JIM Magilton looks set to complete a full set of three players ready to sign the new 12-month contract on offer at Ipswich Town, writes Derek Davis.Fabian Wilnis and Richard Naylor have both already told the EADT they are likely to renew their contracts, albeit on reduced terms, and now the Blues midfielder has said he will probably follow their lead.

JIM Magilton looks set to complete a full set of three players ready to sign the new 12-month contract on offer at Ipswich Town, writes Derek Davis.

Fabian Wilnis and Richard Naylor have both already told the EADT they are likely to renew their contracts, albeit on reduced terms, and now the Blues midfielder has said he will probably follow their lead.

Tranmere, Wigan and Port Vale have all been linked with the play-maker but despite earlier thoughts of returning to the north-west to live in the summer, the former Northern Ireland skipper is having second thoughts.

Magilton said: "It is more than likely that I will accept it because my family and I are happy here and I feel the club are moving in the right direction again after some troubled times.

"My wife would like to move closer to her family in Liverpool but we have been here for four years now and are quite settled, although I would consider a move if I felt it was good for us."

The 34-year-old started his career as an apprentice at Liverpool but made his name at Southampton in a side which included Matt Le Tissier and Alan Shearer.

He joined Town from Sheffield Wednesday and helped take them to the Premiership but struggled in the relegation year with leg problems which needed surgery.

He came storming back last season and was joint-runner up behind Pablo Counago as the players' player of the year with Joe Royle describing him as 'an important influence to this team.'

But Magilton has also been looking beyond the upcoming season and intends to move into coaching or management when his playing days finally come to an end.

He said: "I have been taking my Preliminary coaching badge this week which will then take me on to the UEFA B licence.

"I definitely want to stay in the game when I stop playing; football has been all I have known for the best part of 20 years.

"I would like to do some media work too. I did a short course a year or so ago and have enjoyed working with BBC Northern Ireland on the last few international games too.

"Whatever happens when I finish playing isn't really important yet though, as I feel I have another year or two left in me for sure."

n More than 5,000 season ticket renewal applications have been returned in the past week after forms arrived at supporters' homes last week. Blues chairman David Sheepshanks described the initial reaction as: "A tremendous start, but it is vitally important that more supporters send in their forms before the end of the month."