Town chairman David Sheepshanks and manager George Burley are to take a four-day trip to the World Cup in the summer. The pair will take in a number of games including Ireland's clash with Saudi Arabia.

The Town chairman said: "Hopefully our captain Matt Holland will be playing and we can give him great morale support."

They will also take in Argentina and England, Japan against Russia as well as Sweden versus Argentina. Plans to watch England's game against Nigeria have been shelved with Finidi George now looking unlikely to get a place in the Nigeria squad.

Sheepshanks and Burley will be based in Sappori and travel to games by train. The chairman feels the trip will give him and the manager time to look to the future: "It will be a good opportunity for us to spend time together and review the season. If we are relegated at the end of the season it will be a good time to make plans for August.

"If we are still in the Premiership, as indeed we hope we are, it will give us ideal exposure to the international scene. Spending time away together travelling to matches will be a perfect way to prepare for the future."

Burley says he is looking forward to visiting Japan for for the first time.

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