NEW Ipswich Town skipper Jim Magilton has promised fans they will discover tomorrow why manager Joe Royle is pinning his faith in his three new signings.

By Dave Allard

NEW Ipswich Town skipper Jim Magilton has promised fans they will discover tomorrow why manager Joe Royle is pinning his faith in his three new signings.

Keeper Kelvin Davis, central defender Drissa Diallo and midfield anchorman Georges Santos will all make their league debuts in tomorrow's home Nationwide League Division One match against Reading at Portman Road.

All three were included in the Town starting line-up which manager Joe Royle revealed to the Star today.

"They've all looked good in pre-season and our supporters will see just why they've come here when we face Reading," said Magilton.

"All the new players have settled in well. I think they'll all do a good job at this club."

The 34-year-old Magilton said he felt "very honoured" to have been made captain at a club he joined in January 1999 from Sheffield Wednesday in a deal worth close on £700,000.

He went on to be a member of the May 2000 Wembley play-off winning side that defeated Barnsley and was an instrumental figure as the Blues finished fifth in the Premiership the following season.

"It will be a great thrill to lead the team out on Saturday, but it will make no great difference to me," he said.

Town go into tomorrow's game with a full complement of players apart from central defender John McGreal who is still three weeks away from a senior squad recall after a long-term knee injury.

Manager Joe Royle said: "We're talking football again after so much debate about administration and stuff like that. I don't think there will be many in the division stronger than us.

"Reading are a good footballing side that have bought well. They will provide us with a strong challenge, but it is one we look forward to."

Town will be operating with a 4-3-3 system. For the majority of the last campaign they used a 3-5-2.

Partnering new signing Drissa Diallo at the heart of the defence will be former striker Richard Naylor. He said: "Everyone had worked hard as a unit in pre-season and hopefully we can carry it on into the season itself."

Dutch midfielder Martijn Reuser will be on the bench tomorrow hoping to get a run-out at some stage.

He was put on the free transfer list last season but Royle said: "We still have certain agreements made under the Cva which we have to fulfil, but if someone did ask about Martijn now I would say to him that he can speak to them if he wants, but that I don't want him to go."

Tomorrow's opponents Reading were today trying to sign central defender David Johnson from Birmingham on loan.

IPSWICH team: Davis, Wilnis, Makin, Naylor, Diallo, Miller, Santos, Magilton, D Bent, M Bent, Counago. Subs: Price, Richards, Reuser, Wright, Bowditch.

READING (from): Hahnemann, Murty, Brown, Williams, Shorey, Harper, Sidwell, Hughes, Forster, Goater, Ashdown, Salako, Mackie, Newman, Watson, Savage.