Town defender Tommy Smith is adamant he wants to remain at Portman Road after his current contract expires in the summer.

But youth product Smith has admitted he has yet to receive an offer from the club and that the thought of moving on is at the back of his mind.

The Macclesfield-born New Zealand international has been ever-present in the last 12 games to prove his worth after a nightmare start to the season badly dented his confidence.

Smith, who has scored four goals in 60 senior appearances and will be 22 on the last day of March, said: “I haven’t spoken to the club about a new contract yet.

“I’m just concentrating on playing my football and doing as well as I can for Ipswich. I’d like to stay here. This was my first club and I’ve settled in the area, but it’s not down to me.”

Town have secured the services of veteran skipper Carlos Edwards until the end of next season and based on his recent performances it will be a major shock if they do not attempt to negotiate a fresh deal with the young defender.

Smith added: “It’s always in the back of your mind. As things stand I don’t know where I’m going to be playing next season.

“As I’ve always said, I’d love to stay and at the moment all I can do is concentrate on playing as well as I can and helping Ipswich to win games.”

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

Wallingford_Boy added 15:37 - Mar 15 Hmm worth a similar deal to Carlos, one year with the option for another.
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FrimleyBlue added 15:39 - Mar 15 Not worth a new deal TBH, conceded way to many goals
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cromwellblue added 15:43 - Mar 15 Of all our centre halves he's the one to keep Still young and learning I'd rather see him fight for a place with some new blood than Damo or Sonko.
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tractorboybig added 15:44 - Mar 15 A million times better that useless edwards. But this club only seems interested in has beens. O well same again next season.
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safeashouses added 15:47 - Mar 15 That will be another one year deal then !!!!! Just in case PJ cant find anyone else.
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cornishnick added 15:47 - Mar 15 We need 4 recognised centre halves at the club - Smith, Delaney, plus 2 new signings
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heady added 15:49 - Mar 15 ^ Plonker.. clueless
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bontcho added 15:50 - Mar 15 Oh i'd keep Smith. Young and think he could well along a relatively experienced leader (Pearce from Pompey, please!). Personally i'd keep Sonko and Delaney as back ups unless we get a good offer for Delaney - especially as we don't have any kids coming through in CB (Ainsley is a RB before someone says him).
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bluelady added 15:55 - Mar 15 Tractorbigboy..... you are funny, great joke. Smith still learning his trade, worth a year to see if he progresses.
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darren_cox added 15:55 - Mar 15 tractorboybig have u been watching a different team this year. Edwards has been one of are most consistant performers this season. He has dramastically improved his defence game and provides a real threat going forward. Are the people that constantly slag him off on here blind? Smith deserves a new contract. Though probably still more of a squad player next season than a regular starter.

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Michael11 added 15:58 - Mar 15 I'll hold my hands up and admit that after the last peterborough game i was screaming for Smith to get lost but now after being in the side a bit more regularly i'd like to see him get a new contract as he still has a lot of time to improve. Still need at least two new centre backs for next year though.
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Seasider added 16:07 - Mar 15 Only have one right footed cb in Sonko and two left footed both of whom playing at present;so definitely need to sign Tommy as havn't enough centre backs as it is.A run in the side has seen him improve especially bearing in mind he is on his wrong side.No good just giving him 6 months though like we did with Tom Eastman who is now developing as a right sided cb at Colchester,playing regularly and receiving good reports.We have let too many promising young players go too soon over the years and there are several doing very well in Championship and League 1 plus Darren Bent,Titus Bramble and Keiron Dyer who are still with Premiership clubs.

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not_a_witty_name added 16:13 - Mar 15 Give him a three year contract with a one year extension so he can concentrate on learning his on-field craft rather than off-field negotiations for half the season, every season
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brian_a_mul added 16:16 - Mar 15 Smith is a good defender and a big threat from set pieces. He is young and the bad spell at the start of the season (& the end of last season out on loan) was a huge learning curve for the lad. He has since knuckled down and fought for a place in the first team. That experience will be invaluable for Tommy and we should definitely keep him on the books. Plus he wouldnt be commanding a huge contract. To replace him with a similar type player to make up numbers would cost approx 300-500k. Stick with the youth players we produce!!! Thats the point of the youth academy!

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Garv added 16:17 - Mar 15 You'd like to think Tommy will take the first contract offer he gets so I've got no problem with letting him play for a contract over the remaining games of the season and offer him something towards the end. Smith, Delaney, Sonko and 2 more I think will do for next season. Pearce? And a right footer is certainly required. Many will want Sonko gone but he wears his heart on his sleeve and is a right battler which is what you want from your centre halfs.

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Keaneish added 16:41 - Mar 15 Nonsense comments to be ignored from KingChopra and Heady. Why bother with posts that are utter garbage! For me he should get a 2 year deal. No brainer really, just surprised it's been left this long. On current form Delaney and him will both be offered something i'm sure. Smith is going to be a long serving and solid pro for Town, i'm sure of it.
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Guthrum added 16:56 - Mar 15 Anyone who thinks we shouldn't re-sign Smith (if he's prepared to accept reasonable pay and terms) is either a loon or stuck in August.
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saffronblue added 17:01 - Mar 15 I assumed that Heady's comment was self evaluation rather than a comment on TS. Give Tommy a two year deal with options on a third, has vastly improved over the last few months and with some mentoring and an experienced partner could go on to be a first choice CB for several years to come. More importantly he actually wants to be here and playing, we have far too many that are happy to just pick up the pension and go through the motions.

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HALLSJ added 17:03 - Mar 15 KingChopra: Muppet comments, Smithy has improved immensley since Christmas, especially with him now playing on a regular basis. New contract definite, 2 years??
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village_blue added 17:10 - Mar 15 If Edwards is offered a new deal then why oh why has Tommy not been offered one.There's a huge improvment in Tommy since the start of the season and he fully deserves a new deal.
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FrimleyBlue added 17:12 - Mar 15 so i can't have my own opinion on here. My opinion should be taken the same way as your own opinions, doesn't make me a muppet just coz i dont agree with you all. For me, Smith is very very light weight and I personally believe he won't make it in this league. Yes ok he's done well the last few games, but in general he's been as much of a liability as Inga was. Just because he comes from the youths doesn't mean i HAVE to like him.

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Marshalls_Mullet added 17:28 - Mar 15 Seasider, are you having a laugh re 'letting' Bent, Bramble and Dyer go? The sale of Dyer funded a successful promotion push and I think was a record fee for a Championship player at the time. We got £4.5m for Bramble in the season we were relegated, not bad business at the time. Bent left for £2.5m when he had one year left on his contract, we ended up with £5m for him after sell on.

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MathieandMarshall added 17:35 - Mar 15 King Chopra has clearly never seen the lad play. he is the biggest talker in the back 4, is clearly improving all of the time, does a lot of the sweeping up well (unnoticed0 is a threat at set plays and shows more passion than most. Also the only player to come over to the North after every game, win, lose or draw. And only 22! Big potential and deserves a new deal! Rant over

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FrimleyBlue added 17:37 - Mar 15 WOW he goes over to the north stand - give the guy a deal FFS let me have my own opinion without abusing my thoughts ffs
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not_a_witty_name added 17:38 - Mar 15 Smith is far more consistent than Bramble ever was
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