Boss Joe Royle has named an 18-man squad for Town's record breaking seventh play-off campaign. The Blues travel to London on Friday afternoon ahead of Saturday's semi-final first leg against West Ham at Upton Park (KO 12.15.pm, Sky Sports One).

Into the party come midfielder Jimmy Juan, yet to make a first team appearance since joining on loan from Monaco in January, striker or winger Dean McDonald, who has impressed on a short-term deal with Town, and Dean Bowditch who is back with the Blues after his loan spell at Burnley.

Town are without David Unsworth and James Scowcroft who ended their loan spells after last week's 1-1 draw at Brighton.

Scowcroft failed to make any impression on the first team after Shefki Kuqi recovered from a gashed thigh much more quickly than expected, but Unsworth's departure means that Royle will have to make at least one change for the visit to east London.

The Portsmouth man's left-back position is likely to be taken by Fabian Wilnis, with Guinean international Drissa Diallo set to come in at right-back, returning the Blues to the back four they used during much of the first half of the season.

Wilnis suffered a bad cut to the head in the match at Brighton last Sunday but is confident he will be OK to face West Ham. In the unlikely event that he misses out, Matt Richards would play on the left of defence.

Royle has a decision to make in midfield where Kevin Horlock may be an option in the away leg. The Blues were defensively better in the first half of the season with the former West Ham player sitting in front of the back four. The more attack-minded Darren Currie looks favourite to drop out if Horlock is in Royle's thinking.

Second choice keeper Lewis Price has had a virus this week but is up and about and isn't considered a doubt, although Shane Supple will be standing by just in case.

The Town boss says he is happier playing the second game at home (Wednesday, KO 7.45pm, Sky Sports One): "We are going to have the second leg at our place this year and that's the way I would want it.

"We have proved ourselves to be better than West Ham by finishing 12 points ahead the league, but now we need to do it again over two cup-ties.

"I can sense the lads are determined to do the job and move on to the final. There has been a very positive mood in training since the weekend."

Hammers' boss Alan Pardew says the play-offs have come at an ideal time for his side: “We've got some players who are really hitting form at just the right time. Nigel Reo-Coker and Hayden Mullins have done terrific in centre midfield recently and that is a really strong area for us at the moment.

“Marlon Harewood up front has played a lot of games for us this season, and his pace and power have been key, while Jimmy Walker in goal is playing as well as I've seen him do at the moment.

“All that bodes very well for us and when you consider the players we have coming back to fitness as well the squad is in really good shape. There's a lot for us to be positive about going into the play-offs.”

Pardew is almost certainly without star striker Teddy Sheringham who has a hamstring problem, but experienced campaigners Christian Dailly, a scorer against the Blues in the play-offs last season, Malky Mackay and Don Hutchison could all be available for selection after injury.

West Ham's other scorer in last season's Upton Park play-off, Matthew Etherington, returned from injury to face Watford last Sunday.

Saturday's referee is Uriah Rennie, a member of the FA's elite group. The Sheffield official has shown 60 yellow cards and two red in 30 matches this season. Rennie's last Town game was back in April 2003 when the Blues defeated Coventry 4-2 at Highfield Road, Darren Bent and Pablo Couñago both scoring twice.

No Town players were booked in that game and the Blues have generally won with Rennie in charge, losing only once, at Charlton in the 2001/02 relegation season.

Squad: Davis, Diallo, De Vos, Naylor, Wilnis, Miller, Magilton, Horlock, Westlake, Kuqi, Bent, Richards, Currie, Juan, McDonald, Couñago, Bowditch and Price.

Photo: Action Images

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