IPSWICH Town chief executive Derek Bowden today quashed rumours that there was a bust up between star player Jon Walters and manager Jim Magilton.And he also confirmed that the 24-year was not banned from the club for two weeks last month.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town chief executive Derek Bowden today quashed rumours that there was a bust up between star player Jon Walters and manager Jim Magilton.

And he also confirmed that the 24-year was not banned from the club for two weeks last month.

“Everything with Jon is fine, and always has been,” said Bowden. “I spoke to him this week and he is in good spirits and has his sights set on helping the club move up the table and, hopefully, into the Premier League.

“Jon's wife was due to give birth and, as it was the close season, he was given time off to spend with her at her family home in the Wirral.

“He trained with his former club Chester under a regime planned by our coaching and fitness staff. That is all there is to it. There were no problems and it was all speculation.

“I can also confirm that we have no wish to sell Jon. He was never for sale despite all the reports this summer.

“We did have an enquiry from Stoke City and they were politely told there was no point going any further.

“Just before the Colchester United Carling Cup match we had another call from Stoke. They were again told no, and they have behaved well, moving on to plan B after hearing from us.

“Another club - and to be fair to them it is best they are not named - made an enquiry last Saturday.

“There were expectations that another call might come the next day, but it did not materialise.”

Bowden has also doused cold water on stories that defender Alex Bruce wants to leave Portman Road after comments on the internet. “There has been no dispute with Alex,” stressed Bowden. “Jim Magilton has a big squad and he wanted to try some permutations, which is why Alex did not start the opening game or some pre-season ones.

“Alex has confirmed that he did not make the comments attributed to him and there is no story.

“With all the talk about Jon, and to a lesser extent about Alex, we quietly sold the players that we felt would benefit them and us if they were to move on. Gavin Williams went to Bristol City and Gary Roberts to Huddersfield quite quickly.

“And the Alan Lee move to Crystal Palace also went through relatively smoothly. There were rumblings about Jon (Walters) going but there was never going to be anything happening to him.”

Bowden confirmed the roles - and pecking order - at Portman Road since the Marcus Evans takeover. “Marcus is now very involved as you would expect,” said Bowden. “But the day to day running of the club is overseen by Jim and myself.

“Jim manages everything to do with football and I manage everything else.”