Town are still to make an approach to Blackburn Rovers regarding an extension to midfielder Keith Andrews’s stay at Portman Road, despite increasing reports of Premier League interest in the Republic of Ireland international.

The 31-year-old, whose current loan spell is up on January 7th, has another 18 months on his contract at Ewood Park but is keen to move away from the Lancashire club either permanently or on another loan once his time with Town is at an end.

Blues boss Paul Jewell has said he is keen to keep Andrews at Town for the second half of the campaign but we understand Town are yet to formalise that interest.

Top flight sides Swansea and Wigan have both been strongly linked with Town’s current stand-in skipper, who has scored eight goals in 17 starts and one sub appearance since joining the Blues in August, while Championship Leeds, who targeted him in the summer, are reported to have renewed their interest.

However, without naming him specifically, Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers appears to have played down his club’s interest in Andrews, or at least the prospect of the Swans paying the fee which was reported earlier in the week: "I see the agents are doing their work at the moment and throwing out lots of names in the media. It's that funny time of year when all sorts of names come out.

"But I think people who know the way this club works know that we will not be spending £2 million on a 31-year-old, for example."

The one-time MK Dons man may ultimately move on a free transfer with Blackburn keen to remove his salary from their wage bill.

Meanwhile, one of this morning’s tabloids claims Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill has rebuffed an attempt by Town to take ex-Blue Titus Bramble on loan for the remainder of the season in January.

Bramble was suspended by the Black Cats between September and November due to his ongoing legal issues but returned to the fold under Steve Bruce and then the first team under O’Neill.

Elsewhere, on-loan striker Ronan Murray says he’s itching to make his first start for loan club Swindon having so far made only three sub appearances for the Robins, who he is with for a month: “Injuries or anything could happen and you just hope you take your chance when you get in, and hopefully I’ll do that.

“It’s about trying to get in the first 11 and getting on the pitch, because I can’t really do anything on the bench.

“It’s hard in training when you’re doing little drills as it’s not a game, so I just want to get on the pitch really.”

And finally, ex-Town keeper Shane Supple says he’s still happy with his 2009 decision to quit soccer to return to Gaelic football: “I've no regrets, even if there could have been a possibility of going over [to Euro 2012] if I had stayed with it.”

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

Photo: Action Images

Colchester United Polls