Life’s A Pitch TV Episode 27 – Tommy Miller

This week our very special guest is Tommy Miller, he joins Mark Murphy, Terry Butcher, Russell Osman and Phil Ham for this 27th episode of LAP TV.

We would like to thank our Main Sponsor DPS Tech, our Associated Sponsors, All About Hearing, Ginger Pickle, Fore Wood Floors, Hudson Group, Venue 16, John Keeble Cars (Bramford), Ashford Wright Ltd, and our Production Sponsors who are Come Hither Design, Jon Parker of Venue 16 and Richard Garrett of Sound 4 Pro Audio.

[Applause] [Applause] You [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] thank you very much our near capacity crowd this evening thank you very much and welcome welcome along to this week’s edition of life to pitch TV I’m Mark Murphy uh I’ll introduce you to the team in a moment or two but let’s just say a

Big thank you to those who make the show happen our sponsors our main sponsor is DPS Tech a massive thank you also to our other sponsors for making the show happen all about hearing marketing company Ginger pickle forward floors Ashford Wright come here the design the

Hudson group sound 4 Pro Audio venue 16 Fred Olsson Logistics John keable car in bramford and they’re in tonight the do IP switch and also a big thank you to DPS tech for sponsoring our wonderful sofa let me introduce to the team now it’s Terry butcher it’s Russell

Osman and from tww td.co it’s Phil ham over there we have Richard and John on technicals Leslie’s our for man flaw manager and you are our near capacity crowd tonight you’re going to have to work hard to get the old sound levels going this evening uh so lots coming up

On the program we’ll chat to Tommy Miller a little bit later on in the program but before that we have to take a look and see what happened at the weekend Butch don’t we you were covering this don’t keep staring at me I wasn’t playing um you were covering it for five

Live weren’t you how did that go how do you think it went for going to say I was murder but you got to be neutral BBC got to be neutral and I tried to be as neutral as I could yeah I was very angry to be honest

But there we are you know it’s it’s one of those freak games you you commentate on and it happens to be your team that gets that gets beaten but aliser Bruce Ball as well he’s a he’s a big I fan and it’s been a long time since he’s

Actually commentated on a game at Portman Road and he says I have to pick this one but there we go that’s not what you said when I saw you straight after the match Terry no I’ve calmed down a lot since then R and so have you as well we weren we

Weren happy now yeah well you imagine being on the PA at the end trying to say good night to everybody I was very subdued thanks for coming see you in a couple of weeks yeah well what else can you say no not a lot really um we’ll

Talk about that right now it is time to take a look at the season so far sponsored by the dove in Ipswitch now if you’re watching the show last week you’ll know that we spoke to to Sam bone who’s one of the maen players and I think it’s fair to say he came in for a fair amount of stick we had score predictions like 6 nil um you

Know enjoy the day you know it’s a nice day out for the family uh we couldn’t have been Rudder to him really could we if we’re quite honest about it looking back um we thought we’d better get him back and eat a bit of Humble Pie and say

Well done and give credit to maon Sam bone everybody Sam hi right guys you okay thanks for having me back on well we we felt so guilty about the stick we gave you last week we thought we better get you on to say Well done what a day for you though what an

Incredible day out like I’ve had I’ve had about half an hour to think of what to say and I still can’t find any words to be honest guys um just just incredible like uh we were like literally it’s funny I said it to the boys uh last week when we went out

Celebra and I said Barrow we’ve got a good chance stepen is we have half a chance it Swit I’m just we’re going to enjoy the day going to enjoy the occasion we’ve only bloody gun on one so uh as you can imagine I’m on Cloud9 I’m on top of the

World as of the players and uh we’re just trying to embrace every single moment of this you know well it was on Twitter the other day that someone said is this ipswitch town’s worst ever defeat and then former 10 goalkeeper Craig Forest who let nine in at

Manchester United said of course it is uh I mean it’s it’s up there done the same yeah it’s up there in Cup history but you were saying earlier on this is one that’s going to get you know rolled out year after year now isn’t it yeah I

Mean you you losing the cup anybody can you know lose in the cup you know we’ve seen that with all the top teams as well but you know at home you know against a Seventh Place team um seven you know divisions below or whatever and and you

Sort of feel well you know it’s we’re going to go through Sam did you ever feel at any stage that there was a a touch of arrogance coming from ipswitch in in the buildup to the games and all that sort of thing no no not at all um I

Think there were 10 changes made to the uh to the lineup to um to the Leicester game but never did I never did I think in during the game you know there’s a there’s a touch of arrogance or you know I always felt like they they were just

So good they were just so good and yeah like I said said there was there was never a part of me that went are they’re having themselves here or they think they can just go through the motions uh it was fully professional and look we we caught you guys on on two

Counters um and you had about I think it was 38 shots in total so it’s just luck uh I think you hit the bar and hit the post in the first five minutes or something so it is just luck but then we created that luck because we we stayed

In the game we were resilient and like I said we managed to get two OPP unities and and thankfully to the boys they they took him away you know Sam it looked like halfway through the first half you were blowing a bit is it fair to say no no no it wasn’t

Through the first the the the half during the half it was within the first two minutes well we to say that I I think I I said to myself 10 minutes in I said this isn’t enjoyable I’m not I’m not even enjoying this anymore but yeah look we we managed to

To stay resilient and uh we we caught you on the counter which was which was amazing did you did you think because Town hadn’t scored in all that pressure that they had um early on did you did you gain confidence on that Did you sort of think well you know we’ve done well

Together 20 25 minutes you know let’s let’s see what you know the rest of the half brings did that give you confidence no nibs hadn’t scored uh no uh no literally um to be fair in the first 20 minutes you’re you’re saying to yourself bloody like how do we even get

Out of our own half here and it just so happened that we managed to to catch you on the counter um I’d be lying if I said look we’ve got half a chance here I really it was just horrible to play and it genuinely was the first half it was just it was

Horrible because they installed fear so whenever we felt like we could press we were like well actually we don’t want to press cuz they’re just going to beat the press and and and break the lines you know um and then if you got too tight they’ just play it around you if you

Didn’t get tight enough they’d play like a worldy pass or play it through the lines so it was so difficult and sorry someone just falling over in the kitchen it was so difficult and and and thankfully like I said we I think it came from a corner the first goal and a

