Midfielder Teddy Bishop has been ruled out for two to four weeks with an ankle ligament injury but central defender Christophe Berra is expected to be OK despite picking up a knock, manager Mick McCarthy has revealed, while a number of other players and the Blues boss himself have suffered from illness during the preparations for Tuesday’s game at Birmingham.

“He’s twisted his ankle and he won’t be travelling, he’s done his ankle ligaments and he’ll be out for two to four weeks,” McCarthy said regarding Bishop, who came on as a late sub in the 1-1 draw with Cardiff at the weekend. “Christophe got a bang, but he’s alright, Christophe is fine.”

The Town manager says he and several members of his squad have been suffering with illness ahead of the trip to Birmingham.

“I’m hoping I’m going to be fit and well for it,” he said. “I’m considerably better today than I was yesterday.

“There are a few that have got sniffles and coughs and colds. Gerks went home yesterday, he was sick.

""“Wardy was feeling it a bit, I think he had a bit of a dodgy tummy and what have you.

"Skusey, a cough and a cold. Not injuries but whatever it is that’s going around the place. Hopefully they’ll all be OK.”

The visit to St Andrew’s is Town’s second game of three in eight days and McCarthy says he is considering whether to make changes, “I’ll see.”

Tommy Smith (back) is set to return to training towards the end of the month following his operation, while Luke Hyam and Giles Coke (both knee) are also continuing their rehab after surgery and Paul Digby is also out with a knee problem.

Meanwhile, Preston have confirmed the signing of Dundalk winger Daryl Horgan, a player the Blues boss recently watched in action before deciding not to take his interest any further.

Photo: TWTD

brian_a_mul added 13:34 - Dec 12 Bad time of year for injuries and illness with the busy christmas fixtures coming up. Chance for one or two youngsters to stake a claim (McDonnell, Dozzell possibly).
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iaintaylorx added 13:35 - Dec 12 Mick doesn't know how to manage players who have that bit of flair and something about them. Bishop and Bru looked great players and as for Jonny, he never plays him, but favours Skuse and Douglas over the creative players we have - it's ridiculous!! MICK OUT!!!!
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Wicksy added 13:41 - Dec 12 "The visit to St Andrew's is Town's second game in eight days" 4 days...?
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elbuerto added 13:41 - Dec 12 Is Michael Tallaksen Crowe back in train ing?
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Smithy added 13:47 - Dec 12 Well they've been playing as if they've had the flu all season, would it make much difference?
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martin587 added 13:55 - Dec 12 He won't play the young lads.He's not that clever.
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Mr_Evans added 14:00 - Dec 12 Ankle ligament injury my ass. It's obvious that it's Bishop's shin problems. He's hardly played and is slowly being eased in. I would assume MM has let him have the busy Christmas and NY peroid off.
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TractorBoy666 added 14:03 - Dec 12 Bishop seems to pick up too many injuries despite not playing many games. Let's hope Williams gets a bit of game time now with his loan looking a fairly pointless one. I just cannot understand how Douglas gets ahead of a player who featured so well for Wales, it's a sad state when the two loanees are your best players.
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planetblue_2011 added 14:03 - Dec 12 Gives Jonny boy a chance now surely!!!!! Oh no forgot skuglas is our midfield!! Someone mentioned Bru who is he now? Don't ever hear of him anymore. Mick sort it out u know Jonny Williams is the best midfielder at the club, play him u knob😜 Well for Bishop will say no more, he's another one made of glass, great player tho when he plays.
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rfretwell added 14:11 - Dec 12 C'mon Planetblue, Bishop is nowhere near being a great player!!! At least now MM has no excuse not to play Joniesta surely.
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PhilTWTD added 14:15 - Dec 12 Wicksy Sorry, meant second game of three in eight days. I'm suffering with the cold going round as well!
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nysully added 14:39 - Dec 12 @iaintaylorx I would say Bru is creative only if compared to Douglas, Bru's creativity is comparable to Skuse
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Surco72 added 14:45 - Dec 12 To get match fit you have to play matches , Bishop has not been allowed a good run in the side allowed to many others under performing hence he picks up niggly injuries . Lets hope MM Is ill , last time he didn't make it to game was our best result under his time in charge i believe
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rgp1 added 15:09 - Dec 12 Breaking news! McCarthy suffering from repetitive verbal diarrhoea.
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BlueySwede added 15:10 - Dec 12 Bru and "great player" in the same sentence.. well, it´s not only MM that has lost the plot..;)
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jas0999 added 15:12 - Dec 12 Well, it didn't affect Cardiff - so no excuses from us I hope. Should have a big enough squad to be able to cope.
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battyblue added 15:14 - Dec 12 Bishop must of tripped over Micks water bottle so eager was he to get a few minutes on the pitch before McCarthy changed his mind.Is this storey Mick making excuses for tomorrow just incase we get beaten he may as well stay in bed lads may perform better without him barking at them for 90+ minutes. Mick out
7

