PAUL Jewell has warned Ipswich Town fans they might have to wait a couple of months before seeing the best of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

The enigmatic youngster has only shown flashes of his undoubted talent since signing from Arsenal in a �1 million deal at the end of July.

Jewell, who has held talks with the 20-year-old over his form, believes the youngster has suffered from an indifferent few years at the Emirates where he failed to nail down a regular place and was farmed out on loan to Doncaster Rovers and Cardiff City.

And he has now endured further frustration after hurting his ankle in the 2-1 win over Leeds United.

The Town boss said: “We would have liked to have got two weeks real hard work into him (during the international break). So he is not going to see the benefit of intense training until the next couple of months.

“He has got into a habit at Arsenal of not playing every week. He has been on loan but this is where he earns his corn. There is no going back to Arsenal. I think it has been a bit of a shock to the system for him, but it is not a boot camp.”

Emmanuel-Thomas has started four of Town’s five opening league and cup matches but arguably his best performance was when coming on as a second half substitute in the 5-2 home defeat by Southampton.

And he might have to settle for a place on the bench for tomorrow’s trip to Blackpool after making slow progress from his ankle injury.

Jewell added: “I have had a long chat with him and he is aware that he has to get into good shape and we will get him into good shape. We will have to see (about Saturday), he might play some part.”

Club insiders yesterday revealed that the number expected to cheer Town on at Bloomfield Road had reached 1,400 after the club offered free travel in the wake of the heavy Peterborough defeat.