Stephen Ireland out for season!

The breaking news regarding NUFC is that on-loan Stephen Ireland has been ruled out for the rest of the season after picking up an ankle injury.

The 24-year-old suffered the injury against Blackpool in what was only his second appearance for the club he had hoped to join in the summer and signals a cruel blow to a player that has spent so much of this season on the sidelines with previous injuries.

I expect people will change their tune now and say that Ireland was always a crock and that we should no longer be signing him, but these things happen in football and I'm still keen to see him join the club on a permanent basis. Personally I've seen enough of him to see the lads has talent.

Whether it means any move does come off is now in the balance, but due to the freshness of the news there is very little reaction floating around about it. Hopefully Pardew has seen enough of Ireland to sign him up properly in the summer.

More to follow...