promoted. Its great having a few promotion players worthy of the premiership in your team (McGoldrick, Bishop,Bart,Smith on the right side) but you need alot more than that to stand any chance. And its a question of if Evans is ready to buy quite a few more players, i think 5. You also have the question of if we do go out and buy 5 quality players how is Mick going to manage them? Are we going to continue to set up not to loose? Are we going to play free flowing football? I dont think it will change, it might but in my opinion i cant see it changing no matter who we get in. For people that love Mick and want him to stay, maybe he is the right person to get us promoted with a budget, if you think that is the case let me know why. Final game of the season today COYB!

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blue75 added 09:30 - Apr 30 Lots of huffing and puffing on here how loud will it be in the ground I'll take a pin bet I hear it drop!!!
1

Popeye added 09:39 - Apr 30 I think MM did say in one of his pressers that he had looked at some young and up and coming players in January and tried to sign one but the bid was turned down. Investment needs to be made in these type of players who could potentially have some re-sale value like Cresswell and Mings rather than old lags looking for one last pay day.
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Surco72 added 09:48 - Apr 30 As I have stated a number of times money was available MM chose not to spend as thought his squad would compete - wrongly . Blaming injuries to Dids and Bishop is painful as all could see they would be out for most of season so we should have got cover , poor management . We have heard this every summer over past few seasons and nothing has happened so I will wait and see . Guentchev ... I don't think all of Keane and Jewells signings were wasted money Leadbitter, Edwards , Delaney , Cresswell all good players still think Jet is better than a lot who pulled on Town shirts over last few seasons

4

ArnieM added 09:49 - Apr 30 Hallelujah!!! Mr Evans please be true to word. Give Mick the backing he needs to a level where he really CAN compete with top 6 teams. Just a sprinkling of true quality plastic our kids coming through as squad players with intermittent appearances is the way forward. If they're good enough they should play SOME games. We don't want another Bish type overuse injury ( for age group - these boys are still growing) . COYBSSSS

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Surreyexile added 09:50 - Apr 30 "If Mick identifies a player that wil cost us, say a million" wow! That really is big bucks! Considering what we got for Mings and Cresswell that will still leave over £10 million in ME's back pocket. Seriously, who are we going to get for a million, if Ipswich are offering that, the richer clubs would outbid us and laugh into the back of their hands at us. You have Villa, Newcastle, Sunderland and/or the SCUM coming down and they have parachute payments as well......ME really needs to wake up and get real about what is needed.

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righty added 10:01 - Apr 30 Evans comments its down to injuries to the creative players well Bishop has been out all season Fraser is on loan and McGoldrick hasn't done anything since his comeback nothing much apart from his early time. Why then go all season and not trying to replace these players and to be honest ITFC have been no great shakes with or without these players it is the style of play that people are complaining about . If we had all these players available does anyone think McCarthy would play them all I doubt it very much so Mr Evans if you want to appease supporters just get rid of McCarthy and bring in a decent young manager who lives in the 21 century .

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runaround added 10:30 - Apr 30 Clever use of the words by the club as always. Hinting that there is money available for fees then leaving the ball in Mick's court. Yet he says the funds aren't available to REALLY get players then what we have. Both sides have been saying this before too. Who is right? I suspect the truth is somewhere in between! Clever spin from the club. Will more be spent this summer? Possibly but I doubt much more. Splashing the cash doesn't guarantee success in football but it currently seems very difficult for us to succeed unless we strike it lucky with injuries, youths coming through or free transfers over achieving

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grubbyoik added 10:47 - Apr 30 ME should read All ABOARD THE DIRECTORSHIP by Bluetaff... He should also stand up and visibly lead this club like a man..
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buntITFC added 10:56 - Apr 30 @guentchev - Civelli in the Argentina squad....? What absolute tosh. Civelli has never been anywhere near the Argentinian national team.
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ArnieM added 11:28 - Apr 30 Surrey exile. Evans isn't daft. why would he state high figures that he's prepared to go to.....tell would be sellers what they can ask as a starting figure why don't you lol !!
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Mark added 11:29 - Apr 30 I was delighted to read the headline about big fees, but disappointed to see the quote about if we wanted a £1M player they would "discuss it". Firstly, £1M is small fry compared to some of the transfer fees out. Then, does that mean to imply that Mick has not wanted any players like this during all his time at ITFC, instead preferring to pick up free or cheap players cast off by other clubs? Why would he do that? It makes no sense. Buying cheap can work out expensive. How much have Coke, Toure and others of that ilk cost us per appearance? If we instead invested £500K in a young player he could be worth £5M if he does well, whereas players like Coke are worth nothing and will probably need to be paid to leave.

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