IPSWICH Town's forgotten man Danny Haynes today stressed his desire to get back into the Blues team.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town's forgotten man Danny Haynes today stressed his desire to get back into the Blues team.

The 20-year-old has been named substitute for the last two matches and is expected to start on the bench when Ipswich entertain Cardiff City in the Coca-Cola Championship at Portman Road tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

Haynes has only started three matches this campaign and for much of the time not been in manager Jim Magilton's final squad.

But the 20-year-old, who scored twice against Leyton Orient in the Carling Cup in August, feels he is now a much better player and ready to take any chances that come his way.

He said today: “I have had to be mentally strong this season and be ready to come in if needed.

“In the past I would not have reacted as well as I have in the last four months.

“Being left out used to affect me and I could not accept being dropped.

“Now I can, and on the pitch I feel I have improved a lot as well.

“I have grown up as a player and as a person.

“It has been hard for me. And I also realise it has been hard for the manager to try and keep everybody happy with the big squad that he has at the moment.”

Haynes is convinced that Town can achieve a good result against a more than capable Cardiff side and then lift themselves further up the table and become serious play-off contenders.

He added: “We know we are good enough to put a run together and the team played very well against Bristol City on Wednesday.

“Now I am back in the squad my next quest is to get back into the team and to show the fans the improvements I have made.”

The lightening fast Haynes will be ready to step in if Magilton needs a late boost tomorrow with the manager expected to keep loyal to the side that beat Bristol with the only change likely to be club captain Richard Naylor at central defence in place of Alex Bruce if the latter has his appeal against Wednesday's red card dismissed by the FA at 1pm today.

Ipswich are hopeful having seen the video evidence and slowed the challenge down frame by frame, that Bruce could escape a ban, but this is by no means certain.

The heavy frost last night did not get to the Portman Road pitch as it was covered by a hot air tent and will also be covered again tonight.