Blues vice-captain Cole Skuse has signed a new one-year deal with the option of a further season.

“We are delighted to have agreed a new contract with Cole,” general manager football operations Lee O’Neill told the club site.

“It includes an option for an additional year and while Cole’s focus will be on the football side it gives us time going forward to look at the other qualities he has that could be beneficial for him and the football club.”

The 34-year-old was among the players whose deals are up on June 30th but with Town having an option for a further campaign. As reported on Friday, the club was speaking to those players over the weekend.

Skuse revealed in January that he was in talks with owner Marcus Evans regarding new terms which would have an eye on his future after his playing days.

“When I talk about work off the field, whether it’s coaching or stuff in the community or on match days, it’s something we — that’s me, Marcus, Lee and the manager — have spoken about. I’m doing my badges and some work with Woodbridge Town at the minute,” he said.

“I’ve decided to do that away from this club because I wanted to get out of the Ipswich environment and do the work with a local club. I want to get the coaching badges ticked off. I can do it alongside playing but it’s not at the forefront of my mind right now.

“I do feel more than capable of continuing to play and I want to do that for as long as I can. But, yes, it could be done alongside playing, although my main focus is on being a footballer for the foreseeable future.”

Skuse joined the Blues on a free transfer from hometown club Bristol City in the summer of 2013 and has made 267 starts and seven sub appearances, scoring two goals.

Photo: TWTD

bluebury25 added 15:59 - May 18 Oh god.
6

Bergholt_Blue added 16:06 - May 18 Great news I personally think we miss him when we don't play him
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therein61 added 16:24 - May 18 Well he has a new contract so we have to put up with his negativity, hospital passes, and getting dizzy spells when he can get over the 1/2 way line(then can't get back), he couldn't tackle a bag of crisps then finger points all around him(apart from his mate) i just hope his future is off the park but then comments like" i've spoken to Marcus(what about the manager and his opinion!!??) sums it up watch your back Lambo they are coming for your job god help us.

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Lightningboy added 16:31 - May 18 Blimey 😖 When you think back to the midfield we had here 20 years ago and compare it to the current one... Makes you want to cry. #mediocrity
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JDAndCoke added 16:45 - May 18 Gonefishing - Any chance you could enlighten us all on exactly why Cole Skuse isn't a great leader and good around the club? What is he like on a daily basis? Is his attitude actually not as good as we all think? Seeing as you're clearly on the training pitch on a daily basis and know what he's like, it would be good to hear a proper insiders view? I'm surprisingly pleased to see the majority of sensible comments above. Clearly CS isn't going to play 46 games for the next two seasons but unless 'Gonefishing' can tell us otherwise, he's clearly a good character around the place and can still do a job in certain games too. Think especially in big games when an experienced head is needed Skuse can still do a grand job.

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BarbelBoy added 16:51 - May 18 I think it's fair to say that we have been on a downward spiral for several years. In terms of the team there has been just one constant - the presence of Chambers and Skuse. The stats are simple and undeniable. They have both played the vast majority of the games during that slide and so have both had ample opportunity to impose themselves as influential players. Neither has done so. I acknowledge that their off the field influence on the squad and their example to the younger players has some merit but every time I watch our pre match routine it just looks so stale. It seems compulsory that Chambo must run out first with Skuse behind him. When they finish their routine in front of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand Chambo has to be the first to applaud the fans followed by Skuse and then, and only then, do the other players join in. It's as if no one dares to change the routine. They have become talisman but of failure rather than success. What really makes me even more worried about all of this is that you get the feeling it is inevitable that in the fairly near future they will be handed the roles of Head Coach and Assistant. They would be a fairly cheap option and we know how important that will be.

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Terry_Nutkins added 17:05 - May 18 Good
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ChrisFelix added 17:16 - May 18 Babelboy i agree 100% with your comments. From a championship side to average division 3 team the only players left are Chambers & Skuses. I hope both have back room roles next season, we can only hope. My fear is we lose our promising central defender & ball winning midfielder der & are left with these two
10

Henz10 added 17:28 - May 18 Good news though I hope it will be on a reduced salary. Had a good start and has slowly drifted away. If Adeyemi and Huws had been fit then they would have made an excellent midfield who complimented each other well. I think he'd make a good coach as he's obviously got a high football IQ just a distinct lack of ability. A good professional who'll lead by example. Disappointed to see Rowe being let go. Could play wither wing; was quick and direct. Keane is too injury prone and Roberts is simply not good enough.

