Jonas Knudsen may be a professional footballer these days but insists he has lost none of the passion he displayed as a supporter.

The Danish international full-back, who is in his second season at Town after a £300,000 move from his hometown club Esbjerg fB in July last year, says he remains every inch a fan of the game.

He shares the enthusiasm of those who pay to watch him in action and said: “I am still the same person who used to follow my team back home when I was a kid. Now when I am playing I still feel the same — I love to win and celebrate with the fans.

“They are such a big part of the game because when they are with us they help us — they are our 12th man — and we have a better chance to win a game. I also like to be able to give them a little bit back when we win. I feel just the same as when I was a fan.

“The people who come to the stadium to watch the games are an important part of the occasion. Without them it just wouldn’t be the same. I have friends in Denmark who play football but only in front of 100 people or something like that.

“I have kept my passion for football and it isn’t just because I feel I have to do it. It’s because I love it and I want to win so much.”

He may be unable to link up with his family back home over the festive period but for Knudsen there is no part of the English season to which he looks forward more.

He added: “Yes, of course it is tough not to be with your family at this time of the year but I have to admit that I also love Christmas over here from a football point of view.

“I like the fact that there is extra football and that people like to go to the games over the holiday period.

“My girlfriend has her family over in Ipswich for Christmas so that’s nice but of course I miss being at home as well.

“We break for three months in Denmark but over here the football is much more important at this time of the year and I’m looking forward to it after I enjoyed it so much last year.

“I don’t think about it too much now and I enjoy the fact that I have about six weeks off in the summer, which isn’t normal in Denmark.

“Players normally have two or three weeks off there. Having the summer off means I can go back to Denmark then and see the family.

“Maybe a week off at Christmas would be nice but I know the English culture is to have extra football at this time of the year and I enjoy the extra atmosphere in the stadiums and how much the fans look forward to these games. That side of the game is very important to me.”

It will be a very different Christmas for Knudsen as he was used to back home. He explained: “Christmas in Denmark was about seeing our families but we also liked to sit down and watch a game from England on television. It is very popular over there.

“In Denmark we celebrate Christmas on the 24th, in the evening, and then on the 25th we would spend time with my dad’s side of the family — a Danish-style lunch and then some board games.

“On the 26th we would go to my mum’s family and my grandma would cook some very old-style food. That was brilliant and then we would all sit down and watch the football from England.”

Photo: TWTD

Keaneish added 06:59 - Dec 23 Well start playing like it then.
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battyblue added 07:10 - Dec 23 Seem to recollect reading this before maybe it is last Christmas revisited....what happened last Christmas and after on the field i believe it was the same as this season so far boring,sh-te as normal.
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hoppy added 07:42 - Dec 23 He could always carry on enjoying having the passion as a watching fan for a bit and let Kenlock have a bit of a run in the side...
5

theipswichman added 09:00 - Dec 23 I do like Knudsen, comes across well in his interviews, but he should not be starting for us if we want to go anywhere. Kenlock looks ready and has time to improve, Knudsen is decent backup though.
5

howdonblue added 09:33 - Dec 23 UTTER pony
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prebsa added 10:34 - Dec 23 If you miss it maybe you could go home? AND STAY THERE!
-6

BlueySwede added 10:35 - Dec 23 Can´t believe some "fans" on here, slating our own players and calling them names. Knudsen has been a little uneven, but he is giving his best and trying to improve.
4

mickeyjb added 11:08 - Dec 23 I like the lad and he is a limited player trying his best. I think he could improve, but the question is do we have the coaching staff to bring this lad on? Probably not
2

BLUEBEAT added 11:28 - Dec 23 He scored against the Budgies to stop the derby rot.
3

Bert added 11:34 - Dec 23 What a load of sad people on here. Contrary to what is often stated, someone at the club does monitor TWTD so little wonder that it ignores the unkind and prejudiced rubbish some speak. Join UKIP and read the Daily Mail if you want to hate whatever is said.
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tractorshark added 11:48 - Dec 23 Knudsen is not Cresswell or Mings but he's one of OUR players and I support him and, as such, want him to do well. Looking at some of the (predictably) moronic comments on here, I'd argue it's not Knudsen who's letting the club down. Some of our fans have a very different definition of the word support to myself.
2

Tractorboy1985 added 13:10 - Dec 23 I tell ya what is sad.. that when somebody states that a player is clearly not good enough for this level he is branded a budgie or not a 'proper fan' .. yes we have been spoilt by our 2 previous left backs and it's unfair to compare them but Knudsen is not good enough and never will be! All this bull sh1t about he's learning.. he's not 18/19.. but whilst Evans continues to shop at Poundland we will never get any true quality on show at PR.. unless it comes from thee academy wish our manager seems to dismiss!

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prebsa added 13:15 - Dec 23 Well put Tractorboy1985! He is obviously not good enough, like chambers all he does is lump it down the line and hope someone is fast enough to run onto it. Far to many errors on his side lead to dangerous crosses in and plenty of goals! An awful right foot and his throws have never worked once!
1

howdonblue added 19:02 - Dec 23 Well said Prebsa But it's only what I said but in more words ! The guy is pony folks like it or not . Play kenlock give the boy more game time
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