GARY Roberts used his friendship with Francis Jeffers to lure him to Ipswich by telling him it was a bigger club than Blackburn.The two are friends who holidayed together in Portugal last summer and when Jeffers called him last week to talk about the possible loan move, Roberts pointed out how good the training facilities are and that Town have better support.

By Derek Davis

GARY Roberts used his friendship with Francis Jeffers to lure him to Ipswich by telling him it was a bigger club than Blackburn.

The two are friends who holidayed together in Portugal last summer and when Jeffers called him last week to talk about the possible loan move, Roberts pointed out how good the training facilities are and that Town have better support.

While Ipswich attracted a below average 21,412 on Saturday for their Championship game against QPR, Blackburn's gate was just 331 larger for their Premiership derby match against Bolton

Roberts said: “I told Frannie that Ipswich were a bigger club than Blackburn. I told him about the fan base and what the ground is like and he had no second thoughts about coming here. Even Ipswich take more fans away than Blackburn. Even though Blackburn are in the Premiership, Ipswich for me are a bigger club.”

The former Accrington Stanley winger used to cheer on Jeffers at Goodison Park and is now looking to supply him with the service so he can regain his goalscoring touch.

Roberts said: “I used to pay his wages when I was a season ticket holder at Everton. I used to watch him all the time and he was the business at Everton so it is weird to be playing in the same team as him.

“He was always the fox in the box, a real goalscorer, hopefully he can do that for us. It is an ideal situation now all round. Frannie needs games and we need goals.”

Jeffers is expected to make his full debut for Town tonight at Hull City.