Tommy Smith will only reach the age of 24 at the end of the month but he is already planning for the days when his playing career is over.
Hopefully, that will not be for a long time yet, but the Town defender is preparing for the future and is already more than halfway through a sports science degree course.
Smith said: "It’s ticking along. I’ve complete two years and I’m in my third so it will take me another two years after this academic year to get it done.
"It’s a distance learning thing so I don’t actually go in during the week or anything like that. They spread the modules out over a longer period so that gives you the time to complete it.
"In June I have to go up to the uni — Manchester Metropolitan at Crewe — and do a five-day practical assessment. I’m doing it in my spare time and I’m determined to see it through.”
While Smith’s career is progressing well he is not blind to the potential pitfalls and wants to be as well prepared as possible — just in case.
He added: "It will be good to have that behind me because you never know what could happen in football. It will be something to fall back on and I’d encourage anyone to do the same.
"Education is really important because tomorrow I could go out and train, get injured and that could be it. You have to make the most of the opportunities that are available and the PFA have been great.
"They subsidise a lot of it and I’m really enjoying the course. It’s something I am interested in and if I wasn’t a footballer I probably would have done it anyway. They like you to do 10 hours a week and I probably should do a bit more than I do but I’m doing enough to get by at the moment.
"I probably need to knuckle down a bit more to ensure I’m comfortable. It’s all done online and I have access to my lecture slides. It’s really good stuff.”
Smith is the only member of Town’s senior squad in further education but he revealed that defensive partner Christophe Berra is set to embark on the very same course.
He said: "Christophe is starting the same course in the next academic year in September and there are a few other footballers also on board. Dean Furman of Doncaster is one I’ve seen up there.
"I’m looking to head into the fitness coach side of things, like Andy Liddell’s role here, but there comes a time when you can branch off into different stuff.
"James Krause, the Academy Prozone guy, did a sports science degree then channelled off into analysis so there’s a lot of different routes you can take. I haven’t decided on one but it’s nice to have that option there.”