Central defender Tommy Smith says he’s yet to speak to manager Paul Jewell about his contract situation but would love to stay at Portman Road. The 21-year-old New Zealand international, back in the side in recent weeks, is one of 12 players whose deals are up at the end of the season.

Academy product Smith said: “I haven’t spoken to him yet about the contract situation. From my point of view I just want to stay in the team, do the best I can and hope that results improve. If they come to me [to discuss a new contract], they come to me.

“There is a bit of uncertainty and you want the security of knowing that you are going to be playing football again next season but first and foremost I just want to stay in the team and do as well as I can.

“If I do get a new deal, happy days. I want to be part of the first team plans and if I am I’ll be delighted to stay at Ipswich.”

In addition to Smith, Josh Carson, Grant Leadbitter, Jason Scotland, Lee Bowyer, Richard Wright, Mark Kennedy, Carlos Edwards, Ibrahima Sonko, Luke Hyam, Cody Cropper and Cormac Burke are all out of contract at the end of June.

Carson is expected to a sign a new two-year deal which includes the option of a third season soon, while Hyam was offered a one-year deal until the summer of 2013 last week.

Scotland, Bowyer and perhaps one or two others will trigger additional years on their contracts after a set number of league starts, in the Trinidadian’s case 19, his total currently standing at 16.

Meanwhile, Stoke manager Tony Pulis has revealed that former Town loanee Danny Collins is suffering from an injury, which may account for the Wales international not yet having moved on during the transfer window: "He's got a dead leg after Ricardo Fuller ran into him in training.

“He hasn't been able to train properly, that's been the problem with him, but hopefully he'll be training again soon.”

Bolton is understood to be the 31-year-old’s most likely destination but Pulis has played down the suggestion that Collins will definitely leave the Potters in January: "You are going to get speculation linking players with clubs at this time of year. There's nothing you can do about it."

Town are monitoring Collins’s situation, although boss Paul Jewell recently admitted that the defender would probably move to a club nearer to his home in Cheshire.

Elsewhere, ex-Blue Alex Bruce has been linked with a move from Leeds United to the LA Galaxy.

Photo: Action Images

newboy added 13:27 - Jan 24 The players with contracts running out are not the problem the manager is - last year RK was in a higher position when sacked and he was playing carson, hyam,eastman etc he did not have the fat cat wage earners PJ has brought in . Start at the top and work down
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Chicago_Blue added 13:29 - Jan 24 As I mentioned earlier I don't rate him, but to be fair his confidence has been low before and hasn't had a settled defensive partner. Plus, he can pop up with the odd goal.
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HARRY10 added 13:34 - Jan 24 'I think marcus has dipped his pockets to the tune of 65 million + ' Absolute rubbish £32m of the debt is what he bought for £6m £12m is interest he has charged us and he trousered the money from the sales of Wickham and Walters (check the accounts Players are being allowed to leave as we don't have the money to meet their demands. This is not planning for relegation, but relegation could be a consequence of that need to cutback.

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dugoutdave added 13:36 - Jan 24 on a different note : noticed this today : "Jose Mourinho will quit his job as Real Madrid manager this summer, according to media reports in Spain a different subject" ..... get in there Marcus !!!
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Garv added 13:38 - Jan 24 Don't let the ball bounce then!
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KIWI78 added 13:40 - Jan 24 I am biased, being a kiwi et al, and having Tommy play at Ipswich helps promote the team back home where theere is growing support. Keep him, he's had some rough games, and his inexperiance shows - but thats it, inexperiance and lack of a regular mentor / partner. He can be a great town player
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Taricco_Fan added 13:41 - Jan 24 Keep hold of him. He's only 21 which is very young for a centre half, so there is plenty of time for him to develop. Worth the risk, especially as he's not going to be on a big wage. But he needs a couple of decent, experienced mentors around him in the mould of MacAuley or de Vos, and a decent defensive coach. He looked good at the world cup so I think there is potential there.

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Wickets added 13:47 - Jan 24 Totaly agree with Souper Jim, Tommy can be a star of the future, we must offer him a new contract before others do.
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Dog added 13:51 - Jan 24 Taxi for Mr Jewell please!!. Whilst it may be paper talk, we are now being linked to Michael Owen. For the love of God , do not waste a single penny on this injury prone has been. He will cost a fortune for no return. This is not the answer. Get two centre backs, a right back and a permanent goalkeeper. One week to go and still no new faces. Shocking!!
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walberswick added 14:00 - Jan 24 Patience, we've decided to target some new players but will have to wait until the next transfer window to open in the summer.
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Tractamatt added 14:08 - Jan 24 Just been on vitalfootball.com and on there is the exciting news that Ipswich might stand a chance of signing MICHAEL OWEN. Did'nt know he was a central defender also the other stories on there and sky is that we have made another bid for Pearce but only for Pearce any confirmation on that Phil.
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cantona11 added 14:19 - Jan 24 Hope so cos now he'll have a chance in the team and he will only get better just keep Delaney away from him bad influence (donkey) everybody has been playing bad even cressy has come down to their level COME ON U BLUES we can do this and we all need to get behind them a new manager at this stage is not going do anything we all need to give them a cheer and get that confidants back for those that go to the games and not listen on and then comment