Great ball from Liam so he puts Lamar Reynolds through and I’ve actually never seen him score a goal like that before normally you see people saying oh I’ve seen him in training many of times but in the in the nicest way possible that’s

Not the case so he came up with a bit of magic and then Sam K doeses what he always does um and you know he really he took it upon himself to to make himself the hero he breaks I thought I was going to swear them but he he Buffs a gut to

Get forward and uh yeah the rest is history managed to find the bottom corner the when the whistle went that must have been some feeling po I tell you what the last 10 minutes of that game was probably the worst 10 minutes of my life that was just it was horrible

Cuz it was just wave and wave after attack wave after attack and it got to like the last three minutes of the game and you’re going oh my God please hang out boys and yeah as you can imagine when the final whistle went it was just

Crazy scenes to you know ran on the pitch saw you know all the players I managed to find my family in the crowd I don’t know if you’ve seen the video but my man my family managed to catch a video of my granddad celebrating he come

Over to surprise me so it was just uh it was just incredible to have that moment with them and then I went back after to see them when we when we arrived back into Mesa and they were all so happy so yeah without a doubt the the best moment

Of my career and uh one that I’m really trying to embrace it’s nice now that we have the the next round in I think it’s like three or four weeks so it gives me a bit of time to enjoy the moment you know so I’m going to take a bit of

Credit because George F was in my ipst toown under 18 Academy team so is that right yeah there you go what he’s not told you no he hasn’t he hasn’t mentioned it right well you rub his nose in it then I’ll mention it to him tomorrow don’t you worry I told him

Everything he knows and at the end I tell you what youve taught him well as well because he’s a very good player consistent I call him outstanding he was he was good yeah he was brilliant and at the end you you got the Connor chaplain shirt is that

Right yes yeah I did um p the luo came into the changer room to wish us well and that was I don’t want to sound patronizing but that was so classy from them you know to to come in and I’m s going oh my God it’s Chaplain and a few

Of the boys had um I think one of them got sento’s top and all and I was the only one without a top and I’m going do I ask him or do I not and yeah I asked him and he went and got it for me but

That was really close with them to come in and and wish us well you know but but you know it’s not going to fit you it’s too small you no it is a it is literally a size was small so I’m going to I’m going to hang it off in my room that’s

Right and you offered him his shirt your shirt didn’t you no no chance no no um I think I think Matt Keane actually he put that on Facebook but uh no that wasn’t the case that’s something that I’m going to I’m going to try and get both of them

Sort of framed together with like a nice picture um and my auntie gave me her match day ticket as well so I’m going to get like a nice photo frame with the with the B tops in you know and how was the manager he he was dancing r roow

Before the game during during the game and after the game yeah like as well he’s he’s Chu a block at the minute with all these these interviews with BBC ESPN so the only real time it’s funny because the only real time I’ve got to see him is

Obviously we were in Tuesday and we were in today but I couldn’t speak to him on Tuesday because I was still speechless so I just let him get on with his team talk and that was it we just hugged each other embraced each other and that was

It but he’s over the moon and as are we and it’s just such a special moment for everyone you know well the fans were tremendous weren’t they I mean you know take our blue tinted glasses off your fans were amazing for the neutral for your supporters it was just the best

Best day for us it’s one that we’re going to have reminded of every year now forever uh the cup upset of all cup upsets it’s going to come back to haunt us I Butch for a long while isn’t it this one yeah it is but I mean speaking

To Sam before then after the game I think was was was really nice and you can see that he’s he’s rounded he’s down to earth he’s very very dignified in what he what he says um and he played very well and they they deserve to be

They deserve to be through they hung on and they hung on but they stuck together as a team and then when they had the chances they took them we didn’t do that look Sam pass on our best wishes to the team uh will follow you as you progress

Through the rounds now and head to embley thank you so much for having me on again thank you really good to talk to you s Bone everybody thank you Sam all the best fantastic uh it’s good lad isn’t he good lad he was a good lad but there was

Several players as you say that were puffing quite a bit before the end of the game and but they’re given everything for for the cause and I think when you look at um ourlads ourlads you know they tried the hardest there’s no doubt about that it wasn’t a barrow

Performance it wasn’t a a Lincoln performance in terms of quality it’s just the quality was missing when it came down to to putting the chances away and that we talked about that before in earlier programs about players not having the match sharpness and the match Fitness particularly when you get into

Situations like they had here toown you’ve got to put the chances away we we’ve we’ve touched on that all season about being ruthless um and the more ruthless teams um they win well it was a little frustrating you know the woodwork um you know didn’t us early on didn’t it

Phil it did it did I mean there were yeah so many chances there keeper made a number of saves um opportun o opportunities were spurned I think that’s with within the the game should have been over in the first 10 15 minutes shouldn’t it really the number

Of chances we had could have been it could have been the other thing course from you your you Lads it’s uh shury has now dropped down the list of Town’s worst cup shocks isn’t it I reckon after that oh dear I’m getting a stare what

Stare I I can’t what do you drag up I think that’s the first time we’ve had a double stare in the whole show what league were they in not that low not that L by any imagination sort same league we were in last year it’s a it’s officially a Of

Dishonor yeah should we move on I just want to know if it was Sam’s Granddad who rolled out the stand I’ve been celebrating a bit early then yeah that was some celebration it really was wasn’t it um look we’ve got lots to talk about tonight we’ve got U

Plenty to uh to squeeze in before we finish the show uh don’t forget if you are watching on YouTube please like And subscribe to the channel subscribing doesn’t cost you anything just means you get a notification Bell when the latest episode is out the likes help us as well

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Www.lives of pitch. TV for more um do we uh do we want another guest on the show are are we ready for another guest on the show a big shout out please it’s Tommy Miller Tom Tommy good evening love all right how you doing hello Tommy good to

Have you on the show what do you think of that match of the weekend then the out of the FA Cup incredible wasn’t it um I was watching it on the Telly and I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing you know the Miss chances and just didn’t

Wouldn’t go in for rip switch and then fair play the m and you know they they took the goals really well the first one was was superb and uh that is as we were saying a big defeat for town the worry is that possibly could have some impact mentally

