Tommy Smith has admitted reaching rock-bottom earlier this season — but he insists he never thought his time was up at Ipswich. Having recently returned to the side as a sub in the FA Cup at Hull and as a starter in the games against Birmingham and Blackpool, the central defender is enjoying what may be seen as an unexpected new lease of life at Portman Road.
Smith, 21, was low on form and confidence in the first few games of the season as Town failed to build on an opening-day win at Bristol City.
He said: "It was the lowest point of my career even before we lost 7-1 at Peterborough — I felt worse than I did when I broke my ankle and was out for some time a couple of years ago.
"At least with the injury I knew I was going to come back and I had a positive mindset. But everybody gets setbacks in their career and it’s how you come back from them that determines what sort of player you are going to be.
"I wouldn’t say my confidence was shattered but it was definitely low. I’m usually quite confident in myself and my ability, and I knew there was nothing else for it but to buckle down in training and prove to the manager what I was capable of doing.”
While others may have been tempted to consider a future elsewhere, the Macclesfield-born academy graduate is adamant that a fresh start was the furthest thing from his mind.
Smith added: "I never thought like that. I was always thinking that as long as I put in the effort and performed on the training ground I would eventually turn the manager’s head in my favour.”