‘Ipswich stepped in and took him’ - How Town helped Posh sign star striker Toney

Evans, now Gillingham boss, inked Toney for Posh in the summer of 2018 - but says that without Town’s involvement in a big money move for Kayden Jackson, it may not have happened.

He explained: “I wanted Ivan, but John Marquis was also on our radar and we narrowed it down to him and Ivan, but John was adamant he wanted to go to Portsmouth at the end of that season.

“But before anything happened with Ivan, Kayden Jackson became available and me and the chairman fancied him as well. We thought we’d done a deal with Accrington for him until Ipswich stepped in and took him so all our attention switched to Ivan and luckily we got him out of Newcastle.

MORE: ‘Lambert stepped aside and Roy went crazy... I’m still traumatised’ - former Town striker Bent on ex-boss Keane “I’d seen him play for Scunthorpe at the end of the previous season and he was virtually a one-man team. I was confident he would become a star and I can honestly see him leading the line at a Premier League club or at the biggest Championship club, Leeds United right now.”Toney, whom Posh signed for under £400,000, is now one of the hottest prospects in the lower leagues, with Peterborough director of football Barry Fry revealing he turned down a £4m bid from the New York Red Bulls for his star man earlier ths month.Jackson, whom Town signed for £1.6m, was the Blues’ joint-leading scorer last season with 11 goals.

Ivan Toney is one of the hottest prospects in the lower leagues Picture: PA (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Kayden Jackson signed for Ipswich for �1.6m from Accrington. Picture: STEVE WALLER (Image: Stephen Waller)