On the players do you think Tommy or not or can they brush that aside well I think they’ve got to get over quickly yes it’s a shock um it’s an upset but they couldn’t have done any more apart from obviously putting the ball in the in the net a few more times

You know the the amount of chances they had and it was one of them days where the the ball just wouldn’t go in um from all the shots and the keepers making saves and you know Madeon have two shots on Target and score two goals it was

Absolute Smash and grab and they have to move on quickly and refocus and get back on to on track with the league how do they do that Butch Russ you’ve both been managers how how how does Kieran kind of get this out of their brains just get drunk I that’s what

We sort of work for us of it yeah and then play forget all about it by Sunday night don’t it yeah you do yeah yeah yeah still in the bar it’s quite nice yeah that’s fair enough I think it’s handy if you got a midweek game that comes along

Quickly but yeah Town haven’t had that this week haven’t had that luxury so they’ve had a in a way suffer a little bit longer um yeah and then they got the long journey up to Preston this weekend you know a a tough game and they’ll be

Glad to get back out on the pitch together um again it’ll be a different starting lineup but um they’ll all be sort of pulling in the same direction you know because course the ones that didn’t play are still tainted with the the memories of last weekend as as much as the The Lads

That actually did play I think he stand I he stand at the manager as well the manager is you know he’s a sort of manager we’ve seen this over the over the the few years he’s been here but he he always looks at reactions from

Players if you have a bad defeat or a defeat you want a reaction how what are you going to be like in the next game and he’s immediately looking forward to the next game and this week couldn’t as Russ says this week couldn’t come quick

Enough for them to get you know pull the boots back on get out there and erase it by by playing games and winning games now because there’s only one thing to focus on Tommy you’ve seen town a few times this season what are your thoughts on it’s an incredible season isn’t

It unbelievable you know they’ve did brilliant um credit to the manager you know that the players they’ve they’ve brought in as well um obviously HST a big Miss they ideally if they can get another forward in I know they’ve gotting a l in from Wimbledon um but I

Think they they be trying to get another one in they’re just lacking a little bit of by pal now HST injured uh but they play great football you know they’ve scored some fantastic team goals this season and um I don’t think anyone thought they would be up there uh maybe

He’s pushing towards playoffs but to be in the top two three you know it’s it’s been a fantastic season so far do you think they’ve got enough about them to stay there lots of people are looking at the other clubs around them um and and really sort of dismissing us but you

Know I’ve said I’m AF afid top two All Season everybody haven’t I uh so I’m one that predicted at the start but have they got enough about them Tommy yeah I think so you know we we in February now um you know if it was Christmas time and they started losing a

Few and you might they might drop away but I think they’ve got enough you know I think c will keep them motivated he’ll keep them focused um obviously keep them working hard they’ll stick to the game plans what they they have for certain games and I’m sure they can be they can

Stay in there you know lead Southampton they’re all pushing hard uh soip have got to maintain their form and and stay high we spoke boys didn’t we to Connor chaplain the first show we ever did and and we reflected back on last season and

We said there was a bit of a wobble um when we weren’t winning and Connor pointed out that well we weren’t winning but we weren’t losing either we were drawing lots of games they weren’t particularly worried can you see some parallels with that

Now it can do a little bit I think we do have to keep an eye on the teams just behind is Southampton obviously in leads and what we’ve got to do is just match all better their results week in week out those are the teams we’ve got to

Concentrate on and we’ve just got to be better than them I don’t know what the Runnings like if you can compare our run to what Southampton and leads they’ve got and our leads are bristle City uh tomorrow night so I spoke to Le Manning earlier today and they’ve had a busy

Time with all the replays they’ve had um so maybe they can do as a favor and take three points off leads which would be uh God send if they can I think at this St last year we went out of the cup to Burnley and we never lost a game in the

League to the end of the SE no at the end of the season and well into this season so they recovered really well and that’s the key that you have to do that and I think we could do with someone like Tommy Miller just bursting through Midfield and slotting the ball in the

Back of the net I watched a lot of your goals Tommy on on YouTube and I thought I was seeing this I thought I was see seeing the same goal every time it was like it was like it was like there was a there a lot of similar on was like balls

Cut back Tommy M bang goal bang goal bang go but you you you like you’re very much like walking Johnny walk you don’t smash the ball in the back of then or you have a a strong shot you passed it into the back of the net it was it was

Quite uncanny really left foot and right foot I think even aheer even aheer bit of a hard side foot yeah I used to just try and place them and get get me power that way but yeah you mentioned John Walker what a fantastic player he was and a

Goal scorer wasn’t he I mean he he robbed in the Box tremendous you know so did so did you as well don’t knock your down you you timed it really well than thanks you’re a penalty King as well though Tommy yeah yeah I took the penalties as well

Yeah um and was quite fortunate not to not to miss many I missed a few towards the end of my career uh but I had I had a good record um up until the last few years uh before I finished did you did your run-ups get a bit shorter the

Roller you’ve got was that right um no not really I think the keepers just sort of did more homework I think as the as the game sort of went on you know the goalkeeper coaches were studying where players were taking penalties a lot more they were doing the

Research and I think if they’d watched me a lot of the time I went to the same side the goalkeepers left H but I knew if I hit it right and got enough power on and obviously the accuracy that they wouldn’t get there but like I said towards the end

Keepers were sort of gambling and going that side and they were just maybe getting there and I missed a couple I think the only one you missed for town was again was it against forest and the referee made made um allowed you to retake it it was it was got lucky I

Think he said the goalkeeper moved off his line early and got lucky and then I took the took the retake and managed to to score it here I Shan mention Wembley with Huddersfield because I was there don’t miss yeah yeah that was one of the few I missed wasn’t that wasn’t

But that was that was sort of foed upon you wasn’t it you suddenly realized you were taking the first penalty or something wasn’t it yeah I mean I was always confident and I would have took the first pen what after extra time it was a red hot de and I was desperate for

The toilet if I’m honest I’ve ran into the toilet come back out and Jordan RH sort of just chucked me the ball and he went right you’re up I all right look here so it’s a long walk um and I was confident but I didn’t hit it great and

