Town have named new boys Alex Bruce and Dan Harding in a 20-man squad for Saturday's season opener at home to Crystal Palace. Also included is midfielder Gavin Williams who has missed most of pre-season with tendinitis and then a groin problem.

Williams trained on Friday morning, but definitely missing is Owen Garvan who is still feeling the effects of the bout of shingles which kept him out of much of the pre-season programme.

New boss Jim Magilton is likely to hand starts both this week's signings, with Harding expected to be at left-back with Fabian Wilnis on the right and new skipper Jason De Vos in the centre alongside Richard Naylor. Shane Supple will continue in goal.

Alex Bruce could come into the centre of the midfield now that Ian Westlake has completed his switch to Leeds United and with Garvan out and Williams unlikely to be fit enough to start. Matt Richards will probably fill the other central midfield berth, with Jaime Peters on the left and Darren Currie on the right, although they have switched on occasion during pre-season.

Up front, last season's top scorer Nicky Forster is likely to be paired with Alan Lee, although the Irish international will probably make way for Dean Bowditch, Danny Haynes or Sam Parkin in the second half, having played little football in pre-season after undergoing an abdominal operation.

Palace will be without midfielder Michael Hughes who has a broken arm but have no other injury worries. New manager Peter Taylor will probably give debuts to summer signings Leon Cort, Mark Kennedy, Matt Lawrence, Carl Fletcher and former Blue James Scowcroft.

Saturday's referee is Kevin Wright from Cambridgeshire who showed 110 yellow and nine red cards in 36 matches last season. His last Town game was the 2-1 home win over Leicester City in February 2005.

Fans will all be provided with a free match programme from sponsors E.ON prior to the game.

Squad: Barron, Bowditch, Bruce, Casement, Clarke, Currie, De Vos, Forster, Harding, Haynes, Lee, Naylor, Parkin, Peters, Price, Richards, Sito, Supple, Williams, Wilnis.

Photo: Action Images

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