Welcome to Portman Road for today's home game against Blackpool.

It's going to be a busy and important week for the Club, with a home game against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday followed by a televised game at Loftus Road on Saturday. After a good spell of away form, last Saturday's defeat at Swansea was clearly disappointing and as a consequence the next three games may prove to be crucial as far as our ambition this season is concerned. Two home victories followed by a good performance against QPR could easily get us back on track for a Play-Off place.

With the transfer window closed our business for the season is now all but completed. Luciano Civelli made his first appearance for the Club during a reserve game against Colchester earlier this week, although as the scoreline was 9-2 I don't suppose it was too stern a test. Clearly, we are hoping to see Luciano in first-team action in the very near future.

As the window was closing we also said goodbye to Richard Naylor after 15 years at the Club. Richard has now signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Leeds United, his hometown club and one that he has supported since he was a boy. I am sure you will join me in wishing Richard every success and happiness in the future and to thank him for all that he's contributed to the Club in his time here (see page 45 of today's matchday programme for an exclusive interview with Richard Naylor).

Youth Training Scheme (YTS) players have long since been replaced by Academy scholars and many of you will have read of some changes that we have made at the Academy in the last couple of weeks. Sammy Morgan has been appointed Academy Manager and will be working very closely with Bryan Klug in continuing to develop the fine track record that our Academy has. I know there have been concerns in some parts that the Club intends to reduce its commitment to its youth policy. I would like to reassure everybody that this is not the case. The Club is committed to supporting, developing and improving the output from our Academy into our first-team squad and any changes that are made are done with this objective in mind.

Some 400 or so supporters watched the Academy U18s in FA Youth Cup action on a ridiculously wet Monday night earlier this week. Somewhat incredibly the game was abandoned after 88 minutes with the score at 0-0. As a consequence, the match will be replayed almost certainly later this month here at Portman Road. It was amazing that so many supporters turned up on a truly dreadful night. To recognise that commitment we have decided that the admission charge for the rescheduled match will be œ1.00 for adults and children alike. I don't doubt that the vast majority of the 400 will turn up once again, hopefully to see us progress to the Quarter-Finals.

Finally, I would like to welcome the players, management and supporters of Blackpool here today. I hope you all enjoy the game.

With best wishes.