Smith: We Need to Emulate Burnley's Consistency
Friday, 25th Apr 2014 13:23

Few people, if any, would surely dispute Tommy Smith’s view that Town have made considerable progress over the past year or more.

The central defender said: “As you know, this time last year it was only in our second to last game that we avoided relegation.

"We were competitive for a lot of different reasons and it’s nice to be looking upwards rather than over your shoulder. Hopefully, we can still push into those play-offs and see what happens from there.”

Smith and his colleagues will need to take maximum points from Saturday’s trip to Burnley if they are going to go into their last game of the season, at home to Sheffield Wednesday, still harbouring hopes of finishing in the coveted play-off places.

There is nothing he would like more than to emulate Burnley’s feat of winning promotion to the Premier League and he added: “I think they’re a very similar team to us, the way they play, because they are based on hard work and endeavour.

“Obviously, we can look up to them because they have been a bit more consistent than us to get to where they are now. We’ve got to aspire to be like that.

“At times throughout the season the character we have shown, even during games, to come back has been really good. Hopefully we can bounce back again on Saturday and get the three points to take it to the last game.

“The characters in the dressing room are all top-notch. There is no one who shirks any responsibility. Everyone will take it upon themselves to try to run that extra yard, or make that extra tackle, to help the team out. No one is playing for himself.”

Burnley boss Sean Dyche has ex-Town first-team coach Tony Loughlan alongside him at Turf Moor and Smith said: “He was Roy Keane’s assistant so I worked with him quite closely. I’m delighted for him getting to where he’s got to now but hopefully we can put a dent in their celebrations on Saturday.”

Town may not have captured many points this season at the expense of the leading Championship sides but Smith believes their performance in losing by the only goal against the Clarets at Portman Road in October could act as an inspiration in Lancashire.

He said: “We matched them almost every step of the way, switched off for one cross and they managed to get a late winner. Hopefully we can go there, do the same and maybe the luck will be on our side this time.

“We have turned in good performances against the sides at the top end of the table but without picking up many points. It was a big test down at Brighton and hopefully that proved a few people wrong, which hopefully we can do again on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, Smith has nominated the title-winning Leicester duo of Jamie Vardy and David Nugent, who has long made a habit of scoring against Town, as the toughest opponents he has faced this season. “They caused us a few problems and they have been on fire most of the season,” he said.

Photo: Action Images

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hampstead_blue added 13:45 - Apr 25 Next year. This season has been an amazing turn around. If they carry-on with this level of development, next year we could be in the top 2.
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Mark added 17:01 - Apr 25

If McCarthy can have another summer of good signings, especially strengthening the midfield by adding some pace and goals, we may make the play offs next season.

We have certainly made good process. Looking at Jewell's last match, of the 14 players who played that day only Cresswell and Chambers remain at the club. We started that match with four short term loan players (Henderson, Higginbotham, Wellens, Campbell) and one short term contract (Reo-Coker).

To build the side he has from that starting position without spending money on transfer fees has been superb.