A DISAPPOINTED Alan Mahon will be home alone this afternoon as Ipswich Town face his old team-mates Cardiff City.Mahon was not deemed strong enough to take his place back in the first-team squad after going down to a severe viral infection just as he was regaining fitness from a hamstring injury.

A DISAPPOINTED Alan Mahon will be home alone this afternoon as Ipswich Town face his old team-mates Cardiff City, writes Derek Davis.

Mahon was not deemed strong enough to take his place back in the first-team squad after going down to a severe viral infection just as he was regaining fitness from a hamstring injury.

The Irishman, who spent three months on loan at Ninian Park last season and helped them reach the play-offs, is convinced City will be in the shake-up at the end of the season but Ipswich will go one better and win promotion.

He said: “It is a shame I could not go down to Cardiff but in truth I have only had a couple of training sessions and 70 minutes in the reserves so the gaffer is probably right in not taking me.

“I would have liked to have gone as I know a lot of the lads at Cardiff and they are a great set of lads.

“I have a lot of time for the club and what is going on down there and they are definitely on the up.

“But the difference between Cardiff and Ipswich is City are a small club with masses of potential while Ipswich are a Premiership club looking to go back to where they belong.

“At Cardiff we trained on public parks while the facilities here are fantastic, Premier League class.

“The fans down there have huge expectations, as they do here but Ipswich supporters know exactly what it takes to go up and all the problems that go with it.

“Cardiff have come a long way very quickly but may not realise yet just how difficult getting into the Premeirship is.”

Mahon believes chairman Sam Hamman and manager Lennie Lawrence have the drive to see the Bluebirds soar and get the new stadium built, and he also admits the supremo is still as eccentric as ever.

He said: “There were things in my contract which were very unusual. I'm not going to say what they were but it certainly keeps you on your toes.

“Sam is a very passionate manager and a great believer in building team spirit. No matter what the result he would come to the dressing room and speak to the players, either to shake our hands in congratulation or commiserate.”

Mahon starts his final loan month with Town after Blackburn agreed to suspend the deal until he was fit again, a move which impressed the Irishman.

He said: “Blackburn were brilliant to do that. To pay my wages and help out with the treatment was a class move and it shows the close bond the two clubs have.”

The game with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday is now firmly in his sights as he looks to try to dislodge the impressive Ian Westlake.