Town have an all but full strength squad available for Saturday's home play-off semi-final first leg with West Ham (KO 12.15pm). Midfielder Tommy Miller is over his foot injury and Chris Bart-Williams is free from back problems.

Miller picked up the foot knock against Cardiff last Sunday but Royle says he has recuperated quickly: “Tommy's fine, he trained this morning. He's had a good recovery and even did a little bit yesterday.”

Full-back Chris Makin — recovering from a hip operation - is Town's only injury victim at present with Spanish striker Pablo Couñago now close to contention after his hamstring and groin injuries according to his manager: “Pablo's back in training, not yet ready to start a game but should we need him I'm sure he could be pressed. We're as strong as we can be and I hope we're better than we were last week.”

The Town boss feels the two sides have a similar approach to the game: “I'm very aware that we're probably the two more passing teams in the semi-finals. I'm also aware that everyone comes to our place looks at the pitch and fancies it.

“I'm sure that West Ham will relish our pitch but it's up to us. You can't have a pitch to play the way you want to play and then complain because the opposition like it.”

Royle expects two tight games and says he doesn't think that being away from home in the second leg is a disadvantage; particularly given his side's away form this season. He will be happy going into the Upton Park leg with a lead of any size: “I want to win the first leg so West Ham have to take the game to us in the second.”

Darren Bent is likely to be included despite his arrest on Wednesday, while Chris Bart-Williams may return to the midfield depending on his levels of fitness. The former Charlton player is OK after his recent back problems but is short of match practice.

Hammers' boss Alan Pardew is also expecting close matches: "I've never seen a play-off match that wasn't close. Three or four critical moments will decide the tie.

"Ipswich will probably be content they have us. They will be saying that West Ham like to play football and that suits us.

"Likewise we're looking at them and saying 'yes, maybe it will be a decent game.' "We'll see who is the best footballing team.

"We will both have our teams well prepared. I have my own experience of the play-offs which, I think, might come in useful and he has his experience from all the years he's been in the game.”

Mark Clattenburg from Northumberland will referee the first leg, with Premiership official Neale Barry from Scunthorpe taking control of the second.

Clattenburg has shown 99 yellow cards and two red in 32 matches this season. He last refereed Town in the derby game at Carrow Road.

Barry, who has not refereed Town since the 2-0 away win at Watford last season, has shown 94 yellow and six red cards in 33 games during 2003/04.

Sky TV are covering both legs of the play-off semi-finals live. Tickets to the home leg are now on general sale.

Squad: Bart-Williams, Bent, Bowditch, Davis, Elliott, Kuqi, Magilton, McGreal, Miller, Naylor, Price, Reuser, Richards, Santos, Westlake, Wilnis and Wright.

Photo: Action Images

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