PAUL Jewell’s popularity at Portman Road might have gone up in the last seven days.

IPSWICH TOWN: Paul Jewell’s popularity at Portman Road might have gone up in the last seven days.

But he knows he is not going to be Mr Popular with everyone when he preaches more prudence in spending Marcus Evans’ millionaires.

Just eight months after embarking on a summer spending spree on big names and big wages – if not always for large transfer fees – Jewell has warned Town fans that things need to change.

With the financial fair play ruling coming into force next season, Ipswich have no choice but to cut their cloth accordingly.

While not ruling out spending good money when the right player comes along, the pursuit of the Portsmouth trio Jason Pearce, Joel Ward and Stephen Henderson proved that, it will mean the Blues won’t always be challenging Championship clubs for top players.

Jewell explained: “Everywhere I see people are losing jobs and taking pay cuts and it is the same with football clubs. We have to work to financial fair play so we can’t pay people as much as we have in the past – it just can’t happen.

“I know fans don’t want to hear it, but we have to get people here on decent money not silly money. We don’t want to be getting into the realms of silly money.”

The new financial ruling places a huge question mark over the future of Grant Leadbitter, Lee Bowyer, both pictured above, and Carlos Edwards.

Among the big earners at the club, the trio’s contracts are up at the end of this season and they all might have to accept reduced wages to remain in Suffolk.

It also puts more pressure on Jewell to find bargain buys like Aaron Cresswell and Andy Drury while Town fans will be hoping to add Ryan Stevenson to that list after the midfielder’s �50,000 move from Hearts.

Football League clubs last year voted to impose the financial fair play rules from the start of next season meaning Championship sides will be allowed only to spend what they earn.

And Jewell revealed that other clubs were equally affected – forcing some into high-risk spending in a bid to get out of the second tier before the ruling is adopted.

He added: “I was speaking to Sam (Allardyce, West Ham manager) the other night and he said they are spending money now because he is thinking if they stay in this league next year, they will have to lose nearly 75 per cent of their players.

“A few clubs are putting all their eggs into one basket and gambling on going up.”