Magilton And Norris Under Pressure
2008.10.25. 12:15
Ipswich Town fans are calling for manager Jim Magilton to be sacked after a poor start to the season and making expensive mistakes in the transfer market, including the purchase of former Argyle midfielder David Norris.
Ipswich are the next visitors to Home Park on Saturday but Blues fans are disgruntled with Magilton and believe he is taking the club backwards.
The fans point out that Magilton has spent Ł11 million on 12 new players since January and single out former Argyle favourite David Norris as an expensive flop.
Norris left Argyle last January to sign for the Portman Road club for a reported Ł2 million transfer fee but a heel injury has prevented the livewire midfielder from becoming a first-team regular, the 27-year old has made just 17 appearances for the Tractor Boys.
Last season after 12 games Ipswich Town looked to be a club going places, despite a Ł32 million debt. Magilton's team were fourth in the Championship with 21 points and multi-millionaire Marcus Evans was about to take-over and hand Magilton Ł12 million to spend in the January transfer market.
Magilton splashed out Ł2 million on Norris but Ipswich finished the season in 8th place in the Championship.
Magilton embarked on a major spending spree during the summer, signing another eight players, but after 12 games this season Ipswich find themselves in 18th spot with 14 points, a backwards step compared to the same stage last season.
Supporters have had enough of the poor start and expensive mistakes and have started a petition calling for Magilton to be removed as manager. It all adds up to an interesting sideshow for this Saturday's game.
Argyle fans will not forget how Magilton regularly made comments in the press regarding the prospective signing of Norris, a tactic that annoyed the fans and unsettled a player under contract at Home Park.
Will a win for Argyle push Magilton closer to the axe or will Norris and the other expensive Ipswich signings finally do the business for the manager?
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