While the final day of the transfer window has passed quietly at Portman Road, TWTD understands that the Blues are close to completing the signing of former Shelbourne winger Dylan Connolly.

We understand that Town are waiting for paperwork relating to the deal to be rubber-stamped with the move expected to be confirmed tomorrow.

Connolly joining the Blues comes as little surprise with his former club Shelbourne having tweeted - and then later deleted - a message wishing him well with Town on Friday: “Best of luck to [Dylan Connolly]. Hope everything goes well for you [at Ipswich Town].”

Subsequently quizzed regarding Connolly, who is believed to have agreed an 18-month contract, Blues manager Mick McCarthy wouldn’t comment on whether his addition was imminent, but later added: “If we do sign Dylan Connolly then I liked him [when he was on trial] in the summer, I thought he was a good player.”

Connolly was one of three Shels players who spent time on trial with Town during pre-season, featuring in the friendly at Braintree, along with defender Ryan Robinson and midfielder Adam McDonnell, 17, who joined the Blues in August.

In November, Town were reported to be ready to offer Connolly a deal during this transfer window but, according to reports last week, issues relating to the training compensation due to Home Farm and Bohemians, his clubs prior to his spell with Shelbourne, were holding up the move.

Under FIFA rules when a young player switches between national associations compensation is due to all the clubs who have trained him between the ages of 12 and 21.

Irish U21 international Connolly was a regular for Shelbourne’s first team as they finished second in the Airtricity League First Division (second tier) during the 2014 season, making 27 appearances and top scoring for the Dublin side with 12 goals.

He was named in the PFAI First Division Team of the Year and nominated for the PFAI Young Player of the Year award.

Meanwhile, we understand that there has been no interest in out-of-favour striker Paul Taylor since his return from his loan spell at Rotherham midway through January.

Speaking on Friday, manager McCarthy revealed that the 27-year-old, whose contract is up in the summer, hasn’t been back at the club since leaving the Millers and won’t be returning, regardless of whether he finds a new club.

Town will now have to wait until the ‘emergency’ loan window opens in a week’s time before they can offload the former Peterborough man and his weekly wage of around £10,000.

Elsewhere, former Blues skipper David Norris, 33, has left Leeds United after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

Midfielder Jack Collison, whose short-term spell with the Blues ended last month, has tweeted his thanks to everyone at Portman Road.

The former West Ham man, who failed to make a senior appearance for the Blues having suffered a knee injury playing for the U21s in November, has remained training with Town while he got back to full fitness.

Massive thank you to everyone @Official_ITFC especially the players & staff. What a fantastic club. Hope to See u in the prem next yr... ⚽️– Jack collison (@Jcollison31) February 2, 2015

Photo: Action Images

suffolkpunchdrunk added 22:35 - Feb 2 Very disappointing that we haven't made a signing or two in this window. However that said there is nothing wrong with this formation - Bart Chambers -Berra-Smith Parr-Skuse-Bishop-Bru- Mings McGoldrick -Murphy With Sears & others in reserve we aren't all that bad! Whilst Bournemouth, Derby & Middlesborough look like the favourite teams to go up we can still spoil one of these team's promotion party. Roll on emergency loan window time!

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bellazzurri79 added 22:38 - Feb 2 Derby are more or less promoted ... Lingard and ince today... We have missed a trick ....
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pablo123 added 22:41 - Feb 2 The budgies , derby , brentford all strengthened !!! Cardiff great punt on doyle !! Bournemouth are flying , yet still trying to sign gray for 5 MILLION , yes 5 MILLION !!! Ipswich , on a wretched run of form , looking tired and shot of ideas , sign no- one !!! Theres your ambition folks , or lack of it !! Automatic promotion was well within our grasp after new year , WELL FORGET IT !! we wont even make the play offs !!!! Thanks marcus

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blueherts added 22:54 - Feb 2 Derby are not promoted. New signings don't always work out No guarantees. I would have liked Doyle though for low fee But am sure mm has a couple loanees lined up COYB! Keep faith
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bluefeast added 22:57 - Feb 2 They dont guarantee things ,but it helps ,look at Burnley and Leicester last Jan ,both strengthened. Also Our players are looking shot to bits , over worked in the firsy half of the season ,other look fresher and are strengthening ,we look destined for 8th place. Still thats an improvement. NOT
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lfitchio added 23:17 - Feb 2 Only likely to have signed someone if we had got rid of Taylor's wage, he's unlikely to want to settle as sure he doesn't care staying back home picking up £10,000 a week.
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BlueHennee added 23:20 - Feb 2 Here's a contraversial idea for all fans who are lucky enough to go to Portman Road - how about a bit more noise! The last 2 games on tv were embarrassing for lack of noise & atmosphere. I live away & have to be content to listen on Ipswich Player - even on the radio PR is more often than not quiet! Sorry guys but this has always wound me up about PR. This year I had the opportunity to go to my 1st away game at Bournemouth. Wow - what a difference being an away fan: it was so exciting & noisy throughout the whole game! Non-stop singing & passion - it was a brilliant experience. We need a whole stadium like that - not just leaving it to The Sir Bobby stand to make the noise. If the team are not playing well or looking jaded surely THATS when the supporters should be heard & getting the boys going. Let's get behind what we've got - the squads good enough if MM picks the right team. Not sure what's happened to the positive play & harrying of the opposition we had been doing but let's hope it returns next game (along with Murphy, fingers X). There you go, get your teeth into that lot. COYB!

