A CONTRITE Jim Magilton has apologised to the FA for remarks made to referee Mark Clattenburg, which resulted in him being sent to the stands towards the end of Ipswich Town's 1-0 loss at Preston earlier this month.

By Derek Davis

A CONTRITE Jim Magilton has apologised to the FA for remarks made to referee Mark Clattenburg, which resulted in him being sent to the stands towards the end of Ipswich Town's 1-0 loss at Preston earlier this month.

Magilton will not appeal against the charge of insulting words towards a match official and will accept whatever punishment is dished out when his case is heard next week.

The Ipswich manager was incensed that Clattenburg added just three minutes of time at the end of the game at Deepdale despite lengthy injuries and a number of substitutions and let rip from the dug out.

It is the first time in his short managerial career that Magilton has faced FA action and it is expected he will be handed a fine and a warning as to his future conduct.

The Blues trained yesterday afternoon with defenders Jason De Vos and David Wright joining in and both players are expected to be in the squad to face Plymouth Argyle tomorrow, although the skipper will be assessed further this afternoon.

Even if De Vos passes fit, there is a good chance that Ian Miller will make his Blues debut against the Pilgrims at some point.

Argyle boss Ian Holloway, who was among those spoken with about the vacant manager's job at Ipswich last summer, will be without three key players tomorrow.

Young midfielder Dan Gosling injured a hip flexor playing for England Under-17s on Wednesday, alongside Town defender Tommy Smith, and is a definite non-starter.

Also out is David Norris who, like Dan Harding, is starting a two-match ban for reaching 10 bookings.

And even though defender Tony Capaldi has recovered from a groin problem, he will miss out as Lawrie Sanchez invoked the FIFA five-day ruling after the Plymouth skipper pulled out of Northern Ireland's two qualifying matches this week.