IPSWICH boss Joe Royle does not expect the club's successful share issue to provide him with atransfer kitty.While thousands of supporters are understood to have contributed close to£2million to Town's coffers, Royle accepts he will not be embarking on a spending spree.

By Mel Henderson

IPSWICH boss Joe Royle does not expect the club's successful share issue to provide him with a

transfer kitty.

While thousands of supporters are understood to have contributed close to

£2million to Town's coffers, Royle accepts he will not be embarking on a spending spree.

He said: "I can't see me being given a

transfer budget as such. I think I will be doing loan deals and maybe picking up the

occasional free transfer.

"The cash from the share issue will be used to stabilise the club's finances. It is a big recovery job."

Town will announce later today the exact details of a share issue launched in November and which closed yesterday.

The proceeds will provide essential working capital until the end of the season, by which time Ipswich will hope to have regained their Premiership status and be preparing for a box office stampede.

Royle, meanwhile, remained optimistic about securing the services of a loan target in time for the next First Division fixture at Coventry on Saturday week.

He added: "I am making progress and I think we might see something happen later in the week.

"I still haven't spoken to the player, although talks with his manager are going well. I'm not naming names at this stage in case we give other clubs ideas.

"There's no rush with us playing Sunderland in the FA Cup this week, but I am thinking along the lines of having someone on board for our next league game."

Royle has several players receiving treatment ahead of the weekend's fourth round clash, but he explained: "I wouldn't say any are desperately bad. We're not talking emergencies.

"John McGreal was training yesterday and came off when he felt his back stiffen up. I don't expect him to train today.

"Chris Bart-Williams didn't train because of a similar problem, while Jim Magilton and Richard Naylor also missed out.

"Jim has a dead leg and Richard a sore knee, but I don't anticipate either player not being available for the Sunderland game. The two lads with back problems are bigger doubts, but there's still plenty of time for them."

One certain change from the freak 6-4 win over Crewe will see Fabian Wilnis, who sat out that game through suspension, restored to the starting line-up.

Royle added: "We missed Fabian. People don't realise his value to the team until he's not there and it will be good to have him back.

"Jermaine Wright did a good job in his place, but we missed him in midfield. We're a bit light at full-back because we're also missing Chris Makin, who can play on either side."

Despite concerns about his team's defending against Crewe, the Town boss said preparations for Sunderland's visit would not vary from the norm.

"We have a set routine," said Royle. "People might wonder if we worked harder on finishing last week and the answer's no.

"They might also think we must have put in less effort on defending, but again the answer's no. It's just that it fell right for us at one end of the pitch and not the other."

Drissa Diallo, whose second-half appearance against Crewe marked his long-awaited return to first team action, will line up for the reserves against Coventry tomorrow.

Another possible starter in a game scheduled for the Playford Road training ground at 1pm is Georges Santos, with Royle commenting: "He needs a game after not playing much recently."