Kilmarnock boss Jim Jefferies has confirmed that he was at Town's reserve game earlier in the week checking out some of the Blues' younger talent. An earlier report erroneously claimed that striker Alun Armstrong was the player Jefferies was targeting.

Joe Royle sat with Jefferies throughout the game, a 0-0 draw, and said on Wednesday that Matt Bloomfield, Chris Hogg and Nabil Abidallah were the type of players interesting the Kilmarnock boss.

Jefferies confirms this but says that no one really stood out: "I went to Ipswich because I knew there would be players who could become available when the transfer window opens in January.

"I sat with the Ipswich manager Joe Royle and he marked my card.

"But the wages players can command down south are a problem for Kilmarnock and a host of other clubs up here.

"I always have to ask myself if players who are available elsewhere are better than what I have.

"No one jumped out at me when I was at Ipswich.

"But the club have budgeted for me taking Kilmarnock into the top half of the league by the time the split comes next April and I am trying to improve the quality of the squad.

"The directors have told me the club must be restructured in such a way that Kilmarnock runs off its own steam and doesn't rely on rich backers."

Royle has said he will allow Bloomfield to go out on loan while Hogg has already spent a month at Boston United.

Abidallah recently had a trial at Ross County and looks set to join them either permanently or on loan when the transfer window opens in January.

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