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Smith Training at Playford Road - But Only to Stay Fit
Saturday, 2nd Nov 2019 20:09

Former Town defender Tommy Smith has revealed he has been back training at Playford Road this week, however not with a view to rejoining the Blues.

Smith, 29, has just completed his second season with MLS side the Colorado Rapids and is currently back in Suffolk visiting family and friends.

And with international fixtures with New Zealand coming up later this month, Smith has returned to the Blues’ training ground to get himself in shape.

“We’ve got games against Mick [McCarthy]’s Ireland and Lithuania, friendlies, so I’m looking forward to getting back into that because there haven’t been games for a long while now,” Smith told this lunchtime’s Life’s a Pitch on BBC Radio Suffolk.

“That’s the reason I’ve been training with the U23s, just ticking over ready for these international games.

“Gerard Nash and Chris Hogg down there, they’ve been kind enough to let me come in and obviously I can impart some of my experience on to the youngsters coming through the club at the moment.”

Smith, who spoke at length about his time at Portman Road over the course of the show, says he’d love to come back to Town one day but his immediate future lies at Colorado, who he joined from the Blues in January 2018.

“Of course, everybody knows the love I’ve got for the club and hopefully it can be a reality in some sort of capacity,” he added.

“At some stage it would be great to come and play for Ipswich Town, whether or not that’s possible, who knows?

“Contract negotiations are underway with Colorado and it looks likely that that will be get done, which is great for me personally.

“But at some stage myself and my wife are looking to come back to England to settle. Whether that’s at the end of this next contract or another time, who knows?”

Smith says the season with the Rapids started slowly but in the end they came close to a successful conclusion.

“It was up and down,” he reflected. “We started really poorly, we didn’t win for the first 11 games but in the second half of the season we really kicked on and were in with a shout of making the play-offs on the last day of the season but had to rely on other results going our way and it didn’t happen for us.

“I’ve been there two seasons now, I’m really enjoying it. The lifestyle’s fantastic. The level of the league’s improving year on year, more and more players are going there in their prime rather than using it as a retirement home.

"It’s great to be a part of and hopefully I can stay there for a couple more years.”


Photos: Action Images/Mark Murphy



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Vancouver_Blue added 20:13 - Nov 2
Should never have left imo
9

Suffolkboy added 20:31 - Nov 2
Like many of ITFC supporters we've watched TS since he first appeared in his teens ,and again like many were sad to see him leave ,not knowing then or now how and why it came about ,as we were not exactly overloaded with the sort of enthusiasm and commitment he brought .
We asked ourselves whether there were fitness issues, or technical deficiencies we'd not spotted ,but his presence here is good to see !
COYB
7

herfie added 20:46 - Nov 2
Good to hear him earlier today. Intelligent, thoughtful, honest and articulate. Would seem to have potential managerial qualities; although possibly a tad too nice! Time will tell.

Probably wrong, but I detected a clear ‘bring me back home' message in much of what he implied. If that were to happen, I wouldn't object!
7

Hegansheroes added 20:47 - Nov 2
He was our best central defender when sold. A natural ral left footer who could score a few. I suspect it was MM who for some reason didn't like him. We all know what damage he did the club in general. 9
5

ArnieM added 21:57 - Nov 2
herfie as much as a lot of Town fans would like him back but I'm not sure he'd cope with the volume of games in League One now.

If you listened to his interview he states that the big positive for him now is the reduced number of games he played and that his body had been able to recover from the numerous injuries he'd begun to pick up. Having been out of this level of football for the period that he has I doubt he could just pick it up again and run with it. Further injuries would occur. Having said that , his brand of football would be ideal for League One.
0

Skip73 added 22:03 - Nov 2
Football aside, I know where I'd rather be....
2

itfchorry added 01:16 - Nov 3
Number one is Tommy Smith
Number Two is Tommy Smith.......
0

rgp1 added 01:52 - Nov 3
Phil can you remind BBC radio suffolk it is not acceptable to use microphones that have yellow and green on them?
7

Cakeman added 06:51 - Nov 3
Good to hear that Tommy has done well since he left us. Clearly still has the club at heart and as others have said would do a good job for us even now.
Was never the most natural of talents and there was always a mistake waiting to happen but he fought hard to do his very best for us.
Wish him the very best wherever his path takes him.
7

ArnieM added 08:58 - Nov 3
Hear hear Cakeman 😁👍
2

BlueySwede added 13:41 - Nov 3
Didn´t get the recognition and praise he deserved from some fans (and managers). Good player that always did his best. For me his best moment was the goal vs Norwich at Carrow Road.
4

ESSEX75 added 14:59 - Nov 3
Hegansheroes Re damage mm did to the club? we wouldn't of been in the self inflicted position we are now.Because a small section of fans that disliked MM from the minute he was appointed, induced dislike of him that snowballed via social media, until then the club had been overachieving given the restricted budget worked on.
Yes the football was one dimensional at times but effective, yes the football this season is more entertaining take this crop of players into the championship and we will struggle.
-1

Surco72 added 17:37 - Nov 3
Smith should never have been let go , was always played on wrong side and is still better than most of the centre backs we have currently playing and at 29 has a number of years ahead of him .
Essex75... do you not think the limited one dimensional football MM plays is why all teams fail after a few years under MM 's control and then fail dramatically when he finally leaves as they cannot adapt ? I see Ireland supporters are already complaining about the negative old fashioned football . Ipswich will return this season to the championship with confidence a bigger support through the gates and moving in the right direction , teams on the up have a lot better chance of promotion than teams surviving doing the same thing year in year out ?
1

coolcat added 21:27 - Nov 3
Should never have left, imho. Nice to see he visits and keeps in touch with his first club. IronicallyI live near Charlton & was there today in the nearby retail park. Charlton was where I saw my first home game 30/11/13 where Tommy Smith scored the winning goal (the only goal of the game!).
1

coolcat added 21:31 - Nov 3
Sorry. Amendment to the above should read *away* game.
0

Linkboy13 added 10:20 - Nov 4
Once met Tommy down at the training ground with my disabled friend very nice guy chatted to us for a good ten minutes. I think it's easy to get over sentimental in these situations and players that come back rarely perform like they did in the past .would like to see him involved in the club in some sort of role but not as a player.
1

BullardsMagicMullet added 10:43 - Nov 4
Get in early ME and PL and make him a decent offer, or a straight swap with big Toto!
0


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