Simonson got down left and saved it and we missed our first three that day uh me Alan Lee obviously exip switch H Damien Johnson but luckily for us Sheffield United missed theirs as well so were were you all desperate for we were you all desperate for

Wii probably probably um but but if the goalkeeper had scored it was going to come back to me again so you can imagine what I was what I was feeling inside uh but for fortunately Simonson put it over the bar and rest his history of this

Year let’s take you back to your uh your town days when you were with us take us back tell us how you arrived at Town what was what was the conversation you had yeah well obviously I was there as a school boy I think um it’s been quite

Well known uh got released just before I was 16 and then end up going to me do me white yes at Harley pool and then me professional and then I switch came in for me um George Bley so I I had a phone call from from the heartley for man just

And they’d agreed a with iwit um crew at the time in centry and and I had permission to go and speak to all three clubs and obviously I was drawn to war zip switch they were they were in the Premier League at the time they were playing European football um it was

Going to be a massive jump for me obviously coming from harle pill but I knew the area from when I was there as a kid and I knew the club a little bit and it’s such a family Club such a warm club and my mind was made up straight away

Where I was going and um it was a good learning experi experien for me the first season got in towards the end but the the team struggled there was some good nights in Europe uh but I knew obiously the team getting relegated and going into the championship it was sort

Of going to be my my chance to shine really and my opportunity you know I was a bit naive to maybe think I would go from the the old fourth division which is now division three um or League two sorry uh to the Premier League and go

Straight into the team and so the championship was was going to be my opportunity and I managed to do all right and get a few goals along the way it was a it was a an interesting time to to be at the club wasn’t it lots of uh

Players around you there who who are you looking at for inspiration and influence uh well Jim jilton I learned a lot from Jim obviously I think um he’s a good friend of mine as well but just the way he sort of conducted himself on the field you know he just he just wanted

The ball all the time you know demanded high expectations high standards um so I look looked up to him H he’d obviously fall out if he didn’t pass him the ball so he was very argumentative really surpris exactly exactly H Matty Holland obviously as well you know the skipper

Good leader and good around the changing room and then have the older ones Mark Venus and and Tony MRE who were coming towards the end of their careers you know offering advice and you know good role models and good leaders on the pitch and off the pitch and a manager of

Course it was Joe Royal he did a fantastic job didn’t he yeah and when Joe came in he he sort of gave me a license just to get forward you know and get in the box and you know I had good players around me which

Allowed me to do that as well you know I I didn’t really have to do as much defensive work as a Jim or a Kevin Hallock or a matty Holland and all them types of players and that allow me to to flourish really and get to the strengths

Of my game which was getting forward and trying to score goals and celebrating goals that was another strength strength of your career wasn’t it at some very memorable goal celebrations yeah I look back now a bit stupid but you when you’re young you are a bit stupid aren’t you but we just

Different sports what we used to do along the way there was a tennis one there was a a golf one there was you know what sorry I remember the snooker one was you you and shefy used to play one yeah the snooker one the corner flag

Out there you get you get a booten for that now H but yeah just a bit of fun and I think that sort of the team we had then I think it was you know it was a great typ a great team to play you know we all got on well it

Was a good team spirit um and I think we were just free Flor we especially under joro we just attacked you know if it was meain in winning games 54 then so be it and we were all out attack and it was a shame that we couldn’t get over the line

You know and then then two years where we we failed in the playoffs and uh real disappointment and it’s sort of still bugs me to this deer well it was so close wasn’t it I’m just going to ask the boys what were your golf celebrations like did you have a golf

Swing or a snooker queue or anything when you celebrating your goals uh we went wild right we we shook hands and ran back to the to the center circle back that was the limit of our celebrations well well played well played shake hands and enough we go

That’s about it was it thank you I was nobody jumped on my shoulders it was quite a way up to be honest you can’t jump on Eric Gates’s you’ll kill him so bless him yeah too far to run as well sometimes somebody else who scored say Brazil scored we

Didn’t bother Co you got to run all the way up there just to say Well done yeah well done L you know we wait for you when we scored we used to have a little chat and things like that and walk back ourselves on wait for them on the

Halfway for them and well played and that was it you let’s let’s go again right well it clearly worked for you didn’t it so yeah yeah it was a bit underwhelming that question ask yeah that’s some Terri terrific front players in that team weren’t there Pablo I think you had quite a good

Relationship with Pablo um on the pitch didn’t you and shefi and Darren bent yeah I mean three good forwards you know um all with different qualities you know Pablo was exceptional um back to go so strong and and every time I sort of got the ball I didn’t have to look I

Knew where he was and play little balls around the corner and I’d get it back and he he was technically excellent and then you had benty who would catch pigeons you know anything in behind he would he would Chase and and get on the balls over the channels and and he he

Was clever you know with his movement and obviously a fantastic goal scorer um and went into to bigger and better things and then you had shefy who was just a man Mountain you know just all power strength um and you know he thre on goal and he he just whacked as hard

As he could you know there wasn’t really any finesse but again did very well for RI Swit and scored a lots of goals had the ultimate goal celebration didn’t he really the shefy dive which was incredible that was just crazy wasn’t it you get on about celebrations and he’s

Sort of flying himself into the air and Landing from what I don’t know 12 foot high you know on his chest or obiously putting his hands down to sort of stuffen the blow but it was it was ridiculous was he was he was he mad

Anyway yeah he was a bit crazy yeah bit crazy but on the field you know off the field nice lad you know get home with anyone you know friendly giant really you know he wouldn’t hurt a fly but on the field he was you know he sort of

Chained and turned and he’d give everything for the cause you know just a grafter as well he never stopped running one game he’s he’s clearing the the corner know Corner comes in he’s at the near post he’s clearing it he’s getting on the end of his his own clearances he

Was just a he was a machine well there you go what what was your highlight Tommy of your time at town if you had to to pick a moment is there a moment um I think scoring at anfield you know as a as a young kid growing up um

Watching Liverpool and sort of having that little feeling for them when I was younger and sort of Beesley and Ian rush you know and going against Liverpool at the at anfield at the Cup end was was a special moment um and there was a lot you know

Scoring every goal I scored you know obviously enjoyed it and you know by the celebrations and the European night you know Road was special all be at the opposition who we played against weren’t great H but you have to bait them and I scored a couple of goals on on one of

The night and it just felt special them nights felt special under the light you know Full House um so yeah there was there was some good times but like I touched on earlier the playoff disappointment you know two years on the bounce was was a major really rankles

Doesn’t it can see it in your eyes there and the way you talk your demeanor that that that really rankles doesn’t it that you didn’t get through those playoffs yeah and I think if you speak to well all the lads really I think they they still sort of disappointed by it you

Know people say move on and you do move on but in the back of your mind it’s we should have been up you know we were we were cruising really H and I think chefi got injured and missed a couple of games we played Watford and C we are thinking

Quick succession two home games and we missed chesy in them games and I think we only picked up one point out of six and Wigan and Sunland were sort of in there as well and they were picking up the Pierce and we just faulted at the

Last hurdle really which was a a big disappointment you mentioned Jim earlier on Jim M jilon uh any moments you can uh share with us about uh Jim and his playing days there with you well I think he had a few when he was manager few altercations um in the

Changing rooms um again not like Jim but um no I think as a player he he had lots of arguments as well you know and and he always won believe it or not he he was always right and but just so passionate that was him you know he just had a real

Desire to win and um Irishman you know a bit of fire in his belly and he wouldn’t H off for an answer and like I said earlier he was he was always right so of course you at the end of that season um it was I mean ironically

I think it was Paul Jules Wigan and Mick McCarthy Sunland who went up instead of us um and it was you went you went to didn’t you after that I did and like I just I think a little bit of regret as well I’d like to

Have done it with if switch and got promoted because I think Joe Roy was a fantastic manager fantastic man manager and he got the best out of me and I was really enjoying me football um so for me to leave it would have to take something special I had many conversations with Jo

Leading up to the end of the season he just said listen there’s there’s going to be a contract there but we don’t know what we’re going to offer there’s talk of new owners coming in and all that sort of stuff um so I can’t really give

You a decision in terms of what we can offer and in the background I’m I’m obviously doing all right and scoring goals and S they on to me agency and they’d be interested in doing something leads as well and it was going to get me back North and back home and sunland’s

Me Hometown club and that’s probably the only Club I would have would have left for you know I was out the contract nothing got started with it switch and we failed in the play failed in the playoffs Sunland went up it was an opportunity to to play Premier League

Football and to be closer the home well to be home was he was he was he your was he your best manager you played under Joe R because you played under a few people like George your Mick McCarthy Roy keing Jim M jilton Paulo Deano as well yeah I mean again all different

Managers and you touch on danan absolute Maverick and absolutely crazy but I love playing for him you know as a coach he was excellent Deano and he he doesn’t probably doesn’t get enough credit for his coaching typical Italian his mentality was fantastic um but obviously his man

Management was what what let him down but going back to other managers Joe Roy was yeah he got the best out of me and I was playing in a team what um I really enjoyed um and I think you look back and that was probably me my best time in my career

It was a time at the club where the club had very little money wasn’t it I think Alan Ferguson the groundsman at the time was buying the petrol for the lawnmower um I it was it was quite a tough time financially I it’s a shame we didn’t

Have a bit more money for Joe um he could have INSP invested that wisely and perhaps that could have brought the promotion maybe definitely and I think you look at the the managers after jaw and um and after Jim uh even you know Roy Keane for

Example came in and and spent a lot of money um a lot of money and didn’t quite get them there did he uh so it would have been nice if Joor and Jim had been given some funds to to improve the squad but I think with Jory he worked really

Well with the players and I think Willie Don deserves to mention as well because Joe was quite laid back and in quite a bubbly character whereas Willie was completely the opposite dead serious and you know dead straight with you and it worked well they were a good partnership

They work really well Joe would drive around on the golf boogy whereas Willie was a more of a Hands-On coach and Joe would sort of get off the golf boogy and and and sort of give his input and and he would get back on the golf boogy and

Watch and Willie was the more Hands-On coach and it was a good combination I have said well we’ll come back and talk to you some more in a moment Tommy but for now Tommy Miller everybody fantastic thank Tommy come back to in a little while uh it’s nice

To pitch TV if you’re watching on YouTube hello if you’re listening on podast hello to you as well uh time for this week’s keep it up challenge sponsored by Ginger Pickle now unfortunately Tommy’s not in the studio with us so he can’t do the keep upy challenge which is a shame isn’t it uh what a shame you’re not here Tommy we could have got you to do the old keep upy challenge uh at the moment

James scof is uh top of the leader board followed by uh Simon Milton and and Luke Chambers oh I think you’re muted I think you might be muted we can’t hear you oh we can hear you now we can hear you now uh would FY to go with that what’s the

What’s what’s the tally what’s the tally uh well 79 79 in a minute was sco on one foot yeah and until he got bored and milts milts is second on 74 yeah and chaino 59 so at our near capacity crowd uh does anybody want to

Take on oh there oh look at them look at them look at them shuffling shuffling back not wanting to engage my eye contact I’m looking at our floor manager Leslie dolphin who’s got some fantastic trainers on uh surely with those no okay all right then so we’ll have to give

We’ll have two whes she says okay we’ll have to give that a miss this week but uh I’m sure very soon we’ll be having some challenges onto the uh onto the leaderboard as I mentioned earlier on uh don’t forget to check out Life pitch. TV for merchand dice we’d love you to sport

One of our shirts we’ve got mugs and everything as well uh time now for Town news in brief sponsored by John Keel cars of bramford with Phil from tww td.co do.uk he’s putting on the news hat as I Speak breaking news go on then we’ve signed Kei for more on loan oo it’s just been confirmed a couple of minutes ago uh that he’s he’s joined us uh for his second spell obviously was here um a few years ago MC McCarthy signed him for £25,000 from forest green Rovers and um

On one of those days where people went who and uh anyway he obviously did very little here um in that period he he he made 11 appearances From the Bench really didn’t set the world on fire um you can tell I’m looking for my folder here can’t my story on my computer here

Um and um it didn’t really set the world on fire and his uh but he then went on loan to rotheram and scored goal after goal after goal in the first half of that season then got a move to barnesley that January for £750,000 and his career

Has just been on an upward trajectory from there really um uh and until he’s kind of I think he’s probably hit his limit now hasn’t he at AFC Bournemouth got into the Premier League playing for Wales um and he he’s he’s just sort of hit that level and um now I think that

