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Town Set to Sign Ex-QPR Man Ball
Wednesday, 1st Jun 2022 13:32

TWTD understands Town are close to completing the signing of former QPR midfielder Dominic Ball.

The 26-year-old left Loftus Road at the end of the season having spent three years with the West Londoners and will join the Blues on a free transfer.

Ball primarily plays as a defensive midfielder but can also operate at centre-half or at right-back.

The Welwyn Garden City-born schemer was a youth player with Watford before moving on to Tottenham’s academy, where Blues boss Kieran McKenna was coaching at the time.

Ball, who is 6ft 2in tall, spent time on loan at Cambridge United and Rangers - where he won the Scottish Championship title and Scottish Cup during 2015/16 - before leaving White Hart Lane for Rotherham for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2016.

Capped by Northern Ireland at U15, U16, U17, U19 and U21 levels and England at U19 and U20, Ball spent time on loan at Peterborough and Aberdeen while with the Millers.

Last season Ball made 15 starts and eight sub appearances for the Superhoops, scoring once.

In total, he made 74 starts and 25 sub appearances while at Loftus Road, scoring three times.

Ball, who has a degree from the Open University in Business Studies, recently published a book, From Winning Teams to Broken Dreams, relating his experiences and those of five fellow young players as they sought to make a career in football.

Proceeds from the book are being donated to Sarcoma UK, a charity supporting research into the bone cancer which claimed the life of one of the youngsters, Spencer McCall, who died aged 26.

TWTD's sister QPR site LoftForWords was disappointed to see him move on with their lengthy tribute concluding: “I’m disappointed he’s been released and would have kept him on for another year as an excellent bench option on a budget.

“His attitude and commitment to the club and the cause has been exemplary, absolutely first class, since the moment he got here.

“Being a professional footballer at this level, representing a club like QPR, really matters and mattered to him.”

Ball will become Town's second signing of the summer following the addition of striker Freddie Ladapo on Monday with the deal likely to be confirmed today.

The acquisition of Ball would suggest loanee Tyreeq Bakinson won't be returning on a permanent basis.


Photo: Action Images



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Radlett_blue added 13:38 - Jun 1
Dominic Ball's brother Matt was my daughter's first ever disco snog.
12

FramlinghamBlue added 13:43 - Jun 1
Disco Ball
12

MaySixth added 13:46 - Jun 1
Solid
3

ruds added 13:46 - Jun 1
Ball Bagged on the eve of the Jubilee weekender!

Anyone for a drink to celebrate us acting faster than usual in the Transfer Market?

COYB
4

markchips added 13:49 - Jun 1
No Bakinson then . Solid acquisition again without involving a fee and good championship experience.
6

Bazza8564 added 13:50 - Jun 1
Another ooc player who we probably agreed a deal with months back. There will be more
1

Edmundo added 13:51 - Jun 1
Quality over quantity was the hope. Don't know much about him, but hope this is a solid signing to go alongside Ladapo
0

Bobbiesboys added 13:56 - Jun 1
Well that's two in even before the transfer window opens! Left sided wingback another forward and Celina signed job done.
4

SickParrot added 13:57 - Jun 1
I guess he is likely to be cover for when Morsy is suspended or injured.
-1

gosblue added 14:02 - Jun 1
Show us your shirt! Then we will know it's a done deal.
Good business Town. Two signings (if confirmed) and two of our weaker areas already being strengthened. I also think Woolfenden could do a job in there as a sweeper in front of two CBs against teams that show no attacking ambitions against us.
1

Europablue added 14:04 - Jun 1
I don't pay attention to other teams, so I've never heard of him. He seems like a proven Championship player. I can't help thinking that if we wanted a QPR midfielder, we should have just kept Dozzel!
Anyway, McKenna seems to be moving fast and isn't wasting space on long shots that are injury prone or players that have no experience.
-5

Europablue added 14:04 - Jun 1
I should add welcome to Ipswich, and I hope we see good things from him!
5

Mediocre_Quick added 14:05 - Jun 1
Solid signing this, hopefully works out better than the last midfielder we pinched from them,

Doubtful he'll be cover for Morsy, like some are suggesting, but more to come in and sit in the middle with him and boost our combative options in the middle of the field
4

Beattiesballbag added 14:11 - Jun 1
Another at 6'2", .....help us compeat with the heavy handed element at set pieces of this league.
3

backwaywhen added 14:26 - Jun 1
Hmmmmm another ex Spurs academy and Irish to boot ! I suppose in KM we trust .
-4

QPRbray added 14:29 - Jun 1
QPR fan here.
I think Ball will be a great signing for you guys and one you can still depend on in the Championship (assuming you finally get promoted of course lol). I'd say his level is as one of those top league 1 players/lower championship standard kind of guys.

He was very popular at QPR due to the fact he gave his all every single game and never gave up. He's fairly limited on what he can do on the ball, infact he dribbles a bit like a toddler learning to walk but there's a certain level of grace(?) to it in that sometimes he'll dribble passed one or two players, much to the crowd's amusement as its so unexpected for a player like Ball.
He's a tough tackling ball winning midfielder who you'll find is always there as an outlet for a pass whenever a player is being jostled for the ball, however he'll mainly just pass the ball off to someone else more technically gifted.

He's never gunna rip up any trees or anything like that but I always appreciated that he knew his strengths and most importantly his limitations in the game. His positioning is pretty good too although sometimes he'll switch off, especially if his team is dominating possession a bit lol.

All in all though I don't have any bad words to say of him. He was a very useful squad player who I'd personally have kept on and feel a bit like he was hard done by with us after January when he barely played.
He'll do a very good job for you guys thats for sure!

Side note about Andre Dozzell; He didn't play loads last season but pretty much still plays how most of you guys here said he does, good vision and when he's feeling confident he can impact games but most of the time its sideways or backwards passes. Its strange though as I do see a good player in there. Wish he'd get a new haircut though, lad looks like his mum still cuts his hair!
43

OldFart71 added 14:32 - Jun 1
On the Ball Towen, never mind the danger. Nah, doesn't sound right, does it ?
1

leftie1972 added 14:43 - Jun 1
Liking the quick business the club is doing!
6

martin587 added 14:50 - Jun 1
QPRbray..very good post and thanks for that.
18

Guthrum added 14:56 - Jun 1
Ball to sit deep allowing Morsy to get up the pitch (and score more goals)?
6

blueboy1981 added 14:58 - Jun 1
It is quite amazing how a Player becomes so good, in the eyes of ITFC Fans once mentioned - but hardly, if ever, heard of before.
Is the Bar being set high enough - once again !!
-3

jas0999 added 15:03 - Jun 1
You would think he's been brought in as a squad player rather than first eleven.
3

blueboy1981 added 15:04 - Jun 1
New Signings ? - Freebies, Not Quites, and maybe an odd Has been, but cheapish - Ring a Bell ?? 🤣
And you think I'm joking ?
-12

Europablue added 15:08 - Jun 1
blueboy1981 The fact that we have never heard of him does not bother me at all. I'd never heard of McKenna before either. I don't really feel like I love football enough to learn about every player from every league. I only love Ipswich enough to bother learning about the players.
I admit I'd never heard of him, but he has been playing the Championship, so he must be fairly decent.
14

dieselmorris added 15:30 - Jun 1
i don't post very often but after watching last season pan out, i do think you need some physical players in this league which we didn't have against the more aggressive teams and need a bit of muscle to counteract this. the morecombes Accringtons etc. don'tthink he will be a starter all the time but there when you need this type of player.we were a small team most of the time especially in midfield and up front lightweight a lot of the time in this league.
13


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