Midfielder Owen Garvan has failed to regain full fitness in time for the trip to Brighton's temporary home at the Withdean Stadium. The young Irishman injured his ankle in the recent home game with Coventry City.

Fellow midfielder Kevin Horlock is also still sidelined due to the rib problem he picked up against the Sky Blues, but keeper Lewis Price is OK after his recent bout of bronchitis.

Royle says that long-term ankle injury absentee Ian Westlake is close to a return: “He'll start training seriously on Monday. He tells me he'll be fit two days later but he won't, although he will get fit quicker than most, which will be good news for us.”

The Town manager considered including last season's victorious FA Youth Cup captain Liam Craig in his squad. Primarily a left-sided midfielder, but also able to play as a striker or a full-back, 18-year-old Craig has been suffering with a slight injury and instead played for the U18s this lunchtime in the restaging of the recently abandoned game with Spurs, scoring both the Blues' goals in a 3-2 defeat.

Royle says the Scottish U19 international will come into his thoughts for next week's games with Derby and Plymouth.

The only change from last week's squad is Canadian international Jaime Peters replacing Dean McDonald.

The Town boss admits his side needs to improve on the display against Watford: “We've got to give our fans a lot more than we did last week. The performance was poor and the result was worse.”

Royle is unable to field new signing Vemund Brekke Skard with Town and his former club Brumunddal still looking into when he might become available: “We're trying to find out definitively whether he is an amateur or a professional. We're just waiting for all the bits and pieces to be sorted out in Norway and his agent is working on it today.

“It could be January, it could be straight away, depending on his status with the changing rules on windows and so forth. If he's an amateur, there's a possibility he could be playing very quickly. If he is deemed a professional, which we don't think he is, it'll have to be January.”

The trainee teacher, who was also interesting another English side and Norwegian clubs, quickly impressed the Town management in his trial and Royle says he will give him a different option: “He's just 24, he's been in the third division in Norway, he's a cross country skier, he's extremely fit and a totally different kind of midfielder to those we've had recently. He's a ball-winning, get about, hard-as-nails midfield player.”

Brighton's Withdean Stadium is bound to be in party mood after deputy prime minister John Prescott gave their new ground at Falmer the go ahead earlier today. Chairman Dick Knight was suitable pleased with the news: "Never mind over the moon, we're over Jupiter!

"This is the greatest home win ever in the club's history. There's been a lot of hard work gone into this project over the course of the last seven years and we've really been through the mill, but that just makes it all the sweeter."

Manager Mark McGhee could recall Jason Dodd at right-back after recent ankle surgery, although Gary Hart, usually a striker and linked with the Blues in the late nineties, may continue in the role he has filled in the former Southampton man's absence.

Richard Carpenter is out with a foot problem and Charlie Oatway will deputise in central midfield. Argentinian striker Federico Turienzo scored a hat-trick in midweek for the reserves and could have won himself a starting place.

Town will be guests at a Withdean party for the second time in six months, the Seagulls having avoided relegation with the final day of the season 1-1 draw in May.

Saturday's referee is select group official Richard Beeby. The Northamptonshire-based ref shot to fame in the week when he red-carded Barnet keeper Ross Flitney in the second minute of their Carling Cup match against Manchester United.

Beeby, who has shown 30 yellow and two red cards in 15 matches this season, last took control of the Blues in the 2-0 win at Sheffield United in February.

Town squad: Price, Supple, Sito, McEveley, Naylor, De Vos, Wilnis, Magilton, Richards, Juan, Currie, Peters, Forster, Parkin, Proudlock, Bowditch.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls