Tommy Smith was named Town’s Supporters’ Player of the Year at this tonight’s Player Awards Evening, beating his central defensive partner Luke Chambers in the second and last year’s winner Aaron Cresswell in third.
Smith said he was honoured to pick up the award: "It’s a proud moment. The fans have always backed me from when I was in the youth team and it’s a brilliant feeling to be receiving this award.”
He says Town’s excellent recent defensive record hasn’t just been down to the back four: "It’s going well, me and Chambo have been getting the accolades but the whole team have been working hard defensively.
"You saw the other week Frank [Nouble] got his two goals from closing down people. Perhaps we weren’t doing that earlier on in the season.”
The 23-year-old New Zealand international admitted that at one point he wondered whether he might have to move on having fallen out of favour under previous manager Paul Jewell: "I never gave up, I thought at one point maybe my time was up, but obviously I’ve now got myself in the team and hopefully I can go from strength to strength.”
Smith, who came through the ranks of the Town academy having joined as a scholar at 16 after moving back to the UK from New Zealand, is confident that the Blues can push on during 2013/14: "We’ve finished the season strongly and hopefully we can carry that momentum on into next season.”
The centre-half also added the Junior Blues Player of the Season award and the Away Match Passport holders’ Player of the Year gongs to the Boxholders and Sponsors’ Player of the Year trophy he won at the End of Season Dinner on Tuesday.
Striker Jack Marriott won the Dale Roberts Academy Player of the Year award, while Paul Cooledge received the Young Fan of the Year trophy from his favourite Blues player Michael Chopra.
Presentations were also made to all this season’s full debutants with the first team squad, manager Mick McCarthy, assistant Terry Connor and their staff in attendance.
Meanwhile, on-loan Celtic man Daryl Murphy says he’d be happy to join the Blues on a permanent basis this summer with his contract at Parkhead up at the end of June: "I’d love to be a part of that future here. I’ve made no secret that I love it here at Ipswich and I’m settled in the area.
"If something can be done then I would love to stay here on a permanent deal.”