IPSWICH striker Dean Bowditch is on the brink of a loan move to Wycombe Wanderers.The 19-year-old academy graduate is set to complete the necessary paperwork today and join the League Two leaders, who are managed by ex-Town coach John Gorman.

By Mel Henderson

IPSWICH striker Dean Bowditch is on the brink of a loan move to Wycombe Wanderers.

The 19-year-old academy graduate is set to complete the necessary paperwork today and join the League Two leaders, who are managed by ex-Town coach John Gorman.

There will be other familiar faces at Adams Park in ex-Ipswich midfielder Matt Bloomfield and defender Aidan Collins, who has already made two appearances and scored once since joining the Chairboys on loan.

Wycombe were Bowditch's preferred choice, which meant disappointment for the other three clubs on his trail - Blackpool, Gillingham and Walsall.

His request to move elsewhere on loan was granted by Joe Royle last week, but the Town boss is adamant this does not signal the beginning of the end for Bowditch as an Ipswich player.

Royle said: “The move is almost certainly on but we are still tying up a few loose ends regarding how long Dean will be with Wycombe.

“They would like him for longer than a month and the only way I will agree to that is if there is an agreement that we can recall him if required. I have left it to the two clubs' secretaries to sort that out.

“We don't want to leave ourselves short, although both Nicky Forster and Sam Parkin are moving towards full fitness and Adam Proudlock would have played in the reserve game on Monday had it not been postponed.

“Dean will be going into a good environment at Wycombe. John Gorman's teams pass the ball and given their league position at the moment they must be a confident side.

“That, plus the fact that Matt and Aidan are there, helped to make Dean's mind up for him. It should all help him to settle in quickly and get into his stride.”

It was Royle who gave Bowditch his debut in the white-hot atmosphere of an East Anglian derby clash at Norwich in March 2003.

Just 16 at the time, he was sent on in the 71st minute with the game goalless and within seconds he set up Fabian Wilnis to break the deadlock.

He also played a leading part in Ipswich's last-gasp second goal, scored by Darren Bent, and featured prominently in the next day's national newspapers.

But despite netting a hat-trick in Town's 4-1 home win over Watford a year later, he has been unable to hold down a regular first team place.

Bowditch has not scored for Ipswich since October 2004, in the 2-1 win at Coventry, and his only goal since then was for Burnley towards the end of last season during a ten-game loan spell at Turf Moor.

He has been in and out of the Town side during the current campaign, making 13 starts and a further six appearances as a substitute.

Royle added: “The only reason loan moves go ahead is to benefit people and on this occasion we hope it will be all three parties.

“Dean needs to get back to the player he was a couple of seasons ago.

“He is looking to kick-start his career at Wycombe and we naturally wish him well there.”