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BrettenhamBlue added 14:32 - Jan 24 Reasonable squad player. Young so has a lot of potential to get better,- still really learning his trade. Not strong enough yet (shown by 3rd goal against Leeds) and struggles with confidence issues.I'd still offer him a 2 year contract though. As for the other players up for grabs? Hyam and Carson should both have got longer contracts (I'm fed up of this short-term aimless planning we seem to have). Terminate Leadbitter and Kennedy (surely we could have transfer listed Leadbitter during Jan and seen what happened??). The rest all deserve something. We should be trying to get these players to sign up NOW. If players are long term committed they work harder.

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buryblue77 added 14:41 - Jan 24 He suffers from a disorder known as IDS (Ipswich defender syndrome) a psychological problem which leads to inexplicble turns of mindless stupidity at the heart of defence, a problem which affects footballers plying their trade within the IP postcode area, but it often travels with them to other regions. Doctors are working on a cure but as yet none has been found. Suggested treatments could be a new defensive coach or change of management but the long term future to find a cure from this rare illness looks bright given the right investment into potential treatments

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kerryblue added 14:49 - Jan 24 Try taking up anouther position Tommy cause your not a centre back
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TractorBeezer added 15:02 - Jan 24 I would like to see us persevere with Tommy. It sounds like he played very well on Saturday until that third goal. As Garv says "don't let the ball bounce" and also get that tackle in or at least keep the pressure on the man with the ball. Good luck Tommy.
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tomisamos added 15:03 - Jan 24 Smith did make a mistake for the third goal, but I get the impression it was possibly his only mistake from reports and comments. It doesn't compare to the mare sonko had! I think his attitude has been excellent the last couple of games and he's looked very solid! He will make mistakes, but he needs to play and needs confidence. Anyone who saw him with Ryan Nelson in the World Cup shouldn't be able to deny the boy is clearly talented and just needs the right man next to him. Not Sonko or Delaney, imo.

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Keaneish added 15:10 - Jan 24 Should be case closed in this instance looking at 90% of the comments in here. There are some stupid ones about him not being good enough but every club has stupid fans! At 21 he'll be In and out if the first team over the next couple of seasons. Right partner and he'll begin to mature. Delaney and Sonko clearly aren't good enough at this level let alone being able to command and nurture a youth player. Sinko's had spells but far too many howlers for an experienced pro, Saturday's second goal being a point in case! Who else except Pearce and Ward? These two alone aren't enough and it's been very quiet today!!

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irishtim added 15:34 - Jan 24 Give him a chance. the coaches please tell our defenders when in doubt f..k it out. In gaelic footie its a mortal sin to leave the ball bounce. Ask shane supple
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SWGF added 16:07 - Jan 24 League One defender....which may come in handy next season
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saffronblue added 16:18 - Jan 24 Give him a new contract and find him a reliable experienced partner and a right back that knows how to defend and a decent keeper who will communicate with the back 4 and command the area. We are crying out for a settled defence who are given some time to forge a partnership (and some midfield cover).
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Tractamatt added 16:24 - Jan 24 We need positive news on something by this evening or we are done in the championship, we'll end up with a couple of loan players who no one wants and then Jewell win say "how hard everyone behind the scenes worked to get players in but it just did'nt happen this time" and he will continue as our manager till we are relegated , when there will be an announcement that he has left the club by mutual agreement and then it will be a struggle to keep hold of any player of any worth so the next seasondivision 2 and all because Jewell made a mistake signing older players in the first window.PROVE ME WRONG.

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CornardBlue added 16:28 - Jan 24 Would give him 2 year contract, has potential to be a good centre half with the right coaching, one of the worst mistakes this club has made is showing Brian Klug the door, he is the man who coached most of our best young players for years since he has gone this supply of young players has dried up.
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CheshireBlue added 16:34 - Jan 24 If I was a betting man I would say they will offer him a one year contract as that seems to be the only thing that this club does at the moment. They need to realise that in order to keep younsters they need to make them feel like they are good enough for the club rather than offering them short contracts just so that they can get any compensation should they go elsewhere. All wrong in my opinion as given decent coaching and a decent manager to give them confidence a lot of these younsters could and should form the backbone of the club for years to come. Tommy has shown he can do it in the past and over the last few games when he has outplayed Sonko by a mile.

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clivardo added 16:34 - Jan 24 The amount of times I've seen this wasteman in Ipswich town on a Friday and Saturday night on the booze, terrible example of a professional - but overall sums up his respect for the club and the fans (that pay his wages) Aside from the above - He's been terrible for town this season which is really disappointing because he hasn't been able to capture the form he had at the WC for NZ. If PJ offers this useless excuse of a defender a contract then we should really get ready for life in League 1!

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