0

braveblue added 17:28 - May 18 Another ‘great asset' who has been ever present during our gradual decline. Clear out is what was needed.
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braveblue added 17:28 - May 18 Another ‘great asset' who has been ever present during our gradual decline. Clear out is what was needed.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 18:34 - May 18 I put that in my "better than nothing" column
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TractorRoyNo1 added 18:37 - May 18 "naa"- we saw what a defensive midfielder could do, John Wark scored more goals in a game than Skuuzz has in his time at Ipswich
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therein61 added 18:38 - May 18 Marcus will probably make up the difference from previous contracts(he loves a creep)
3

stiffy501 added 18:58 - May 18 Have to say i don't see this as a positive, did i read 1400 out of contract players just in league 's 1 & 2 has to be a better option out there !!
5

cat added 19:51 - May 18 There ain't no dressing this one up so I'll say it as it is. Bitterly disappointed with this news, offers nothing to the team going forward, barely crosses the half way line, Okay, so he breaks up play ok but do me a frigging favour. These overrated seniors need to move on as they are holding us back, serial losers who offer plenty off the pitch but ‘jack' on it. If they were half decent they'd at least been linked with a prem club, nearest they got to it was with us in Jurassic times. Not happy, in fact I'm proper pished off with this.

13

Linkboy13 added 19:52 - May 18 Spot on brave blue i keep hearing how good this player is and that player is if that's the case why are we so poor . We have three decent players Wolfenden, Downes and KVY. In Skuse's case he's obviously been lined up for a coaching role same applies to Chambers. Take Rowe for example he's never been a regular because he's work rate is so poor does the odd good thing but most of the time goes missing. The club needs a major overhaul smaller squad but with better quality.

3

jas0999 added 20:05 - May 18 Not at all surprised. If on significantly reduced terms, fair enough.
0

Surco72 added 20:12 - May 18 Majority of time Skuse has been here he has needed another defensive minded midfielder next to him as he is so ineffective. Doesnt protect the back four enough and offers nothing going forward , but part of the deluded happy clappy team that run the club thinking they are doing well and cant understand why the club is in freefall
11

Northstandveteran added 20:37 - May 18 I won't use the term ' happy clapper' nor will I insult my fellow town fans. However, I have been saying for many years that our fans will be and have been responsible for accepting anything that is served up to them which has contributed to our demise. I'm not an Evans fan, nor am I an outer but what club in the country, other than Ipswich, reward constant failure in management, captaincy and years of poor to average player performance? Dress it up all you like but we are a mid table THIRD division side. I fear the only way is down. Which as a lifelong fan is something I never thought I'd imagine let alone experience.

12

bazgammon added 22:14 - May 18 Terrible news. He is a fraud like Chambers and the truth is they have been major factors in our decline. To think of the good players we have lost while those two have remained here because no other clubs want them. I don't buy into 'oh he does defensive things so well blah, blah, hidden stuff"- no he doesn't'. John Wark was a defensive midfielder but never stopped him from scoring. In fact there are goalkeepers with better scoring records than Exskuse.

10

ernie added 22:25 - May 18 As the great Mick Mills put it about Skuse and I'm paraphrasing here: ' Yes we know you can do the defensive stuff well, that is the minimum. what else can you offer the team?..what else are you looking to do with the ball, what risks are you looking to take'. In Skuse's case, sadly, the answer is and has always has been a big fat NOTHING.
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Gonefishing added 08:00 - May 19 Well JDandCoke, every subsequent commenter put it much better than me!! Great leaders don't oversee constant failure.
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Guthrum added 08:36 - May 19 So two players - a defender who signed in 2012 and a midfielder arriving a year later - were the 'one constant' in our 'downward spiral' which has been going on since 2002? Rather than being members of the team which gave us one of the few bright spots in the last decade, a run to the play-offs? And rather than a sport which has gone from skill at identifying and nuturing talent to buying it in wholesale?

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ThaiBlue added 09:44 - May 19 As john mcEnroe said you can not be serious!
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