Jonas Axeldal News Today

Jim Magilton has been confirmed as Towns new penalty taker. He replaces Mark Venus who recently missed two in successive games. Magilton has previously taken penalties for Oxford and Southampton and will hopefully fill the position which has never really been claimed by anyone since the days of John Wark and Neil Thompson, penalty kings both. In the last couple of years Venus has missed three, Johnson two, whilst Taricco, Scowcroft, Tanner, Dyer and Mathie have also missed one each.

Town and Newcastle have been keeping tabs on Cagliari youngsters Gianmarco Paulis and Simone Solinas, claim reports in Italy.

In a shock move Town striker David Johnson has declared himself Welsh. The 23-year-old striker has in the past appeared for both the England B team and the Jamaican full side as well as spending a game on the bench for the England U21s, however none of these games tied him to any one country and he can still choose which nation he wanted to represent.

Tony Mowbray atoned for his early error at Ewood Park with a stunning last gasp equaliser to take Town to a 2-2 draw with Blackburn.

Town striker David Johnson is today reported as being a potential target for Jamaican Yardie gangs should he ever set foot on his native island again. The player is said to have shown Jamaica ultimate disrespect, considered a very serious matter to those living within the islands street code.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Chris Bart-Williams is the latest name to be mentioned in connection with Town. The 26-year-old defender or midfielder has been transfer listed at his own request with Town, Everton and Leicester reported to be interested.

As yet there is no announcement on the rumoured huge transfer bid made by Town.

Town star Jay Emmanuel-Thomas goes into today’s home clash against his former loan club Blackpool desperate for a goal to end a lengthy barren run stretching back to August last year.

Neil Midgley made his first start for the Town senior team in this rather drab and bad pitch affected game at Vale Park. The Blues, missing both Jim Magilton and David Johnson, just did enough to beat a Port Vale side which looked better than their lowly position suggests.

Town lost their second place in the table last night after a 3-1 away loss at Huddersfield. Town showed one change from Saturday, Tony Mowbray dropped out with a virus and Manu Thetis regained his position in the back three.