PAUL Jewell believes the message that Ipswich Town cannot break the bank to land transfer targets is finally getting out there.

Marcus Evans’ millions might give the impression that the Blues are big-payers in Championship circles.

But nothing could be further from the truth according to the Town boss, who has backed that up by scouring the free agent list and spending just �150,000 on two players this season.

Jewell believes players are finally realising that they cannot demand high wages to sign on the dotted line at Portman Road, while both Carlos Edwards and Jason Scotland have accepted pay cuts as the new financial fair play rules hit home.

“I 100% think players and agents are getting the message,” said the Ipswich manager.

“There are a few players who are out of contract. Six or eight weeks ago they were getting paid by a club but now they are not and they are realising that football is like any other industry – it is struggling.

“The rest of football, financially, is in a bit of trouble and we have to be sensible about it. You look at Rangers. People say it wouldn’t happen to us, but it could do – it could happen to anyone.”

Nottingham Forest yesterday became the second Championship club this summer to sack their manager after being taken over by foreign investors, while newly-relegated Blackburn Rovers thought of nothing at shelling out �3 million for striker Leon Best.

But Jewell is content with focusing on bargain buys like Elliott Hewitt and free transfer Luke Chambers rather than risk further financial hardship at a club that tasted administration nine years ago.

Jewell said: “I wouldn’t like to comment on other clubs but I know when you come down from the Premier League you do get a �40-odd million parachute payment, so that helps.

“If a club takeover happens and someone decides to have a gamble then so be it. We don’t have fortunes to spend, there is not a plethora of money – and I don’t have a problem with that.

“If someone said to me you had �10 million to spend or �100,000, I would rather have �10 million. But at the same time, I haven’t got that, so I’m happy to work with what I’ve got.”