Ipswich Town's Tommy Smith a cult figure in New Zealand

A COUPLE of days in Amsterdam not only refreshed parts that other cities cannot refresh it also gave time to reflect on Ipswich Town’s current standing.

And the result of the head scratching is that the Blues are heading in the right direction.

Two months ago it was a realistic possibility that Town could follow Norwich City’s path and disappear off the serious football radar.

Having made their worst start to any season we were right to have fears.

But after a run of 14 games with one defeat the outlook is now a great deal brighter.

What Keane will want to ensure happens is that skipper Jon Walters and midfielder Grant Leadbitter stay fit.

Both were absent at Selhurst Park serving one-match bans when the Blues suffered their only recent defeat on Boxing Day – and they were missed.

Anyway, we leap into Saturday’s game against Coventry confident that Ipswich can make it a hat-trick of home wins, and move further up the table.

It will be nice to be spending more of the weekend at home.

After the tedious crawl through London to Selhurst Park on December 26, it was the long haul up to Blackpool for the FA Cup tie against the Tangerines.

Home boss Ian Holloway is always good value and his request to a couple of policeman passing the referee’s dressing room door after the game deserves repeating.

Upset at ending the game with nine men and being sent to the stands, he quipped: “Arrest that man in there for impersonating a referee!”

Holloway hung around in the corridor until the necessary time had elapsed before he could enter and discuss the game with official Eddie Ilderton and the referee’s assessor.

Leicester is a doddle to reach and Her Majesty’s Press Corps (Ipswich branch) did not leave Wilmslow Towers until 11.30am, still being tucked neatly into the stadium-side car park by 1.30pm.

Hot soup in the press room was welcoming but it was still not as cold or raw as Bloomfield Road the previous weekend.

Because so few games were played the national press was well represented, but not one made a move to approach Town boss Roy Keane as he came in among the newsmen to watch live TV coverage on the wall-mounted screen of a Scottish League game in action.

Keane was left unattended as he stood for several minutes while his players were warming up on the pitch.

The previous day had seen a call to reach BBC Radio Suffolk studio a tad earlier because of the weather for Rob Chandler’s popular Saturday lunchtime show.

It is always enjoyable to join in with avid Town fan Rob and Town legend Kevin Beattie.

My eldest son Daniel has returned to New Zealand after a month with a Tommy Smith Town shirt packed safely in his case.

Smith is set to become the biggest name in New Zealand football, and head of PE Daniel will steala march on his pupils when he takes lessons in his Town kit and Smith 35 on his back. He also took back several signed Tommy Smith photos – should be worth a small fortune.

posted on 14 January 2010 15:57 byElvin King