Former Town defender Tommy Smith is off to his second World Cup, 16 years after the first.

Smith has been named in the New Zealand squad for this summer’s finals in the US, Mexico and Canada.

The 36-year-old, who spent this season with Braintree in the National League, was in the All Whites squad for the finals in South Africa in 2010 having switched his allegiance from England, who he had represented at U17 and U18 levels, TWTD’s Dan Thomas redesigning the Blues badge in his honour ahead of the finals.

Smith, who qualifies for New Zealand having grown up there between the ages of eight and 16, played every minute of the All Whites group games as they drew all three of their matches, picking up their first points at a finals and remaining unbeaten.

Since then, he has taken his caps tally on to 56, scoring twice, and also featuring at the 2012 Olympics in an U23s side.

His close friend and one-time Town loanee Chris Wood is also in the squad for this summer’s tournament and has been named skipper.

“Being named in the New Zealand Football squad for the FIFA World Cup is an incredibly proud moment for me and my family,” Smith said.

“Representing New Zealand means a huge amount and to have the chance to do it on the biggest stage in world football is something I will never take for granted.

“There have been a lot of years, a lot of lessons and a lot of people who have helped me along the way. I’m grateful to my family, teammates, coaches, clubs, and everyone who has supported me throughout my career.

“Now the focus is simple: prepare properly, give everything I have, and do my best to help the team. Proud, grateful and ready.”

The All Whites are in Group G alongside Iran, Egypt and Belgium. They open the tournament against the Iranians in the early hours of Tuesday 16th June, face the Egyptians on the following Monday and then taken on the Belgians on Saturday 27th June.

The central defender joined Town as an academy scholar in 2007 and spent 11 years at the club making 250 starts and 17 sub appearances - more than any other academy graduate - scoring 23 goals.

Since his time at Town, Smith has been with Colorado Rapids, Sunderland, where he spent time without making an appearance, Colchester, where he had previously been on loan while with the Blues, the MK Dons, Macarthur FC and Auckland before joining the Iron last summer.

In addition to his first stint with the U’s, the Macclesfield-born defender also had loan spells at Stevenage and Brentford while at Town.

Smith is one of 10 players to have featured at previous World Cups while with Town: Mick Mills, Paul Mariner, Terry Butcher (all England), John Wark, Alan Brazil (Scotland), Bontcho Guentchev (Bulgaria), Matt Holland (Republic of Ireland), Amir Karic (Slovenia), Smith (New Zealand) and Jonas Knudsen (Denmark).

John Elsworthy (Wales), George Burley (Scotland) and Bartosz Bialkowski (Poland) have been in squads for finals without playing, and in Elsworthy’s case in 1958 without travelling.

It seems likely that Town could have two current players at this summer’s finals with Ali Al-Hamadi and George Hirst expected to be named in the Iraq and Scotland squads.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters