IPSWICH Town chairman David Sheepshanks today denied that the club may not be able to complete its fixtures this season.He spoke to The Evening Star following weekend reports that only three first division clubs were confident that they would be able to complete the season.

IPSWICH Town chairman David Sheepshanks today denied the club may not be able to complete its fixtures this season.

He spoke to The Evening Star following weekend reports that only three first division clubs were confident that they would be able to complete the season.

Weekend reports said chairmen and chief executives from the 24 clubs in the first division were asked to put up their hands during a recent meeting if they could guarantee they could finish the season in May.

Only representatives from Portsmouth, Wolves, and Norwich were able to give that guarantee.

Today Mr Sheepshanks said he was not at the meeting, but chief executive Derek Bowden and club secretary David Rose were there.

"They have confirmed to me that there was a rather half-hearted straw poll conducted in which many clubs simply did not participate. We were one of them.

"I can reconfirm that as a result of a number of initiatives and actions that we have taken to improve our economic position for the season ahead our finances are now under control, albeit tight.

"I do not envisage any difficulty in completing our fixtures this season. The main thing that is on the minds of everyone at this Club is to ensure that we win most of them," said Mr Sheepshanks.

The vote came after the club introduced its salary deferral scheme following the sales of Titus Bramble and Marcus Stewart which Mr Sheepshanks said should ensure it would not have to sell anyone else when the transfer window reopens in January.

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