Laws tips Town as promotion contenders

OWLS boss Brian Laws has tipped big-spending Ipswich to be promotion contenders this season.

Derek Davis

OWLS boss Brian Laws has tipped big-spending Ipswich to be promotion contenders this season.

Sheffield Wednesday welcome their former players Jim Magilton and Alan Quinn to Hillsborough tomorrow looking to rectify a 6-0 drubbing at Reading, the team Town beat 2-0 last weekend,

Ipswich did the double on Wednesday last season and go there needing three points to close the gap to the play-off chasers.

Laws appreciates it represents a difficult challenge for his side who need to get on track against a side he regards as financially capable of mounting a serious push.

Laws said: “Ipswich are a good side, they've made real positive changes this year. They're certainly one of the clubs that last year had finances to go out and spend.

“This year they've gone and done it. They've acquired Jon Stead and brought in some good players in the summer and their expectation levels are increasing every week that goes by.”

Although they were unable to take advantage last season, Laws is hoping his team can use Town's inconsistent away form, one win, one loss, and one draw, to get the their own game going.

He said: “They had a great home record last year. The away form was a bit 'wavey', if they get that right then they've got a combination and they can go and do really, really well this year.

"But Ipswich are Ipswich. It's Sheffield Wednesday that we're talking about. It is how and what we turn up that will determine how good they are."

Owls skipper Richard Wood hopes their fans will help the team get over that 6-0 Royals' stuffing and catch the Blues.

He said: “Ipswich have had a win at home, but they have not been good away so that can work in our favour. They are a good footballing side that beat us twice last season so we know what to expect. But we have started off well at home and we need to take that form into Saturday.”