Blues boss Mick McCarthy has paid tribute to midfielder Cole Skuse who will make his 200th appearance for Town at Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow.
The 31-year-old, who recently signed a new contract which runs to the summer of 2020 with the club having an option for a further season, joined the Blues from hometown club Bristol City on a Bosman in the summer of 2013 and has been one of the first names on McCarthy’s teamsheet ever since.
Confirming that that will be the case again at Hillsborough - "He’ll be celebrating his 200th tomorrow, you can be rest assured” - McCarthy says Skuse, whose 199 appearances ahead of the trip to Hillsborough include only game from the bench and two goals, ranks "very highly” on the list of his best-ever recruits.
"He’s played well, he’s a good player,” McCarthy reflected. "I say he’s durable, but he’s a good player.
"He got a bit of [stick], I think people started taking him for granted a little bit, how good he is and how valuable he is to the team.
"He lets all the rest of them get on with it and play and he does a lot of mopping up for people.
"All right, so he’s not sticking goals in here, there and everywhere, but he’s been a really valuable asset for me, for the club, for the team and I think if you asked all the players as well, they’d pick him as well.”
Does he feel players who play the holding midfield role Skuse occupies tend to be underrated?
"For the fear of a headline, Eric Cantona called Didier Deschamp a water carrier. I’d have settled for that if somebody had said I was like Deschamp and I was a water carrier, I’d have been really thrilled with that," McCarthy continued.
"It’s the ones that do their jobs well every week at the same standard, probably seven out of 10 every week, he very rarely dips beneath that. Those type of players are really valuable at any club, never mind just here.”
McCarthy admits it’s been a disappointment not to be able to field Skuse with summer signings Emyr Huws and Tm Adeyemi, the duo having spent most of the season out injured.
"I still think that would have been a potent force, to be honest. Certainly Emyr when he’s played, he’s been excellent, whether it was last season [when he was on loan] or this season.
"And Tom, he looked a real threat, it’s just unfortunate they’re both injured. Yes, I’d still like to see that midfield three, I think it would be good.”