Paper Talk: Loan Ranger

Last updated : 10 August 2004 By Wigan Evening Post.
Tony Dinning - Ipswich Bound
The move is with a view to a permanent free transfer after the midfielder was told he was no longer part of manager Paul Jewell's plans at the JJB Stadium.
Dinning, who hasn't kicked a ball in the Latics first team for more than nine months, joined his new team-mates for training yesterday after opting for the switch over the weekend.
He's in the final year of his contract at Wigan and Jewell – who takes his side to tackle Millwall tonight – thinks a new challenge will be the best thing for all parties.
Jewell said: "Tony wants to leave and have the chance of playing first team football again.
"He probably needs a fresh challenge and at the moment has got a better chance of playing for Ipswich than he has us.
"I signed Tony at a time when it was my task to get this club out of the Second Division.
"We've done that, moved ahead, and the type of player we want has changed a little bit.
"At the moment Tony is not what I'm looking for, but he's done a job for us, helping us get promoted.
"He's in the final year of his contract and wants to get his career sorted out.
"I spoke to him yesterday to wish him good luck and hopefully things will work out for him there."
Dinning was a record signing when he joined from Wolves in a £750,000 deal in September 2001.
The former Newcastle trainee spent two months of his first season on loan at Stoke, returned to play a leading part in the Division Two title campaign, but was twice loaned out to Walsall and Blackpool last term.
He goes straight into the Ipswich squad for tomorrow's visit to Nottingham Forest and hopes to do enough to earn a permanent move.
The 29-year-old said: "It didn't really work out for me at Wigan last season and now I'm looking forward to a fresh challenge at Ipswich.
"Once I knew of the interest, I spoke to Jason de Vos about going there and he's said it's a great place to play football."
With Dinning in Suffolk and Jason Jarrett on the long-term casualty list, Jewell may now seek to bring in midfield cover.
Jamie Lawrence was training with the club for a short spell during pre-season and could be a short term answer.
Meanwhile, Jewell is relishing this evening's visit to the New Den – a venue where Latics have yet to win.
After seeing his side get off the mark with a draw against Nottingham Forest, he hopes the first of two visits to London this week can herald a victory.
He said: "I'm told we've not won there before but that is the type of hurdle we need to overcome.
"The New Den is never an easy place to go for any side but we're looking forward to the challenge.
"It should be a good game because Millwall have some decent players and Dennis Wise has done a fantastic job there.
"Some of our best performances have come away from home in recent seasons because teams tend to come to the JJB and sit back.
"We like playing on the break and the onus tonight will be on Millwall to come at us.
"It will be up to us to withstand their pressure and when we get on the ball, try and use the quality we have."
Striker Nathan Ellington trained yesterday after being substituted against Forest with cramp and will resume his place up front.
But new signing Emerson Thome won't be involved.
He has stayed behind in Wigan to work on his fitness.