IPSWICH Town chief executive Derek Bowden today admitted that the challenge for a Premiership place might be over for this season.But he vowed that the club would do all they can to re-register striker Ricardo Fuller.

By Elvin King

IPSWICH Town chief executive Derek Bowden today admitted that the challenge for a Premiership place might be over for this season.

But he vowed that the club would do all they can to re-register striker Ricardo Fuller.

“There is still a chance of promotion after our unfortunate 1-0 defeat at Wolves on Saturday,” said Bowden.

“Maybe we must look to next season to regain our Premiership place.

“The team outplayed Wolves and they gave more encouragement for 2006/07.

“If season ticket sales are not a million miles off this season's levels, we can keep all our promising youngsters - and perhaps add to the squad as well.

“It should be a cracking campaign after the current one where we have been hit by a succession of injuries and with players like Danny Haynes and Alan Lee storming on to the scene but then going lame.”

Fuller watched Saturday's game from the stands and his Ipswich fate may depend on what Work Permit UK demand from him.

An official transfer of his permit to read Ipswich instead of Southampton could be completed in days, but to apply for a whole new permit might take weeks.

To add to the Ipswich frustrations, there is the distinct possibility that other foreign players have completed similar moves and been able to carry on with no new permit.

Ipswich officially applied for a new permit for the 26-year-old Jamaican international today.

Officials from Work Permit UK noticed on TV that Fuller had joined Ipswich on a month's loan. They contacted Southampton to inform them that his permit only applied to the Saints.

Fuller had been registered with both the Football League and the Football Association after signing for Town on Friday morning and no fault can be laid at the club for failing in their administration duties.