Alex Bruce is back from suspension, David Wright from injury and Richard Naylor from illness ahead of Saturday's FA Cup third round game with Chesterfield. The Blues have a doubt over Kevin Lisbie, who has a throat infection, while Owen Garvan and Danny Haynes are nearing returns.

Bruce has missed the last four games after his red card against Bristol City and may well get the call to return to Jim Magilton's side against the Spireites.

David Wright missed the last two games due to a hamstring problem but is back in training and could return to the side if required and depending on whether he comes through today's session OK.

Club captain Richard Naylor has also training again after missing out of Christmas due to illness and Owen Garvan is back in light training but probably not ready to return to action.

Danny Haynes has also returned to training after coming off with an ankle injury in the Birmingham game, but Saturday's game could also come too soon for the former England U19 international.

Jim Magilton could choose to use one or two of his fringe players against the Spireites with Alex Bruce a likely addition to the defence, probably in place of Iván Campo alongside skipper Gareth McAuley.

Dutch defender Pim Balkestein may hope for a recall at left-back, although Ben Thatcher may keep his place as he looks to get back to full match fitness having been in and out of the side during the first half of the season due to injury and suspension.

Shane Supple will be hoping to get his second start of the season in goal, but Magilton may choose to stick with Richard Wright, as he did in the later rounds of the Carling Cup.

In midfield, the Blues have one fewer option with Darren Ambrose returning to Charlton at the end of his unsuccessful loan spell.

Magilton will probably want to field a 4-4-2 formation against the League Two side with Jon Walters likely to get the nod on the right. Walters was discovered by Town at this stage of the competition two seasons ago playing for Chester, who like Chesterfield received an FA Cup reprieve after their second round opponents were expelled.

Alan Quinn looks set to play on the left with two from David Norris, Veliche Shumulikoski and Tommy Miller in the centre.

Up front, Lisbie is unlikely to be risked in the FA Cup if unwell, so Pablo Couñago and Jon Stead will probably start. Jordan Rhodes and perhaps even Connor Wickham could be in line for places on the bench, depending on the fitness and health of the more senior players.

Billy Clarke, Liam Trotter and Dan Harding are all back at Portman Road after their loan spells, but are unlikely to be involved. Clarke is in any case cup-tied from his spell with Darlington.

New assistant manager John Gorman was introduced to media at the pre-match press conference, but earlier in the week boss Jim Magilton said that he expects the Spireites to give a good account of themselves: "Chester made the most of their second chance and gave us two tough games and I'm sure Chesterfield will be looking to do the same.

"They will relish coming to our place and their players will want to prove they can handle playing against a club from a higher division.

"It's a banana skin tie on what is a fantastic day in the football calendar, FA Cup third round day. Up and down the country, stories will be written. We have to make sure one is not written at Portman Road.

"I'm a great fan of the competition. It's still got that magic about it and we want to progress as far as we can in the FA Cup. All the way to Wembley."

Chesterfield, currently 13th in League Two, were handed the chance to face the Blues at the third round stage due to Droylsden's expulsion after they fielded an ineligible player in the fourth match of their second round tie, which the Blue Square North side had won 2-1. Prior to that game Lee Richardson's men had beaten Mansfield 3-1 in the first round.

The Spireites will be without striker Jack Lester, who is suspended having been sent off for violent conduct in one of the more recent games against Droylsden, which may be a good thing. In 2002/03 former Forest man Lester was banned for three games for head-butting Jim Magilton during a game at the City Ground and the following season called referee Mick Fletcher a "spastic" after he was booked for diving at Portman Road.

Defender Alan Goodall is back after a ban, while skipper Robert Page, formerly of Watford and Sheffield Untied, has been struggling with a calf problem of late, but full-back Dan Gray is a doubt due to an ankle injury.

Derek Niven has been out of the side recovering from testicular cancer but is expected to return to action next week when the Spireites take on Rochdale.

The player to watch out for in the Chesterfield line-up is diminutive 22-year-old striker Jamie Ward, who has already scored 16 goals this season.

Spireites boss Lee Richardson backed the FA's decision to expel Droylsden: ''The rules are clear cut: you cannot field an illegible player. Their man should have been suspended.

''If he [Sean Newton] had not played and scored those goals, the result could have been completely different. If the rules are not followed, the game would be in chaos.

''We were devastated to be out of the FA Cup but now we can take this as a bonus and can go there and enjoy the day. We did not expect it but now we are back in, we've got to see it is a lifeline.''

No member of Jim Magilton's squad has ever played for Chesterfield, although coach Bryan Klug spent 1983/84 playing for the Derbyshire club. Former Blue Darren Currie is a current member of the Spireites squad, having signed on a free transfer from Luton in the summer.

Town and the Spireites have never previously met and the Blues are the only one of the 92 league sides Chesterfield are yet to play.

The draw for the fourth round will be carried out on Sunday afternoon at around 3.25pm after the Gillingham-Aston Villa game on ITV1 with MK Dons boss Roberto Di Matteo and former Wimbledon goalkeeper Dave Beasant selecting the balls. If involved in the draw, Town will be number 12. Fourth round games will be played on the weekend of 24th January. If Saturday's third round game is a draw, the replay will take place at Saltergate on Tuesday, 13th January.

TWTD issue 95 will be on sale from our sellers around the ground prior to the game (by Sir Alf, the Portman Road entrance to the Greene King Stand, by Planet Blue) from 1pm. This issue's interview star is testimonial man Fabian Wilnis.

As well as the interview with Fab, in which he talks about his testimonial year, his plans to form the Fabian Wilnis Foundation, life in the Blue Square Premier and lots of other stuff, there are pieces on Jim Magilton's management, the UEFA Cup, watching the early, early rounds of the FA Cup and spotting Bontcho, great players not becoming great managers and very, very much more.

If you can't make the game, you can purchase a single copy or six-issue subscription here.

Saturday's referee is Keith Hill from Hertfordshire, who has shown 56 yellow and two red cards in 16 games so far this season. Hill's most recent Town match was the 2-0 victory over Reading in September in which he booked three players including Owen Garvan.

Likely squad: R Wright, Supple, Volz, D Wright, Thatcher, Balkestein, McAuley, Bruce, Campo, Naylor, Shumulikoski, Miller, Norris, Quinn, Walters, Lisbie, Couñago, Stead, Rhodes.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls