Former Blue Jordan Rhodes says defender Tommy Smith should stay on loan at League One Brentford for the rest of the season. Rhodes, a close friend of Smith’s, spent time with the Bees last season before making his controversial move to Huddersfield in the summer.

Rhodes says a spell in the lower leagues with the likes of Brentford is preferable to playing reserves football: "Tommy hasn't really played much at Ipswich since dislocating his finger, and has not even been on the bench.

"It's his intention to come here and get some games under his belt. He's only 19, but wants to establish himself.

"Ideally my loan at Brentford would've been until the end of the season if it wasn't for my injury.

"My time at the club was vital to my development, and is much better to learn than playing in the reserves."

Smith, who is aiming to seal a place in the New Zealand World Cup squad, joined the Bees on an initial month’s loan last week and made his debut in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Carlisle.

Meanwhile, former Town chairman David Sheepshanks will unveil the FA’s plans for a National Football Centre at Burton later today. Sheepshanks, still a board member at Town, is set to be named chairman of the project.

Elsewhere, Sheffield Wednesday have named ex-Town backroom man Andy Rhodes as their new keeper-coach, despite Peterborough having confirmed him for the same role at London Road as recently as Saturday. Rhodes senior recently left Preston North End in the wake of Alan Irvine's sacking. Irvine is now the manager at Wednesday.

Photo: Action Images

brockleyblueboy added 15:00 - Jan 19 Really good points on here, which got me thinking, what about some kind of campaing to bring Reserve football to the forefront again. A bit like an FA cup but for reserves. I used to love watching the reserve games, especially when you had big name players coming back from injury. Brendanh makes a really good point in that people say that there are too many foreign players and that something needs to be done, it certainly does, give youth a chance (well Graham Rix did that and look where that ended up - bad taste) Our youth system has gone down hill and you're right, why play in the reserves when you can get a chance to play competitive football. I would definitly think about loaning out some of the youngsters to lower league clubs that are pushing for the play-offs. This will give them great experience for next season, just incase we don't win the league!

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 16:13 - Jan 19 A bit off topic, but I'm sorry Priskin didn't go to Charlton for a while. I think he's potentially a very good player, and I'd hoped he'd go and score a few so that Charlton can keep up with the Budgies at the top of League 1. Surely it would have been better to be getting some games? I'm a bit afraid it might just not work out for him at PR, not because he lacks talent, but because for some reason he doesn't fit in. Having said that, he'll probably come on at Soton and score.

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brockleyblueboy added 16:36 - Jan 19 I know its not ideal but like I've said many times before, to me it looks like Roy (a bit like his dogs) keeps the players on a tight leash and get their hunger sky high and then unleashes them on the pitch. If it hasn't happened for Priskin yet then he has to get even more hungry. I personally think some of the most attacking and attractive football I ever saw at PR was the 3 pronged attacked of Lee, Counago and Walters. Why can't we play Priskin in the lee role. Like a few people have said, give it a go at soton. It's a great opportunity to try a few things. Priskin will come good but I also said that about Sam Parkin!

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JayITFC added 17:03 - Jan 19 brockleyblueboy - you only have to look at Leicester this season to see the gap between the Championship and League 1 is far from huge. The same applies to Swansea who were playing League 1 football in 07/08. Those 2 teams are in a far better position than us to reach the Premier League this season. Rhodes could do a good job at Championship level, it's not as if our strikers are banging them in. Personally I think he'll play in the Premiership in a few years.

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Liverpool_blu added 17:29 - Jan 19 We should never have sold Rhodes. Sign Him Back
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cbower added 17:29 - Jan 19 Some of this sounds too much like my wife. She's always telling me that I can pontificate on this site all I want but I am not the manager of ITFC. Why oh why does she object to me living in my own fantasy world???? Keep the debate going people - I love it!
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brockleyblueboy added 18:01 - Jan 19 JayITFC - Leicester used to be a Premier league club. They have the set up and the infrastructure. they got screwed by bad management and swansea have been building for a while. It does seem rare for clubs and in fact players to jump up leagues quickly. In a way you can look at John Stead and DJ Campbell for that. Has played in the premiership but never set it alight and I think they are finding their level. I am sure Rhodes will play in the premier league but what I meant was that he has to be picked up quick before he misses his chance - there was a time that there was a young lad called dean bowditch that was destined for greatness! In fairness we should've sold him to liverpool for £3m. No offence to Huddersfield what so ever but for the foresseable future they are in the league they belong. Players like Tommy Smith need to play at the highest competitive level they can before they make the step up. That's why bringing back the reserve league to a cometitive level would be the best thing all round. BUT that brings up the debate about transfers, how do lower league clubs climb up the league when clubs like Ipsiwch, that provide young talent wouldn't let them go? All in footballs a funny old game AND I LOVE IT.

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Tractorog added 09:59 - Jan 20 Rhodes is spot on. The fact is that we are no longer in a reserve league worth playing in. The club needs to address how it brings on young players like Rhodes and Smith or else we will get them to 19 and have to sell them every time. This is IMHO the most pressing issue for the club after league position. It has been the history and tradition of our club to bring on young talent and we have a fantastic youth set up that then becomes a blockage at 18/19/20. Clegg needs to sort it out. This is not Rhodes being disloyal, he is saying it how it is. True fans should be delighted we loan out young players to lower league clubs, because we are developing talent (and therefore assets for the club) without risking them having to learn their trade in our first team or more likely wasting away in the reserves.

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