ormey75 added 15:31 - Dec 12 It doesn't really matter who plays and who doesn't, we are crap and we know it, £30 quid to watch that dross every other week, why do you think even bang average players like ours can drive really nice motors? How much more money are you fans going to shovel in their greedy pockets? Wake up people!
11

wherescounago added 15:34 - Dec 12 Don't worry I am sure Giles Coke must be almost ready to return and save us all!!!
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barrystedmunds added 15:35 - Dec 12 Who gives one anyway? It has damn good humping written all over it! Hope I'm wrong but on the evidence thus far, can't see much changing! On the plus side...... only 13 more sleeps til Santa!
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MattinLondon added 15:37 - Dec 12 What are the chances of seeing the following midfield at some point this season? A midfield three with Skuse behind them. Skuse Hyam, Douglas, Coke I would just give up and get very very very drunk instead
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dugoutdave added 15:43 - Dec 12 Is there no chance that Douglas could be ill. To paraphase "Hoppys" quip last week (which still make me laugh) , if only he could have the runs.!
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MicksZzzTactics added 16:00 - Dec 12 BREAKING NEWS: Here is the ehhhhmmm freshly hacked and thus deeply secret "unabridged" version of the above interview, as it were stenographed by The Dino's faithful prehistoric sidekick Terry "I'm the best darn creative & most productive football trainer out there" Connor, exclusively where the interview pertains to possible changes to the otherwise extremely personal favorites-laden starting XI: "Whether I The Dino is making any [non-forced] changes to the next game???!!! .... [Then thinking to himself: Ha! You simply must be seriously out of your freakin' mind silly reporter!!!] .... Oh well: "I'll see"". "LOL "I'll see" LOL .... After all -- [Again thinking to himself: YOU STUPID TOWNIES FANS!] -- we are coming straight off back-to-back 6-0 hyper impressive wins where we played ultra ultra strong league opposition COMPLETELY of the field, and where we in no way WHATSOEVER were dependent or neither sheer good luck (again!) nor King Bart (again!), and ohhh obviously also had about 90% of both the real good chances , 'shots on target' and possession, aren't we now??? .... aren't we??? .... aren't we??? "Well I The Dino the chronically Deluded One, somehow compulsively believe we are, period end of story!, so alas this here eons old mantra is my 'The Grand Genius McCarthy's' best and most undebunkable defense on this here particular subject of the starting XI": "If there is no evidence of a real problem, and fixing the 'problem' would not effectively improve play, performance and results OR lo and behold improve attendance and the overall mood among said attendance, then don't waste time and energy [MINE, yours or anybody else's] trying to fix it! Period!"" End of hacked stenography. :-) :-) :-) :-)

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Kesgraveblue57 added 16:31 - Dec 12 I'm given to understand that McCarthy illness is called verbal diarrhoea, as for the players they felt the need to go and lay in a darkened room overburdened by tactics
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micky_1560 added 16:59 - Dec 12 MicksZzzTatics, I love the way you can write period, but not actually use one! Still at least you used some sentences and paragraphs this time to break it all up. Lol
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