It was always expected to come to the championship in this window uh and it have been in need of Strikers obviously they signed Ali alhamd from AFC Wimbledon on Monday uh but I think we needed two Strikers because obviously you could sign one they could get injured in the first game and you’re

You’re back to square one again so um Al hamedy 21 scored 17 times for Wimbledon having uh very again another strange career trajectory in that he was pretty much released by uh Wick and wanders last January having not really made a mark there goes to FC Wimbledon does

Terrifically well uh and gets to move to a championship club uh within a year so that’s remarkable stuff really um I think Wickham got 25% of the fee because although they let him go they they obviously thought there must be something there but um I gathered there

Were lots of other clubs uh interested in him not just here uh a friend of mine told me that he spoke to someone who was um works at or runs a a club in Europe uh and they started to kind of take notice of his stats um and I think we

Might well sort of stall on a march on other clubs by signing him soort perhaps clubs might have looked at him in the summer but we’ve gone for him now which is uh good and obviously adding ke for Mo who is a more experienced Striker

Which I think is is kind of what we needed really uh yeah let’s let’s ask the near capacity crowd happy with Kei for Mo yeah yeah happy with the window not really Butch are they no it’s been it’s been a poor window but there’s there’s not a lot out there to be honest

And you know you you look you who is available and they’re going to cost a lot of money because you know people can hold you to Ransom and all that sort of thing we definitely needed two Strikers there’s no doubt about that I’m just not convinced about either one to be honest

Um alhamd has never played at this level I don’t think so um he’s very young and you know you don’t want him to be a Scarlet really like he comes in and doesn’t really impress and then Fades Fades away you need somebody to come in

With a bit of a punch but you know heard a a wimon fan saying like he gets him behind he’s Pacey scores from anywhere goes wide as well eye for goal as we see as we saw Wimbledon strong and physical High work rate and a big asset but he’s

He’s not particularly big I think he’s probably shorter than Phil and not is that possible he’s bigger than that I think he’s I’m kidding Phil don’t worry about that no look how yeah the fan said the fan said that he was um he’s better off with a center

Forward but Town don’t play that way so you you know if we need a Hearst someone’s going to run in behind and and be busy and waspish and and do all this kind of thing and I think he could fit that bill well but Keith for Mo for me

Well we don’t play that way you know you sort of say well alhamd fits the bill or the profile is what the club is saying of of strike as what they want young pacy etc etc but ketha Moore’s not young and he’s not pacy and you know we we

Don’t actually play that way do you think in the second half of the Season you know we might might try something different you know a lot of the teams have perhaps sused us out now they know how we play um adding a different Dynamic to it perhaps I don’t think so

Either I don’t think he’ll try anything different um my concern is similar to teror you know players that come into the the setup at ipswitch at the moment sometimes take a while to get bed into the style of play uh the K plays and uh it’s great football is fantastic

Football he’s got us where we are now so if Al Hamed gets the first shout and he’s involved with the first team regularly when does ke for Moore get his chance to play in the team is he going to be the one coming on for TW 20

Minutes or 10 minutes at the end of the game uh will that keep him up to speed for when we need him will he be in for the next game will Al Hamed be out for the second game it’s a bit of a juggling act that

He’s he’s got to create now we’ve spoke about the the lack of uh real strong competitive football for the lads that aren’t playing regularly in the first team squad you know and it’s saw I playing 20 minutes now and again but like we saw on Saturday one or two of

The Lads were a little bit off the pace even going back to Christian Walton you know he didn’t have anything to do in the game which is always difficult for a goalkeeper but it did look like he hadn’t played a match of any sort of consequence for a long time I think the

Money they probably paying for Kei for more he’ll start I think um I think he’ll be yeah I think the way that Kieran tends tends to use his Strikers or he’s forward players generally Keir will be the one that gets 60 minutes and and Al Hamed who is 6′ two incidentally

All right so he’s he’s a fair bit do you not wish you were six fo2 at all I yeah I I certainly would have been a much better footballer if I 6’2 I think I don’t know about that no no thought where are you on the keep it up

Challenge leader I’m not on it anymore no I’ve drifted off the I’m down into the Scottish leag we have another go now yeah there are two of us r on the Le board aren’t we injy yeah we’re still there but yeah I think Al hamedy I think

When when this transfer window started I think we were probably looking for two experienced Championship Strikers don’t you I think that was probably what they would have wanted um and there haven’t been a lot of options you look at the the transfers generally in this division

Haven’t been a lot of um Strikers of the type that we are interested in available gallaga obviously were’re keen on Blackburn then sort of I think they were prepared to do a deal but then kind of looked behind them a bit worriedly and thought we’re in a wi with a chance of

Going down here so they decided to to pull out of that deal Keith for Moore has played regularly in the championship um and has got promoted from the championship so I think he’s a decent signing at this level and I think he does his height does give us something

Slightly different I I don’t think we’re going to change how we play but um I think that his aerial ability gives us something in those sorts of games a bit like Saturday and a bit like Stoke when they were down to 10 men um that he that someone’s cross will probably find him

Bet more easily than some of the other Strikers we’ve had perhaps and uh I think do if he’s bigger than any of the others he should have a chance of that’s what I mean that’s what I mean I think that uh that he has but he’s not just

He’s not like a Kevin Francis we mentioned Kevin Frances earlier didn’t we he’s not just a very tall Striker he’s he’s he’s decent enough with his feet he will run the channels and that kind of thing so um I think yeah and it gives us something different and Al

Hamed I think I agree with you that he will take a little while to get used to both both will take a little while as well but kieran’s not going to change his style of play which he worked very very well you know we and we all want

The boy the two newcomers to be a success it’s just that it might take a bit of a bit of time and there’s something that with sampton and Lees breathing down the club’s neck you know you don’t want to have that sort of stalling at the moment you want to just

Get back back to winning ways quickly but you know it’s they’re definitely players that can it’s a big signing ke for Mo because he’s 6’5 so a very big signing but he’s but he’s you know he has the he has the experience to put the

Ball on the back of the net and that’s that’s what we need yeah but you would want to play week in week out wouldn’t you if you were joining it joining a new club yeah absolutely you want to go into the first game you hold your place for

