Cole Skuse will return to the Town squad for tonight’s penultimate pre-season friendly away against League Two Colchester United, however the Blues will still be without several other central midfielders (KO 7.30pm).

Skuse missed Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Gillingham due to illness but was back at Playford Road yesterday.

The 31-year-old is likely to start along with a number of the senior players who came off the bench in the second half at the Priestfield Stadium at the weekend.

“That’s the idea, pretty much,” manager Mick McCarthy said after Saturday’s match. “I’ll have a look at it, it might not be exactly that, that they start, but certainly Webbo [Adam Webster] will, Dominic [Iorfa] will at centre-half, not at right-back.

“Didzy will start. Having played 60 minutes on Tuesday night, having only just come back, it wasn’t prudent to start him today. Most of them will be starting on Tuesday night.”

Tom Adeyemi (illness) and Emyr Huws (calf) now seem highly unlikely to be ready for the season opener at home to Birmingham a week on Saturday, while Teddy Bishop has picked up a groin problem, Andre Dozzell suffered a hip knock while winning the European Championships with the England U19s and Luke Hyam is still coming back from the ankle problem which ended his 2016/17.

McCarthy says injuries and illness have been the downside to what has otherwise been a positive pre-season.

“We’ve just had injuries and illness which have made it impossible for Tom Adeyemi to play, he’s been poorly, he’s had flu for 10 days, it’s knocked him right off his feet,” he said.

“Skusey will be all right, he was in [on Monday] morning, but didn't join in training but he’ll be fine, I’ve no worries about him and his fitness.

“Emyr Huws has got a calf strain, Teddy Bishop’s got a groin strain, Luke Hyam’s still not fit, albeit that’s been for a while.

“So that’s prevented some of them from even getting any minutes. Chambo was a while coming back having had a few niggles, he had his tonsils out as well.

“But other than that we are [where we’d expect to be at this point in pre-season]. I think we’ve played well in the games, even at Gillingham we played well and then gave a stupid penalty away. I’m pleased with pre-season.”

In the absence of the more senior midfielders, 18-year-old Flynn Downes has made a case for his inclusion in the opening day team.

“The one player who has stood out like a sore thumb is Flynn Downes and if they’re all still injured or sick I’d have no worries playing him, I think he’s been great,” enthused McCarthy, who says he has no concerns regarding the academy product’s lack of experience.

“He’ll be fine. I don’t think you have to be a wise young lad, you have to be football savvy, want to play, be capable physically enough to be able to play, and he's got all those attributes.

"You can’t put a 30-year-old head on an 18-year-old’s shoulders, that’s not going to be the case, but he knows the game, he can play. I’d have no worries about him at all.”

Asked whether Hyam might go out on loan to get games as he continues his return from injury, McCarthy added: “Luke’s got to get fit. If he’s not fit before the start of the season the only avenue for him to get football would be in the National League, that’s the only place he can go.”

Colchester advise buying tickets in advance via their website’s print at home option to avoid queues, although they will be available on the gate, while they will be running a full shuttle bus service. Full details on that and parking at the Weston Homes Community Stadium here.

Town’s final match of pre-season is against League One Charlton Athletic at the Valley on Saturday afternoon (KO 3pm).

Meanwhile, former Town defender Steven Taylor has signed for Peterborough United on a two-year deal.

The 31-year-old had been on trial at Doncaster Rovers having been told he would not be offered a new contract by the Blues at the start of last week.

