RECLUSIVE Ipswich Town owner Marcus Evans has given his full backing to Paul Jewell to remain as Blues boss.

The vote of confidence was unexpectedly revealed by Jewell following talks he had with Leicester City defender Sean St Ledger last night.

The centre back is this morning expected to make a decision about his future after being told he can leave by Foxes manager Nigel Pearson.

And St Ledger – and Town fans - unwittingly helped get Jewell fresh backing from the owner after the 27-year-old admitted his concerns about signing for the Blues centred around whether there would be a change of manager in the short-term,

Jewell explained: “We tried to get Sean in the summer but Leicester were blowing everone out the water.

“Now everything has been agreed between the two clubs. I spoke to his agent last night but he said Sean was concerned I was going to lose my job.

“I said Marcus had only ever given me pointers towards positive. When I was on the phone, Marcus was ringing me. I told Marcus and he called Sean’s agent and put him right,

“I spoke to St Ledger after that and he said ‘I hope you don’t think I was being rude, but I went to Middlesbrough and Leicester and the manager lost their jobs. I thought maybe I shouldn’t sign him!

“We are just waiting on him to get back to us and hopefully we will get a positive answer from him today. If we don’t, we move on.”

If he chooses a switch to Suffolk – and the defender has “one or two other irons in the fire” according to Jewell – St Ledger is unlikely to be signed in time for tomorrow night’s visit to Birmingham.

And the Town boss hinted he might have to initially settle for a three-month loan deal for the former Peterborough man with a view to a permanent deal after.

* Keep checking this website for further updates on St Ledger and tomorrow’s trip to Birmingham City.