NEW Ipswich Town loan star Alan Mahon declared today: "Thank God Joe Royle has come in for me."The 25-year-old Republic of Ireland international has been signed on a three-month agreement from Blackburn and will arrive in Ipswich later today.

By Dave Allard

NEW Ipswich Town loan star Alan Mahon declared today: "Thank God Joe Royle has come in for me."

The 25-year-old Republic of Ireland international has been signed on a three-month agreement from Blackburn and will arrive in Ipswich later today.

The left-sided midfielder, who loves to go at people and get in crosses, said: "I'm delighted to be coming to a club like Ipswich. They are a Premiership club and have one of the best managers in the business in Joe Royle – the man's a legend.

"I had no qualms about coming here at all, none whatsoever. Towards the end of last season I had a good spell at Cardiff on loan, but if Ipswich had come in then there would have been no contest. It would have been Ipswich for me.

"It's been frustrating to be in the reserves at Blackburn and I look forward to my new challenge. I'm so delighted that Joe Royle has come in for me. I'll be back on the big football stage again and can't wait to start."

That start will come on the left of midfield against league leaders West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

Mahon, whose new team are third from bottom of the First Division table, added: "I've never played under Joe but I've spoken to so many people who have and I know he's the sort of manager I really want to work for."

Meanwhile, Georges Santos says that Mahon can certainly pep up the service to the Blues' strike force.

The big French defender or deep midfield man should know as he played alongside Mahon for two years at Tranmere.

Santos said: "He's such a very good player and I'm delighted he's here with us now. He has an excellent left foot and loves to go at people, one against one or one against two.

"I had two years with him at Tranmere before he went to Sporting Lisbon and I went to West Bromwich Albion. He's intelligent, he's clever and he loves nothing more than going at people and then putting in good service to the strikers.

"His passing is of the highest order and he is also a good worker. As well at that he has a good long shot and a good short shot."

Just after agreeing to move to Portman Road last Friday, Mahon phoned his old mate Santos for a chat.

"He told me how pleased he was to be coming and I told him it will be great to see him again," said the Blues'rearguard man. "Alan is a natural left-sided player who can add quite a bit to us."

Santos, who is now in the process of moving after several weeks in a hotel following his move from Grimsby, is particularly looking forward to next Saturday's match at First Division leaders West Bromwich Albion.

The Baggies are another of his former clubs.

"They are a big club in this division that are doing well. But we can do well there," he said.

Of his own form he declared: "I've been a bit disappointed. But I know I can do better."

Town will face an Albion side containing Thomas Gaardsoe, the Danish defender they sold to the Midlands outfit for £500,000 last month.

Gaardsoe said: "I had a happy time at Ipswich. They have good players there and will moving up the table soon.

"We may be top of the table but we know how hard it will be against Ipswich. When I was with them we usually did well against the top sides."