WHAT’S THE LATEST FROM BLUEBIRDS & SWANS?

WELSH starlet Tom Lawrence has hit scintillating form for Ipswich Town in recent weeks and has now revealed why his loan move to Cardiff City didn’t work out last season.

The 23-year-old is set to return to south Wales this weekend when the Tractor Boys take on the Bluebirds at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

It’s a chance for Lawrence to prove himself – and maybe squeeze into Chris Coleman’s Wales team to face Ireland in the crucial World Cup qualifier in Dublin later this month.

The Manchester United youth product has admitted that problems behind the scenes at the club and a lack of first team chances were to blame for his disappointing spell at Cardiff City Stadium.

“I didn’t get the opportunities that I should have had there under the manager and there was issues off the field,” said the forward, pictured above, right.

Lawrence made 14 league appearances for Russell Slade’s Bluebirds between February and June last year, failing to find the net in that time.

But a loan to Ipswich this season has triggered an astonishing upturn in form. Lawrence has scored 11 goals for Mick McCarthy’s side and will undoubtedly be the visitors’ danger man when they take on Neil Warnock’s men at the weekend.

Lawrence added: “The manager is not too happy with Saturday’s performance (when Ipswich drew 1-1 with Barnsley).

“We were nowhere near our best, so we’ll take the point, but we can’t perform like that again.

“Now we just need to get the win before the international break. We’ve got to go to Cardiff and show how good we are.”

Cardiff City loanee Emyr Huws has also impressed at Ipswich since making a deadline day switch to Portman Road but will be ineligible for this weekend’s clash against his parent club.

Both Lawrence and Huws are expected to be named in the Wales squad today.