IPSWICH Town owner and chairman Marcus Evans is now playing a hands-on role at the Championship club that will be looking for their first Championship win of the season at Doncaster Rovers today (kick-off 3pm).

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town owner and chairman Marcus Evans is now playing a hands-on role at the Championship club that will be looking for their first Championship win of the season at Doncaster Rovers today (kick-off 3pm).

A billionaire and highly successful businessman, Evans is currently working on bringing a new loan signing to Portman Road.

While manager Roy Keane has been busy on the training field to get more out of his current playing staff, the reclusive Evans has been getting involved in the background.

This was confirmed by Keane, who said: “While I have been working on the training ground this week the owner has been arranging a potential loan deal to bring in a new player.”

Evans is normally only seen at Portman Road for board meetings and home games, but he appears to be getting increasingly involved in club affairs from his London company base.

His increasing Town work load was also confirmed by Gareth McAuley, who said that his agent had received a call from the Ipswich chairman saying that if a right offer to move came in then go for it.

Keane has again re-affirmed his desire to see out his two-year Blues contract, not taking any notice of the odds of him departing this season coming down from 8-1 against to 3-1 on.

“I'm not a betting man,” said Keane. “But I've signed for two years to get a job done.

“I could have signed for three years but was comfortable with two, and nobody said it was going to be easy to gain promotion.

“I have suffered some disappointing times in my career, including when I was playing and have always got through.

“The signs are there, and we will get there.”

The Blues need to make changes at the back today with central defender Gareth McAuley serving a one-match ban and right back Liam Rosenior a big doubt with a swelling over his right eye.

Midfielder Carlos Edwards is also a major doubt with a hamstring problem.

“David Wright did well in a game at Chelsea on Wednesday and kept going to the end against a quality side put out by the Premier League club,” said Keane.

“If he trains well I will have no problem playing him.”

Keane confirmed that Pim Balkestein and Tommy Smith are in line to replace McAuley at the heart of the defence and of midfielder Alan Quinn he said: “I look to players to put their hands up during games and say 'you can't leave me out'.

“Alan (Quinn) did that against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.”