IPSWICH Town manager Paul Jewell expects to see the best of David Norris – and Gareth McAuley – if they stay at Portman Road until the end of the season.

“I’m in no rush to get David or Gareth (McAuley) out,“ said Jewell after they both played significant parts in Saturday’s 3-2 Championship home win over Doncaster Rovers.

Both come to the end of their contracts in June and can talk to other clubs with Portsmouth keen to land Norris for a bargain price this week as the midfielder is able to leave for free in the summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal.

“It’s a problem I’ve inherited,” added Jewell.

“We’ve got to sit down with both players and solve the situation one way or the other.

“If they are here to the end of the season I would expect them to give their best and I’m sure they will.”

Norris thought he was on the point of signing a new Town deal in December and although he has expressed his wish to stay in Suffolk a delay in further progress has not helped hopes of a long term future with Ipswich. Pompey manager Steve Cotterill, who was considered a possible replacement for Roy Keane, is hopeful of getting Norris in the next week.

Cotterill said: “We know that David Norris wants to join us and hopefully that one can be sorted out, maybe in the next week.”

And indicating that Ipswich are keen to sell but not at the paltry �250,000 offered by the south coast club, the Pompey boss added: “When our interest went public it came out their end.

“It didn’t come from us. I’ve only had a conversation with the manager, and our chief executive David Lampitt has had a conversation with their chief executive. We know how it came out and maybe it was to drum up a bit of interest.”

Jewell, who lost out on right back Pascal Chimbonda last week, hopes to make a couple of signings before January 31. Reports are linking Jewell with a �100,000 bid for 27-year old Blue Square Premier Luton Town midfielder Andy Drury.

He helped Stevenage Borough secure promotion to the Football League last season, but then he decided to join Luton on a free transfer and has scored eight goals in 25 games.

Meanwhile, athletics legend Daley Thompson has taken a swipe at Town chief executive Simon Clegg after he said Tottenham’s plan to knock down the 2012 Olympic stadium and build a new football arena was the best option.

Thompson said: “Simon Clegg left Olympic sport, and he has no credibility in football. To sort that out he’s trying to make friends with his new football chums, so he’s forgotten all the promises that were made. We promised a legacy. We need to be able to stage future World and European athletics championships.”