Skuse fit to face Blackburn Rovers, but Garner will miss out

Cole Skuse has been passed fit for tomorrow’s Ipswich Town’s Championship opener against Blackburn Rovers at Portman Road.

The 32-year-old sat out last weekend’s final warm-up game, a 2-1 home defeat to West Ham, after suffering a minor thigh injury in the previous 1-0 midweek win at MK Dons.

“He’s fine, he’s trained all week and he goes about his business extremely well,” revealed Blues boss Paul Hurst, who named a midfield teenage trio of Flynn Downes, Andre Dozzell and Tristan Nydam in Skuse’s absence.

“I think if it was up to him he would have liked to have been part of the game last weekend but I didn’t want to take any risks with him, so he’s fully fit and available.

“I want as many players as possible fit and available and if that means upsetting one or two because they’re not in the starting line-up or not even in the squad, I’d rather have that headache than be scratching around trying to find out who is fit and maybe contemplating putting (assistant manager) Chris Doig on the bench or something like that!”

Meanwhile, striker Joe Garner won’t be involved as he returns from a knee injury that has kept him sidelined for the majority of pre-season.

“It’s a difficult one with Joe,” said Hurst. “I’m not a physio or anything like that but I don’t think he’s too bad, in all honesty.

“But he’s not really been out on the training ground so he’s not available to us. Hopefully that will not be the case for too long.”

Hurst says there are no new injury problems and that some of the longer-term absentees are making good progress.

“There’s been more positive news in terms of Danny Rowe joining in training fully and Teddy Bishop.

“Emyr Huws has joined in the last few days as a floater, easing him in. All three are making good strides and there are positive signs for us.”