Town defender Tommy Smith has thanked boss Mick McCarthy for refusing to bow to pressure from fans for the player to be axed from his starting line-up.

Some supporters have pointed to Smith as one of the main reasons for the team’s form slump in 2015 that appears to have cost them their chance of an automatic promotion place.

But McCarthy, as he did with Jay Tabb despite persistent calls for him to be dropped, decided to stick with Smith and was rewarded by Tuesday’s hard-earned 1-0 win over Bolton at Portman Road as Town ended a depressing run of four games that reaped merely one point.

Smith said: “It’s nice to see the gaffer back me and the other defenders. I know that in the past there was some chopping and changing to the back four but the gaffer has shown good loyalty and hopefully we can repay him.

“It’s a good confidence boost. I’d like to think that over the last couple of seasons since he’s been here I’ve been a fairly solid performer and it’s nice that he shows that loyalty.

“Mick is a very level-headed guy. When we’re on good runs he says never get too high and when we’re on bad runs he says never get too low. We don’t really change the way we play, we go about things the same way.”

Smith admitted he was aware of being in the firing line, adding: “I was aware of some fans calling for change but I try not to pay too much attention to it. The only person I’m interested in pleasing is the manager and I just try to get on with my job to the best of my ability.

“With regard to my own form, generally it’s been quite good but obviously I should have perhaps done better with a couple of goals. The gaffer speaks to me about it and advises me on what I could have done differently.”

Smith is naturally left-footed, as is defensive partner Christophe Berra, and was asked how much tougher it is for him playing on the right side of the double act?

He added: “It obviously poses its challenges but I’ve been working on my right foot with TC and that’s improving slowly. I know I have to keep working on it — it’s a weakness in my game — and as long as I continue to improve I’ll keep doing that.”

Smith would also like to contribute a goal or two in the remaining games as Town push for a top-six finish. He has scored four this season, and Berra five, although they may still argue about the fourth against Leeds at home which was eventually given to the Scot.

Academy graduate Smith was last on target in the 3-0 home win over Charlton in December and has drawn a blank in 16 outings in all competitions since then.

He said: “We’re probably due one between the two of us. We haven’t been getting on as many set-pieces as we had done previously so that’s something we've been looking at.

“We’ve been practicing set-pieces quite regularly. Hopefully there are a couple of goals coming from us soon.

“Sometimes it’s the delivery, sometimes it’s us not getting our runs right. I don’t think the lads who take the freekicks and corners should get too much blame.

“It is a difficult skill putting a ball on a sixpence for people, so I’m not going to have a go at the lads because they have the bottle to try and do it and it is not as easy as sometimes people think.”

Photo: Action Images

jonnysuave added 06:41 - Mar 20 The louder the fans shout the more stubborn Mick will be. He's an angry man and will bow to no-one. Expect to see Tabb and Smith in the line-ups for Watford and Bournemouth and the 6 points that will come with it.
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Jimmy86 added 06:57 - Mar 20 Tommy Smith hasn't turned into a bad player over night, he is making mistakes because he is being played out of position, so really it's only right that Mick backs him. It's Mick who's playing Tommy on the right side of our centre back pairing, which is clearly his weaker side. Last season when Mick played the same back 4 he had Berra on the right side and Tommy on the left, where he obviously coped a lot better and was solid and dependable. Berra seemed to cope with playing on the right hand side a bit better. The correct balance would obviously be Tommy/Berra on the left and chambo on the right. I noticed we've not scored so many from set pieces, but as Tommy said sometimes it's about the delivery. We need Tabb off set pieces, always the same floaty, lofted balls that are easy for defenders to clear, but hard for our lads to attack, as they have to generate the power themselves. Also they only out swingers, need a few in swingers. I reckon BRUUUUUUUUUU would take a brilliant corner

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TR11BLU added 08:24 - Mar 20 Agree with the Jimmy86, lets see Smith back on the left side, Berra after all is the more experienced and should be able to cope 'out of position' Come on Tommy, power in the winner and all will be forgotten...
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muccletonjoe added 08:27 - Mar 20 Not all of us have wanted you dropped tommy
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topguy added 08:55 - Mar 20 Nobody will ever say tommy aint been a good town player and much more loyal than some that nobody can deny. The voices were raised at some soft and weak defending which if its has opened any eyes and improved results happen that's what we all want players and fans who love the club, Its hard to support a club and see a poor ball or weak challenge cost a game there was never any malice its OUR CLUB AND WE LOVE IT COYB

