Midfielder Alan Judge will not feature again this season having been told the Blues will not be taking up the one-year extension on his deal which would have been triggered automatically had he played one more game.

“It’s not ideal for us or Alan because I would have liked to have had him available for us over the rest of the season,” boss Paul Cook told the club website.

“I told him we are not in a position to trigger that extension to his contract and because of the situation, we won't be considering him for the remaining games.”

The 32-year-old has made 29 league starts this season and a 30th would have seen the Blues have to offer a further year at Portman Road.

Rumours regarding Judge's exit began to circulate on the TWTD Forum earlier this evening.

In total, the Republic of Ireland international made 75 starts and 16 sub appearances for Town, scoring eight times, having signed for a nominal fee from Brentford in January 2019.

Judge is one of 27 Blues pros whose deals are up at the end of the season - seven youngsters have already been told they can go - with Cook expected to launch a major overhaul in the summer to the extent that most of the current squad will depart.

Photo: TWTD

Nobbysnuts added 08:59 - Apr 16 Next to be called into the office...dozzell,Bishop, drinan,Jackson, skuse,Chambers,ward,sears,Hawkins.wolfenden.
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SickParrot added 09:09 - Apr 16 He is a good pro and always works hard but his best days are long gone. I thank him for his efforts and wish him well. We now have no chance of getting in the playoffs so the decision to not play him anymore to avoid the automatic contract extension is a good one. Evidence that the new management regime know what they are doing.
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SickParrot added 09:09 - Apr 16 He is a good pro and always works hard but his best days are long gone. I thank him for his efforts and wish him well. We now have no chance of getting in the playoffs so the decision to not play him anymore to avoid the automatic contract extension is a good one. Evidence that the new management regime know what they are doing.
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Michael101 added 09:10 - Apr 16 Well guessing who's staying & who's leaving is a lot more exciting than the football being served up at the moment.
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MoscowBlueMule added 09:15 - Apr 16 Judge was one of the very few 1st teamers i'd have kept. Sad the way it has been done. surely they could have made an addendum to his contract allowing him to play the season out without invoking the extra year contract. He'd then be able to keep fit and be in the shop window for next season. A win, win. I still think he's a great player at this level, in the right team. If this is a sign that the new owners don't think he's good enough we have some potentially very exciting signing beckoning????!!!! I can see only Norward and Downes being left next season, with perhaps Wolfie on the bench. INTERSTING TIMES!!!!

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Barty added 09:18 - Apr 16 I wish him well what ever he does but that is the right decision for the club. Many more will follow at the end of the season [ although our season is over anyway ]
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blueboy1981 added 09:21 - Apr 16 Get the limp wrists, and can't be asked - OUT. There are far too many within this current team - just rewind the Wimbledon game, that's all you should need to see. Very little quality, if any, worth keeping with Judge now out of it.
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BangaloreBlues added 09:23 - Apr 16 Thanks for your time at ITFC Alan, you've been one of the better ones. Wish you all the best for your remaining career.
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tetchris added 09:31 - Apr 16 With the exception of Bish the rest can go. We need a massive overhaul. It's been said before it's too easy at town, no pressure on the players. It's a wake up call with Cook in charge no more excuses, hard work, effort it's about time some of these players realised how good they have had it
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pistolknight added 09:33 - Apr 16 Not out worst player by an absolute mile!! If he's being shown the door the other out of contract players must be pretty much done!! Maybe one of the 3 or 4 I would of kept so I think it's going to be a mass clear out, no half measures👏👏
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Europablue added 09:38 - Apr 16 Phil1969 The big difference is that the clearout by Hurst was a clearout of a solid team, whereas you could probably replace the whole team and still get roughly the same results as we managed this season. I don't like the idea of replacing too many players, because they will take time to gel and next year could very well be a transition year. All I am asking as a supporter is to see us moving in the right direction, so I would be able to take a year where we gradually get better, but don't quite make the playoffs.

