Joe: The Season Starts Here

Speaking in his Thursday Press Conference, Town boss Joe Royle admitted that he expected the club to be higher in the league table than it is now, and that the blues season really does start now: ""All we have done up to now is retrieve a wretched start to the season. If you had asked me at the beginning of the season whether we would be seventh at this point I would have said no, we will be higher. All we are doing is playing catch up now."

Should Town score at the weekend, it will be the 100th goal since Royle has been in charge, something which Royle is proud of: "I'm glad we are scoring goals again but don't expect another six goals. This won't be easy, Stoke are a difficult side and the way Tony Pulis sets his team out will make it difficult to break down. It would be nice to score six but I will settle for one."

Doubts for Saturday's game remain with Jermaine Wright, Jim Magilton and Georges Santos all doubts for Saturdays home game against Stoke City at Portman Road, of the three players however, Jim is set to be the biggest doubt after picking up an injury in the 6-1 thrashing of Burnley on Tuesday.

Meanwhile longer term injury victims are starting to make a road to recovery with John McGreal hoping to make a comeback in the reserves next week and Reuser, Diallo and Makin will hopefully restart training in the next few days. There's not so great news about Darren Bent however, who is set to miss at least another two weeks before being ready to return to the blues side.