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itfchorry added 23:22 - Feb 2 Shame we didn't loan out Bluefeast
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spanishblue added 23:31 - Feb 2 Bluehenne I,m lucky enough to be going SW at home my third game this season 2,500 round trip I shall be singing,you moaning bunch of wringers if you've got10 million to throw away no guarantees I,m sure Marcus will take it and give to Mick, oh sorry you can't so shut up be thankful your not being relegated bet you don't even go to games see you Portman rd that's in Ipswich by the way

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algarvefan added 23:34 - Feb 2 Just look back to the Magilton & Keane era, did buying players and splashing the cash get us anywhere..........apart from bottom of The Championship!!! I don't think we are anything like a prem ready team yet to be honest and to build a team will take a few years. As a realist I think we are still good enough to make the play-offs, if we do and win it then we will get a financial jackpot, this will help build a Premier League team. Every team has a bad spell, we are having one now, we haven't been 'found out' we are no exhausted, just going through a bad spell. Looks like we have kept all our players and lets hope we find our mojo again soon

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rickw added 23:41 - Feb 2 BlueHennee the North Stand Lower usually (not Saturday 2nd half) makes a great noise - the atmosphere from in there is great, however elsewhere in the stadium anyone who shouts or sings has everyone around them turn and look!
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Toronto_Tractor added 00:38 - Feb 3 It's a huge huge gamble not strengthening. Let's pray this gamble pays off.
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GiveusaWave added 01:27 - Feb 3 need more people like bluefeast on this forum: nice to hear a realistic view. really miss the views of ITFCRealist etc .
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Guthrum added 01:38 - Feb 3 This the same 'exhausted' squad who fought Southampton to a standstill at St Mary's, who beat Millwall by two goals a fortnight ago, who nearly managed to come back from 3 - 1 down away at Brighton, who have won 50% of their six League games since Christmas, gaining 10 points from a possible 18?
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essexbluey added 01:53 - Feb 3 Yerfrog87 people always moan about itfc and if we went up the same losers would have more to moan about when we lost wk in wk out. Poor old mick and terry can never do right in some people's eyes. I cant see the point in moaning it wont change anything and the people who moan would not do a better job. I love marcus evans he has saved our club from the league 1or 2 by takeing on the clubs massive debts. Ipswich till I die.

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essexbluey added 01:59 - Feb 3 Yerfrog87 I hear that colchester need fans maybe you should take your moaning mates and drive up the A12 you lot would have plenty to moan about then.
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prebbs007 added 06:20 - Feb 3 Hope MM has something up his sleeve. Best chance of top 2 since ME took over club and massive gamble not to strengthen. This group of players are not good enough and if you watched them on Saturday are running on empty. Pray I'm wrong but with those around us signing players who will improve their team I can't see us finishing in the top 6 😩😡😩
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dirtydingusmagee added 07:31 - Feb 3 Money splashed out on players means success ! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, QPR. With no certainty of achieving promotion,is there any point in getting the club into further debt ? or shall we try and sell our best players in order to buy players that may not perform.We all know players that are available,but do they want to play for us ?,will they fit in ?can we really afford them,?should we sacrifice players that have got us where we are in order to appease fans who just want to see us buy new payers.?First half of season the present squad have got us into top six, a couple of poor results [which all teams suffer]and suddenly we have a crap team in some ''fans'' eyes.I'd rather we were where we are ,than in bottom three with debts,but thats just my opinion.

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BlueSwede added 08:03 - Feb 3 I for one am pleased we don't panic after two or three results that didn't go our way. We have brought in three players in the transferwindow - granted they are not big names - but that's two more than Middlesbrough, Wolves, Watford and Norwich and three more than Bournemouth. Really only Derby who have gambled on reshaping their team with six new players. But what's to say it's gonna work, breaking up something that works to try and fit a few loans into a side, kicking a couple of regulars out of the team. Will do wonders for morale ... not! I think Billy Sharp is proof of the thing some don't understand - you just can't say "Buy him" or "that's the player we want, just get him". Players have a will of their own - as do their agents, families, other teams - they recognize we have a good team and a great setup at Portman Road. I am sure MickMc has a plan when the emergency loan window opens. We just have to wait.

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WorcesterBlue added 08:04 - Feb 3 There is no doubt that we should be looking to strengthen and every team can be improved by thoughtful additions. But who with is the question. I for one thought Barry Bannan would be a good addition (creative, combative) and Dele Abe from MK Dons but as shown by the Bolton and Spurs deals for these players, we just aren't in that ball park. McClean from St Mirren maybe? I watch a fair bit of lower league football and just don't see where on our budget we can improve. Do think we need to recruit some foreign scouts though as I've been saying for years, there must be some value in the Scandinavian and French leagues with the right connections (not that I want a team full of foreign players). We've signed Sears and Hunt plus hopefully Connelly is worth a go, we've got Stewart back fit and MMs obsession with Chambers at RB aside, defence looks ok. We could actually try to play some passing football?

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WorcesterBlue added 08:07 - Feb 3 But not Johnstone from Wolves. Worst CB I've seen (and I've seen some!)
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Cloddyseedbed added 08:29 - Feb 3 Oh brilliant he can keep Cameron Stewart and Alex Henshall company! That'll be 3 wingers then, that we never see.
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juniorblue added 09:35 - Feb 3 I think MM is in a difficult position. With Murphy a certain player when fit, who will come to Town to mainly sit on the bench. Having said that he was very missed on Saturday. I was at the match and knew from early on that we wouldn't get anything from the game. We just didn't get going. The players need to dig deep and get back to where they were a few weeks ago. I would definitely start with Bishop on Saturday who seems calm on the ball and give Sears a start as he looked very sharp. A positive performance and result at Rotherham is needed. Come on Town!

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