IPSWICH Town have sold just 7,000 season tickets so far, less than half of last year's total.

Derek Davis

IPSWICH Town have sold just 7,000 season tickets so far, less than half of last year's total.

But the club are still working through the processing procedure with sacks of mail at the ticket office and insist they will not have a final figure until the end of the week.

Although the club claim they are on par with the same period it is predicted they will be down on the current season's figure of 15,350 and may drop by more than 10%.

Average attendances at Portman Road have fallen by around 20% in the past three seasons to 20,334 this season from 24,252 in the 2005/06 season when Joe Royle was in charge, while average Football League gates are up by nearly 3% this season.

Town still have to play Norwich City at home in what they hope will beat the previous high of the season, 23,356 when Birmingham City visited on Boxing Day.

But fewer than 20,000 are anticipated to watch Town take on Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

The Blues hope to have Gio dos Santos back along with Jon Walters and David Wright.

The Mexican winger joined in light training yesterday after Spurs allowed him to return.

The Mexican is contracted to Town for the remainder of the season on loan and while no fee was paid Town will continue to pay a large part of his wages until the end of the season.

Walters is making good progress after rupturing ankle ligament and has been on the training field with fitness coach Simon Thadani and Town hope to have him back playing soon.

Wright is still struggling with a hamstring strain and will be assessed again later in the week.