IPSWICH Town supporters will be keeping their fingers crossed that midfielder Owen Garvan returns to Portman Road today with a clean bill of health.The 20-year-old has only started one Ipswich match this season and went down with a debilitating bug that he took time to recover from a couple of weeks ago.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town supporters will be keeping their fingers crossed that midfielder Owen Garvan returns to Portman Road today with a clean bill of health.

The 20-year-old has only started one Ipswich match this season and went down with a debilitating bug that he took time to recover from a couple of weeks ago.

He has played twice for the Republic of Ireland Under-21's in the six days and scored twice in the 2-2 draw in Portugal on Tuesday.

To have Garvan available as the Blues look to win at home for the first time in 2008/09 against Reading on Saturday would be a big bonus for manager Jim Magilton.

It is vital for Ipswich to win after just three points from their opening four league fixtures.

Republic of Ireland Under-21 coach Don Givens lavished praise on Garvan for his display on Tuesday, and Magilton will be aware of the impact a key member of his squad made at international level.

Givens said: “We know what Owen can do. Throughout the whole Under-21 campaign he has probably been our best player.

“He is coming back from an illness and he hasn't played much for Ipswich this season.

“In Sofia on Friday, he struggled with the pace of the game in the first half and improved in the second. On Tuesday he was wonderful from start to finish.”

Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd has knocked on the head reports that midfielder Damien Francis could be interesting Ipswich.

Boothroyd said: “There's no truth at all. Nobody's made any contact with me.”

Meanwhile Town defender Moritz Volz has told of his exhausting start to his Blues career following his debut in the 2-1 defeat at Watford on August 30.

The German full back said: “It was a bit of a shock to the system. I played 90 minutes without having played competitive first team football in a while so my body took a bit longer to recover than usual.

“I'm lucky there was an international break. I've had 50-odd new people to get to know and that means as many names to memorise. So as much as it's an exciting time it's also very exhausting.

“But roll on the Reading game on Saturday.”