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Europablue added 09:23 - Mar 20 The way I understood it, it wasn't a personal attack on Tommy or even saying he shouldn't be playing, but that it would benefit the shape of the defence to have players in the correct positions and Tommy unfortunately would be the one to drop out if that were the case. I think our best back four (not necessarily best players) would be Parr, Berra, Chambo and Mings. It's great to have players that can cover different positions but they are specialized for a reason. They are professionals who have a greater skill in a particular position. The only real negative I have against Mick is his stubborness. He shouldn't be dropping players because the fans demand it, but he shouldn't be not dropping them even though he should just to spite the fans.

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thebeat added 09:36 - Mar 20 Agree with Europablue none of it has been personal towards Tommy, its just simple fact that our best back 4 doesnt include him in it. The results and performances we got with our best back 4 in the Autumn prove this.
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essextractorboy93 added 09:55 - Mar 20 Always going to get a number fans who have it in for certain players and target them for criticism when things aren't going right, Tabb and Smith are in the firing line this season. Smith has been great for the majority of the season, has a few performances which weren't up to that level and fans immediately want to switch it. Just glad we have Mick in charge! COYB!

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thebeat added 10:02 - Mar 20 Im sorry essextractorboy93 but if there are fans who cant see that playing Smith and Chambers out of position for 3 months hasnt cost us big time they are either Stevie Wonder in disguise or know nothing about football. Our best performances and results this season were with Parr at right back and Chambo in the middle. That is a fact!!
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BackTheBlues added 10:08 - Mar 20 It's b$%&£@!s - the majority of people on this site have called for tommy's head, said he wasn't good enough and that he is to blame! The lad is one our own to an extent and tries his hardest week in week out, maybe not our preferred back four but then what makes that - a clean sheet? Had one of those Tuesday night... Got to get off young lads backs...
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BackTheBlues added 10:09 - Mar 20 Oh and just a little point on Tabby's corner taking... Don't see anyone moaning at Bishop's corners that aren't resulting in goals? Funny isn't it when people have the 'bit' between their teeth!
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essextractorboy93 added 10:22 - Mar 20 thebeat - Smith was playing earlier in the season when we were in the top 2, I agree we have been poor lately and can see what you mean but I don't think it has just been Smith at fault for our bad run and its unfair to single him out for criticism. Its the same as people criticising Tabb, there always has to be scapegoats for fans, its the same as every club

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thebeat added 11:06 - Mar 20 essextractorboy93 i dont want you to get the wrong idea, i love Tommy and he is a top defender in this division when playing in his correct position. But in the interests of the team we should be playing a balanced back 4. When Parr came in we went on the run that took us to 2nd. Tommy came back in when Chambo was ill and then Berra was suspended and after that Mick didnt have the heart to put him on the bench again and has opted to play him out of position just to keep him in the team even tho it affects the whole shape of the team. Not only does it unbalance the back 4 but the reason we havent played the 4-3-3 since new year is because in that system the fullbacks provide the width and thats not going to happen with Chambo playing out there. Our whole second half of the season slump has been down to the decision to play an unbalanced back 4 and team, results dont lie.

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thebeat added 11:48 - Mar 20 BackTheBlues you think my comment was b#%&+&+s? Look at the results when Parr was at rightback and Chambo in the middle. Then come back to me. It wasnt just results either the football was also a lot better because we were using the fulbacks and playing rhrough the midfield 3 in the 4-3-3.
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bohslegend added 14:27 - Mar 20 I think Tommy's comments shine a light on how the players do feel the negativity towards them from the terraces/forums. Obviously all of us fans have opinions on who should play where etc and rightly so, but certain players have been getting dogs abuse on the forum this season. This must be negatively affecting them in these tense games when surely the opposite would happen if we got behind them?

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Garv added 22:25 - Apr 8 It's not easy to put it on a sixpence, agreed. But we regularly hit the first man, and that is poor and incredibly frustrating.
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