Tommy Smith, New Zealand international and former Ipswich Town regular, has left Sunderland after his short-term contract expired, without having made an appearance for the Black Cats.
Thomas Jefferson Smith, now finds himself, at 30 years old, without a club, in a period where football’s future is in the balance, let alone his own career. Although there will be no shortage of suitors, the financial packages on offer will be greatly reduced, thanks in part to the pandemic, but also Smith not having played competitively since 2019 and of course in a league not well respected by the mainstream footballing nations.
Smith racked up 247 appearances for Ipswich before his American adventure, where his 60 matches brought seven goals, and a flirtation with captaincy. Although the MLS is not regarded as a hot-bed of talent, the clubs operating on the draft system also complicating contractual matters for top foreign stars.
Smith will look a good option for many Championship and League One clubs when the game does return. As the transfer market is likely to depend on no-fee moves, Tommy could be in a strong negotiating position.
A move back to the MLS or indeed anywhere in the world is not out of the question, although Tommy’s wife is a Suffolk girl, and family often influences these big decisions.
