Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy regrets not being able to replace Daryl Murphy, ahead of the striker’s return to Portman Road with Newcastle United this afternoon (3pm kick-off).

Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy regrets not being able to replace Daryl Murphy, ahead of the striker’s return to Portman Road with Newcastle United this afternoon (3pm kick-off).

The big striker netted 67 times in 226 games for the Blues, during three loan spells and one permanent stint at the club, and scored on 27 occasions as Town reached the play-offs in the 2014-15 campaign.

However, the Republic of Ireland international was sold to the Magpies in August, for around £3m, and since then, Town have been unsuccessful in filling the 34-year-old’s boots.

Luke Varney came and went after his short-term deal finished at the end of last year, while free agent Leon Best, who has failed to score in 12 appearances for Town this season, has been told by McCarthy that he will not play for the club again – the striker’s deal coming to an end in the summer.

As for Murphy, he has not been afforded the game time he would have liked since signing for the Magpies, but has still managed to find the net five times in 15 league and cup appearances.

And the bustling frontman could be charged with leading the line for Newcastle this afternoon, Rafa Benitez’s men closing in on automatic promotion back to the Premier League, and McCarthy will be ruing his absence.

“Murph was brilliant for us and we have missed him, no doubt about that,” said McCarthy.

“We have missed his goals, his power, his pace and his ability up front to stick the ball for us.

“We have tried a number of things to replace him that haven’t worked.

“He has not played on a regular basis up there but when he came on in a game recently, he actually changed the game for them – he’s played more now and he is a damn good championship player.”

Former Celtic and Sunderland targetman Murphy was sold towards the end of the summer transfer window, leaving McCarthy little time to find a replacement, while Forest Green’s Kieffer Moore and Reading’s Dominic Samuel, both rookie strikers at Championship level, were brought in on permanent and loan deals respectively in January.

“In August it was very difficult to do that (replace Murphy) and in January it just didn’t work out, trying to sign players,” McCarthy admitted.

“That was unfortunate for us.”