The second game and stay in there you won’t want to be going in and playing an hour if you’re lucky and coming out and then not knowing if you’re going to be in the starting lineup for the next week it’s um different game though nowadays yeah yeah it’s it’s yes it is

That kind of players don’t expect to play 90 minutes every week now do they because only s halves this is true this is true this is true but but forward players in particular I think that they they kind of know how the game works and and I think it probably works positively

In that um you never feel as if you’re kind of out of favor as such do you know what I mean even even if you’re not in the 11 you still get a game and you still get 30 minutes often to to make an impression and and make your mark on the

Game it’s got to be more than just getting a game though Phil hasn’t it you still feel part of it that’s what I mean whereas you know at any level I think kind of if you’re on the bench and you don’t think you’re going to get a match

You kind of feel a bit less kind of involved don’t you I think I’m going to bring Tommy back in in a second or two do you have any more news uh well El bagot the only real other other movement on the in the transfer window today uh

The final day of the transfer window he’s joined Bristol Rovers on loan to the end of the season which I think is ideal for him League one experience needs games doesn’t he and as we as we go to uh to press there could be more after we finish could possibly be more

Cameron humph possibly might there’s been sort of League one clubs in for him but we haven’t there’s no other left back has come in and he he is the cover at left back so I don’t think they’d let him go unless they brought some cover in

At left back okay let’s bring Tommy back in uh Tommy what what do you think about doing business in this window it’s a it’s a tough one isn’t it yeah it’s a tough window uh very tough and obviously he managed to get two in uh keeper Mo I like um but as the

Lad said in the in the studio it’s a bit he needs crosses in the Box he’s a big Target man um so I don’t think they’re going to change the way they play he is okay with his face you know and he is Mobile H but

I think they get the best out of Keith am you need to be getting balls in the box and going a bit longer so it’ll be interesting to see how that how that sort of plays out H and the other lad Al Hamed again I don’t think he’s going to

Start I think he’s going to be more of an impact from the from the bench and I think it’ll it’ll take time for him to settle in but I think the conversation he must have had with Kei Mo was you’re coming to play you know he’s he’s

Sitting on the bench at Bournemouth in the Premier League he doesn’t want to be sitting on the bench again so I imagine he’ll he’ll go straight into the starting lineup and he’s a big lad he’s a big lad so plenty to aim for Tommy during your

Career you there was was rumors of a a move to to bran was it Norway and Star Bucharest did you would you fancy playing abroad yeah it’s funny because arle P had a link with bran Bergen in Norway so when our season finished um I can’t remember I think it was

1999 I think it was on 98 I ended up going over to Norway for six weeks and did preseason with him so it wasn’t ideal time of me because I was absolutely knacked I’d played a long season with Arley pool and I know I was

Young uh but I think I had a week off and then I went straight over to bran because the the owners of Harley pool I which was a Oil Company um owned Harley po so I ended up doing PR preseason with brur and and they’ qualified for the

Champions league and they wanted to sign me uh but let me tell you now it was very expensive over there Jesus I mean I’m I’m from obviously the Northeast so it was quite cheap back then in the day uh and they go to brur and I think it

Was something like5 pound a pint and that was in 199 99 so 56 pound a pint it was in expensive but a lovely Place Bergen was a a beautiful place H but I I couldn’t see myself settling over there and ended up coming back to Harley

Having another Ste I think it was and then obviously joining iwit and and the St B was a a strange one um I came from Norway I had a phone call from an agent um who had never spoke to before he got me number somehow and he and

George he had you as the manager uh obviously ftic player and fantastic career U my name was mentioned somehow uh would I be interested in going to R man to play but I didn’t really it didn’t really happen or I didn’t materialize and if I’m honest with you I don’t I

Could see myself go going over to that so you had a second spell sorry a third spell at Town didn’t you with with Jim as your manager how was it with Jim suddenly Jim going from your teammate to being your manager yeah I mean i d say no when he

Rang me to say you best come on La um so yeah I was I was straight down straight down the year 40 uh it was either Preston or or if switch um and the misses had just had twins so they were only six Monon old um and I thought yeah

I need to get away from them because I was having some sleep night so I need to get as far away as possible so yeah been there done that coming back to RI switch um but yeah like I said when when Jim was on the phone it was a case of yeah I

Definitely can’t say no and obviously being a Swit before I knew the area and stuff and um was it was good to be back what was it like playing in his team then yeah crazy I mean just when he was a player really you know so he’s a

Hotthead everyone knows you know he’s very passionate and like I touched on earlier and he has big standards high standards and and you know if he just wants you to be comfortable on the ball he demanded that as a player and as a manager he wanted everyone to be

Comfortable on the ball and take it in all areas of the pitch you know even if you’re on the Ed you on six yard box but good coach enjoyed working for him and like I say it was never it was never a dull moment when Jim was in charge were

You were here for keino were you I was um and again a strange one because obviously Roy Kean was re manager at Sunland um so he came in at Sunland um I was on the treatment table I was out for 6 weeks I’d done the ankle

Ankle ligament damage and I think in the first week he brought in gam coverer Liam Miller Dwight York um and he he end up playing yor as a as a center midfielder and Liam Miller was a midfielder Cav was a midfielder so I found it very hard to get in the team

And for whatever reason never really got an opportunity then he wanted his out on loan and then I left after two years one year with Roy managed to got promoted but I didn’t feature I had a spell on loan of Preston in that time as well um and then when he

Came the rip switch I couldn’t believe it you know but I’ll be honest with you I sort of knew I was leaving if switch before the contracted come to an end i’ had conversations with Jamon he said if we don’t get in the playoffs I’m not

Going to be here neither there was talk about more investment coming into the club and I agreed a a pre-contract with cheffrey Wednesday so when Roy came in the door which he he would have got rid of me anywh um I’m sure he speci words with me to I bet you thought you

Wouldn’t see me again I thought I thought I thought in the back of my mind I’ll not be seeing you much longer than either Roy if I’m honest uh but I listen Roy was a fantastic player and he did excellent to Sun to get them promoted but

