Town striker Daryl Murphy is not in the Blues’ 18 for today’s home game against Preston with the Irishman understood to have travelled to Newcastle for talks regarding his move to the Magpies and to undergo a medical. TWTD revealed that the North-East club were closing in on signing the 33-year-old yesterday evening.

The clubs are believed to have agreed a fee believed to be around £3.5 million. According to some reports the striker handed in a transfer request.

Murphy is replaced in today’s side by Brett Pitman, while Tommy Smith comes back in for Adam Webster, who drops to the bench.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Bru, Ward, Sears, Pitman. Subs: Gerken, Webster, Kenlock, Digby, Bishop, Varney, Dozzell.

Preston: Lindegaard, Humphrey, Clarke, Wright, Cunningham, Spurr, Welsh, Gallagher, Johnson, Robinson and Beckford. Subs: Maxwell, Huntington, Grimshaw, Browne, Doyle, Hugill, Makienok.

Photo: TWTD

cromwellblue added 14:11 - Aug 27 Ok. As expected. Bench now looks weak. Only Bishop & Varney as potential game changers
1

rickw added 14:11 - Aug 27 We need to find a decent replacement targetman ASAP!!
5

Westover added 14:11 - Aug 27 Murphy will be missed but the best of luck to him just hope we can find someone to replace him
10

JesusStockwell added 14:11 - Aug 27 Can't really blame him, good luck big fella!!!!!!
11

muccletonjoe added 14:11 - Aug 27 Sad. Murph has been a great servant. There has to be a contingency plan and i have no doubt there is.
6

Ashinbarnsley added 14:12 - Aug 27 Can't decide whether I'm happy or not with this as 3.5 million for a 33 year old murph is alot, back of the head tells Me it's just balancing Webster and wards fees. Slightly feeling we should of kept him but if true and he has asked to leave, who are we to stop him. Good luck murphy
10

Lightningboy added 14:13 - Aug 27 £3.5m is decent money for a 33 year old a couple of seasons past his best. I just hope Mick is given at least some of that cash and spends it on something better than the Bests & Varneys of this world. Saying that I think Pitman is perfectly capable of knocking in 20+ goals this season given the chance.
17

potter84 added 14:14 - Aug 27 Well that's that then! Thanks for your years of service, I don't blame you for this last pay day. All the best big man we are going to miss you. Now it's a question of who and how many decent replacements we can get in 3.5mill is a decent fee but would still rather see you in our squad. Maybe town can sign Rhodes and Armstrong on loan?! Maybe dack for the midfield also!

2

martin587 added 14:15 - Aug 27 Let's hope the 3.5 if that's correct is ploughed back into the team otherwise we have really shot ourselves in the foot,once again.!!
7

baldman added 14:17 - Aug 27 Kemar roofe or what ever his name is seen him a couple of times like the look of him
1

battyblue added 14:17 - Aug 27 Back to his old different class back four captain fantastic still in there in his nailed on position why do we need two centre backs on the bench wheres Dozzel?
4

JimInGreensboro added 14:18 - Aug 27 Didz and Murph out? Didn't see that to start the season. Mick's going to sink back into an even more defensive posture. Not much of a choice at this point, with the lack of depth up front.
3

thebeat added 14:18 - Aug 27 More importantly you have to hand it to snidey Mick. Knows everybody will be talking about Murphy today so takes the opportunity to crowbar one of his favourites Smith back in thinking it will slip under the radar. Webstet has done nothing wrong!
0

WeWereZombies added 14:20 - Aug 27 Only six subs for Town today?
1

IpswichT62OldBoy added 14:21 - Aug 27 Bad news for us I think. Hope I am wrong.
1

BrettenhamBlue added 14:21 - Aug 27 Wants to leave. Not much we can do about it unfortunately.
2

rfretwell added 14:23 - Aug 27 Thought Murph looked painfully slow in the Eurosbut still leads our line well. Injury prone now and not as sharp near goal as he was. Shame to lose him but its a decent wad at his age. He will probably be Newcastle up.
1

floridaboy added 14:23 - Aug 27 If the rumours regarding his private life is true then a move back to the north east had to happen. He doesn't want to be here then why keep him, could have unsettling affect on the rest of the squad. He had one exceptional season which I don't think he will achieve again Cert MM has things in place with regards to a replacement plus it's about time Pitman and Sears showed a bit more 're goals Finally think £3.5m if true is in my opinion over the top but if true take it quick!!

4

cornishblu added 14:23 - Aug 27 ...anyone think that mick might have been clever with this one ...he has already lined up the replacement ,got an exciting prospect for good money and will therefore surprise and excite us all!!! ....nah me neither COYB
8

Flewstar85 added 14:27 - Aug 27 I had to laugh at that one - cornishble 😂😂
3

Tractamatt added 14:27 - Aug 27 Thanks for all your hard work and wearing the badge with pride now hope we spend the money on a replacement of the same quality of player and person.
5

gorse added 14:27 - Aug 27 TBH not a bad bit of business. This may encourage a much better style of football, which is what we need to go up, if not this season.
5

Tractamatt added 14:28 - Aug 27 We might start playing on the ground a bit more though!
1

TheJam added 14:30 - Aug 27 Only Six sub's ? Can't we find a 7th
0

bedsitfc added 14:32 - Aug 27 Fair play to Murphy, a great servant to the club over the years but Newcastle are a massive club. Hope all goes well for him up there. His hard work will be missed
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