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Space_Chimp added 09:39 - Apr 16 I feel bad for judge I feel he has been one of our better players this year
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planetblue_2011 added 09:45 - Apr 16 He hasn't been the best player in the world gives you plenty of effort but nothing what he's really Capable of. He's had some good games & mainly poor games. Prob best for him to move on. All the best Judgey!! Be interesting who's next on their way out.
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ArnieM added 09:48 - Apr 16 Cheerio 👋
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Londonblue58 added 09:55 - Apr 16 Good luck Judgey. Remember that awful time for him when his leg got broken in the tackle with Luke Hyam. Perhaps we owed him for that but what a shame he didnt live up to what we thought was his potential. What is for certain however is that he gave us one of the highlights of this dreadful season with his altercation with referee Drysdale. Still split my sides laughing when I read the referee's report of what Judge was alleged to have said to him. 26 more to follow you Judgey

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dirtydingusmagee added 10:03 - Apr 16 always come across as a decent person, sadly the injury he suffered obviously took a big toll on him physically and mentally, i think the latter has inhibited his play . It was a hell of an injury and it probably still is in back of his mind. He hasnt achieved what some expected of him ,but there are other players far more deserving of the chop, HOPEFULLY those players will be following him out. To retain them wont do PC any favours. Good luck Judgey, hope all works out for you in future .

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BettyBlue added 10:14 - Apr 16 what on earth has Chambers got in his contract??
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IpswichToon added 10:18 - Apr 16 I'm a massive fan of Judge. He's a magician on his day, but sadly change needs to happen at this club. Good luck Judge.
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cornishblu added 10:22 - Apr 16 Thank goodness we aren't mangers .....judge has been overtly ridiculed and criticised on this forum due to his lack of passion and poor play As soon as it's suggested he is going to go the worm turns and now he is a good player ....wow ..PC has a horrendous job in just making the right decisions without the inevitable criticism he is going to get from TWTD I hide myself and cringe awaiting the first signing he makes here's a quid for every person who says ..What!,...no better than what we had !! COYB

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philpott2 added 10:27 - Apr 16 I'm liking this bit of news.... Bearing in mind he is one of the more talented players we have, and has been involved in a number of the more positive moments (that's all I can call it, as have been so rare over the last god knows how long), that for me does very well. Hopefully that means ALL of the lesser 'footballers in terms of skill, attitude, commitment etc. May well be out of the door too........ So we will be looking for about 18 new signings for 2021/22. YIPPEE...... ABOUT TIME TOO.

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Marinersnose added 10:34 - Apr 16 I actually think Judge has had arguably his best season for town but probably because others have been so poor. He was fantastic before the Hyam challenge but regrettably he never rediscovered his fine form. He has been committed to the task and has shown more of a winning mentality than many others. That'll be it for his Ipswich career. We need to look for better quality if we are to make a serious bid for promotion next season. All the very best Judgey.

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pegasus added 10:36 - Apr 16 I have to say that this is very sad. This young man has had a huge amount to deal with. There was his concern about his daughter's health which made him want to return to London. Then, as a family man with a vulnerable child, he was particularly concerned about the pandemic. Finally, the illness and death of his mother, just a few weeks ago, clearly affected his life in every respect and contributed to that red card. He has had more good games than bad games for Town, and there's not many that applies to. I wish him well.

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OldClactonBlue added 10:47 - Apr 16 Seemed a great acquisition when we signed him but sadly he has never fired for us. A pity, but this was inevitable.
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Razor added 11:01 - Apr 16 He can go and hunt down Hyam now!!
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philpott2 added 14:51 - Apr 16 Interesting.... Marked down by someone..... Not sure who that is, but can only assume you've been living on another planet the last few years. Surely it means there will be huge changes afoot..... And it needs to be so, as for the last three seasons ITFC performances on the pitch have been woeful!
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