TWTD understands former Bolton Wanderers keeper Remi Matthews joined the Blues squad for the start of pre-season training earlier today.

Gorleston-based Matthews asked Town keeper-coach Jimmy Walker if he could train with Blues while he looks for a new club having left the Trotters after the League One season was curtailed.

The 26-year-old is understood to be interesting a number of Championship clubs and sides abroad.

Matthews started his career at Norwich City - where he will have been coached by Town first-team coach Matt Gill - during which time he spent spells on loan at Burton Albion, Doncaster Rovers, Hamilton Academical, Plymouth Argyle and Bolton, a switch which became permanent in January 2019.

The 6ft ½in tall keeper was linked with the Blues and a number of other clubs last summer during the Trotters’ financial problems but ultimately remained with the Lancastrians as they were relegated from League One.

Town are expected to be in the market for a second senior keeper this summer to vie with Tomas Holy for a starting position with loanee Will Norris having returned to Wolves at the end of the season.

Aside from Holy, youngsters Adam Przybek, 20, and Harry Wright, 21, are currently the only professional keepers at the club.

Photo: Action Images

Facefacts added 09:43 - Jul 23 Either... We must get back to the Championship this season, to keep this level of squad and improve it. Need to wait to see how Paul Lambert is going to set up the team. Playing out from the back did not work with Bart, and Norris made very costly errors, eg. Wycombe (away), are we going to try the three centre backs marauding forward, so much is unknown. The ability of the keeper on the ball is more and more important, I think Paul Lambert wants a keeper to replace Holy for that reason. But Matthews, I know nothing about him. Shot stopping may be important, but it is the ability on the ball Paul Lambert is looking for. Or... I agree with the above comment "we do not need another keeper", if we are looking at cutting squad size according to being a League One club, salary cap on the way.

0

Bert added 09:54 - Jul 23 Economic survival in the crazy world of football finance is any supporter's wish at present and shouldn't be confused with a lack of ambition. We all want promotion and more but most of us choose to be positive rather than banging on about past mistakes in a sour and sometimes inappropriate manner on here. If the cap fits ......
1

Bluearmy_81 added 10:04 - Jul 23 Positive?! That's hilarious. I'd say deluded. I'm sorry for your future disappointment as it will be mine too. I'm just objective enough to see what's pretty certain, more underachievement, more disappointment, more failure. What did Einstein say about the definition of madness, doing the same thing and expecting different results?
-1

Skip73 added 10:35 - Jul 23 We do, we only have Holy who is up to standard.
0

ITFCsince67 added 16:55 - Jul 23 Don't need anymore keepers. Use what we have.
2

KiwiBlue2 added 01:28 - Jul 24 Holy with back up from Wright and Pryzbek (?) should be fine. The money, if there is any, needs to be spent on a commanding cb who is preferably left footed to partner Woolfie. The other need is for a frequent goal scoring striker to work with Norwood, Jackson and Sears. The midfield is overstocked and a few could be let go to free up some funds towards the two priority areas.

1

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls