Town visit Middlesbrough on Saturday with manager Mick McCarthy determined that his side should finish their season strongly, despite now having no realistic chance of making the play-offs. The Blues, who are without a win in six, are eighth in the table, eight points from the play-offs with just three games left to play.
Andre Dozzell is handed his full debut and Cole Skuse and Brett Pitman return to the Town line-up, while Kevin Bru, Kevin Foley and David McGoldrick drop to the bench.
Assistant caretaker-manager Gerard Nash says Bersant Celina is over the illness which saw him miss last week’s 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest ahead of Saturday’s home game against Aston Villa.
MD Ian Milne has urged wavering season ticket holders to stick with the Blues, despite Town now looking highly unlikely to repeat last season’s play-off finish. The early bird deadline for buying
Centre-half Adam Webster has joined Town’s lengthy injury list with a hamstring problem which could see January signing Barry Cotter make his Blues debut when Barnsley visit Portman Road on Tuesday evening or in one of the season’s other remaining games.