Photo: TWTD

Keaneish added 13:05 - Jul 25 Midfield options are looking pretty light already for Brum.
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LWNR2013 added 13:07 - Jul 25 Very good player
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Cookycrew added 13:10 - Jul 25 Frustrating in particular for MM that Adeyemi & Huws will not get any game time before the Birmingham game, as both those 2 would normally (I hope) be 1st choice starting players.
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 13:48 - Jul 25 Good to see Taylor got a deal at Posh
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Jimmy86 added 13:58 - Jul 25 Best give Bru a squad number fairly sharpish then!! Still has enough to offer and is a decent squad player
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iaintaylorx added 13:59 - Jul 25 Rather see Downes given his spot in all honesty, One of our own and looks to go forward, not sideways!
14

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:14 - Jul 25 Flu in the middle of summer? Are you sure, Mick? Not looking good for our midfield just at the moment. You do wonder how so many can be ill or injured before the season even kicks off. What have they been doing? No idea at the moment what Mick is going to consider his starting eleven if all are available, but I guess it will be a pretty conservative choice.
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Lightningboy added 14:26 - Jul 25 God I hope Huws,Adeyemi,Bishop,Ward,Downes,Dozzell & Hyam are fit this season - cannot bear another season of watching Skuse going sideways and backwards.
9

midastouch added 14:38 - Jul 25 Just 1 goal in 158 appearances for Town so far making a shocking goals to games ratio of 0.0063%. You couldn't make it up! When he scored his one and only goal for Ipswich it was a screamer and I was hoping it would give him the confidence to shoot a bit more and try and grab a few more here and there (he's a defensive midfielder after all but he should be looking to try and net perhaps 4 or 5 a season which isn't totally unrealistic for a regular starter from just about any position) but just about every time I've seen him try and hit a long shot since he's spooned it either wide or over and I think he's lost his confidence to have a shot.

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Michael11 added 14:58 - Jul 25 Bishop and Hyam are two of the biggest sick notes we've ever had on our books. Bishop must have played 10 games in 3 seasons and I can't even remember Hyam playing from about Christmas of our play off season.
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mathiemagic added 15:10 - Jul 25 Maybe with the injuries Downe's will get his chance and hopefully will cement his place in the side. Would be good to see a home grown talent thrive for once.
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gosblue added 15:11 - Jul 25 MM will start Skuse v Brum no matter what. After that he should be playing for his place like everyone else. Same applies to Chambers (captain obvious or not). If the squad isn't good enough to have competition for all places then we're doomed.
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brian_a_mul added 15:41 - Jul 25 Agree that Skuse is a very important player. He is our most experienced midfield player, great role model and is the voice of reason for our young midfielders breaking through. Our team is much stronger with Skuse in there. Its a long season and youngsters are inconsistent with performances. Skuse & Chambo will be crucial to the development of this set of players for the season/s ahead. Glad to see him back

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TimmyH added 15:43 - Jul 25 Can he go out on loan to a lower league club so he can learn to be more creative and score the odd goal?...he really is the Mr 'grey' on the starting list.
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Garv added 16:10 - Jul 25 Great.
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Brownie added 16:25 - Jul 25 Skuse should be one of the first names on the team sheet. Yes I know that might not be the thing to say on here but in my view he does a great job. MM then needs to pick pace & creativity around him. That why we call it a team - sum of the parts is what counts! COYB!
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toxtethblue added 16:43 - Jul 25 Alright Mick (Brownie) we know he's one of your fav's!!
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happybeingblue added 17:22 - Jul 25 rewind 12 months and the same pre season talk bishop injured hyam not fit etc, worrying times already, and if we fail to beat a league 2 team tonight friendly or not alarm bells will be ringing, thats for sure.
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SheptonMalletBlue added 17:27 - Jul 25 McCarthy talking out of his an*s again!!!
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therein61 added 17:54 - Jul 25 You could put a dustbin with no/8 on it in front of the back four and at least it wouldn't give them hospital passes or give it to the opposition.
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cooper442 added 18:53 - Jul 25 I am amazed people rate this guy, he really is not as good as people say he is...
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Brownie added 21:10 - Jul 25 Nice one to toxteth! Skuse is one of my favourites but not Mick - very much in the MM out brigade but tbh Skuse is a good player in my view. All I really want is passion, flare & entertainment from my Saturday afternoon & not sure I'll get that at PR in the near future.
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