But in terms of his managerial style and his coaching style it it’s one of them and it’s not for me to say but I don’t think many people enjoy playing under him and as he says he doesn’t really have many friends in the game or and stuff like that but they

Used to I tell you what amazes me as well he used to always go on about X players being on the TV and all the time and you kind of get him off the tell you now in his good value he’s good entertainment but I think a lot of

It Tommy in that it’s a bit of a show bit of a show Tommy in 200 an 8 n Season I was having a look at your squad earlier and you had one or two players from overseas that’s probably why you decided to lead leave uh Jamie Peters from

Canada Kevin lisby from Jamaica Lano Chelli Argentina yeah yeah yeah yeah uh Pim bolstein Dutch lad yeah Dutch Gago is still there Ivan Campo Bart still there Thomas guarda was he still there um think he gone by them yeah Bart came on loan didn’t he at the

End of that was Onan there um yeah bichi suu liosi yeah very good Russ well done practicing that one you wow that was amazing I got the next one as well vaultz from Germany yeah yeah and Dos Santos from Mexico so we had somebody from every part and every corner of the

World didn’t we yeah yeah it’s a very cosmop one yeah 10 10 overseas players and a few Irish as well yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah and yeah it’s another Squad that probably should have done a bit better I think Tommy don’t you think I we missed out on the playoffs by I

Think we were ninth but we were about 12 points off sixth so a fairway away but the the strength that there there was in that Squad probably should have should have done better shouldn’t it yeah probably underachieved um if I’m honest yeah we we we should have getting in the

Playoffs you just mentioned players there from all different different countries um they all brought something different and yeah it was it was a disappointing season you know there was expectation of us to to get in them playoffs and we we didn’t quite uh make it but the team wasn’t as good as um

Obviously when Joel Joel was in char Tommy Tommy you had so many players from from all over the world could they actually understand you from the Northeast I was just gonna mention that to be honest yeah and and they had me from Harley PE from shot and Cory um no

I had to speak really slow if I’m honest with because they they could not grasp me one bit so yeah I had to you look a bit disappointed of being reminded of that season Tommy I’m sorry about that mate yeah your face has just gone a bit down

There so what you up to know obviously you were back at Portman Road last year weren’t you with um buckon in the FA Cup um and then um South Shield until recently South Shield yeah um which is on my doorstep it’s it’s well half an

Hour from from me home I went in with Julio ARA Exon and ex Middlesboro um he got the sou Shield’s job and he asked me to to go in and help him um we both got offered a two-year contract uh and then in the uh I think

Was we were flying you know I think the first few months we were being beat twice we was second in the league and then we lost a few games on the bounce and we dropped out the a um and then all of a sudden the chairman wanted it to

Change things which was bit bizarre bit strange because when we sat down with him in the summer he he wanted us to be mid- table he said listen there’s no pressure expectation best season just have a good look at the league because they’ve been promoted the previous season with Kevin

Phillips um and Kevin Phillips ended up leaving at the end of that season despite getting the promoted him and the chairman sort of had a bit of a Fallout um so listen nothing surprises you in football um so we ended up leaving just after Christmas um which

Was disappointing but on to the next one as this year and and we see what see what’s wrong the corner and see what happens well we’ll say goodbye in a moment or two Tommy we’ve got uh a couple of things to do before we finish

The show uh time to have a look and see what happened to itfc on this day brought to you an association with Fred olon Logistics okay and all these days in history are bought to you from the is town on this day booked by Dan botton and he’s got a new book field coming out in August I believe yes August a new a new version of it yes yep great look

Forward to that anyway Wednesday the 1st of February we’re going back to 1939 prolific you remember that far back that’s about 20 to8 yeah you got it prolific forward Fred Chadwick’s goal sore off Northampton Town 1 nil in a Southern section Cup first round replay the crowd of

2,858 is the lowest ever at Portman Road in a competitive match sounds like our near capacity crowd tonight actually moving on Sunday the 1st of February 1953 following a 4-1 stuffing at T United and a long journey home the town players found themselves marooned at ipswitch station for 5 hours due to

Extensive flooding along the east coast on the third entry uh Saturday the 1st of February you might find this a little bit more interesting 1969 Bobby robson’s first game game at Portman Road as manager saw his troops defeat Manchester United including George best 1- nil at Portman road in

Front of a then record crowd of 3,837 I think that deserves a reaction don’t you happy days yeah Happy Days Happy Days uh just before we finish time for this week’s man V fat news uh this is the the lads who play football to lose

Uh weight uh this from man V fat Mark another fantastic friday night at Portman Road saw the guys lose another 44 kg bringing this season’s total to 90 kg lost in just two weeks uh this week’s results to lose a few pounds to Pork Vil 12 man titty 13 yes Seattle Quarter

Pounders nine get in LA Galaxy bar 9 far from athletic 12 ltina 4 D Mo Kebab 7 uh can you congratulate the IPS B team for getting to the final of the East anglian invitation Cup on Sunday and we’re unlucky to lose on penalties to harow best wishes to the super blues at

Preston on Saturday says man V Fat Mark and Well Done uh to everybody involved in that uh it’s time to say goodbye to Tommy Miller Tommy thank you every so much for coming on the show really good to catch up Tommy thank you very much thanks very much lad nice blind nice

Blinds as well nice blinds all the best Tommy Bella fantastic I have to say that they are the best blinds I’ve seen for a long time it’s one of the nicest backdrops we’ve ever had I think ni yeah yeah he didn’t even close them he kept them open

So that’s yeah your choice Tommy or Mrs Miller uh Mrs Miller yes okay all right cheers buddy thanks ever so much for joining us take that’s it for today thanks ever so much for watching or listening we really appreciate it thank you boys thank you near capacity crowd uh don’t forget to

Keep in touch check out our socials that’s uh life of pitch TV uh Facebook insta and X on YouTube please smash that like button and subscribe it makes all the difference and don’t forget to check out www.ap pitch. TV uh for more details of what we’re up to thanks again to our

Main sponsors DPS Tech we’re also supported by all about hearing marketing company Ginger pickle forward floors come hither design and Ashford wri the Hudson group sound 4 Pro Audio Fred olon Logistics John Keel cars in bramford and the dove in St Helen Street in ipswitch that’s it for this week we’ll be back

Next week up the town everybody The W