Walking into a crowded media room on Playford Road, Sammie Szmodics took a moment to greet the reporters who had arrived to speak with him. “Good to be home,” he chuckled as he took his seat.
In some ways, his career has come full circle, beginning with Colchester United. He’s played in every tier from the National League to the Premier League, gaining valuable experience at a range of levels.
He was deeply affected by his brief spell in English football’s fifth tier. “It was a shock,” he said. “I recall playing on a Tuesday night for Colchester in League Two and scoring. We won 1-0.
“At the moment, the manager approached me and informed me that I would be loaned to Braintree. I had just played and scored. I assumed he was drawing me in to inform me that I would be starting again over the weekend. I was barely eighteen.
“Training in the evening – Tuesday and Thursday nights – you see guys coming in covered in paint from work.” I believe it makes you appreciate that this is a true change for these guys, even though I know many of them are now full-time.
“They’re finishing work and heading directly to the games. We traveled to Halifax on the day. I asked why we hadn’t gone the night before and was told that we didn’t do it here.
“It opened my eyes and made me know that, with all due respect, I don’t want to play at that level because it’s too difficult. People are struggling to pay their mortgages down there; you don’t make a lot of money.
“The games are tough, you’re going to work, and you’re traveling to places like Halifax because you enjoy football. It probably opened my eyes to the fact that I had played and scored in every league.
“If you told me when I was 18 years old, on loan at Braintree under the Cowley brothers, that in 10 years’ time you’d be in the Premier League and you’ll score at Manchester City, I would’ve laughed at you, but that’s the journey I’ve been on.”
That road has surely not been one of linear advancement and continuous progression; there have been many ups and downs. After grabbing the eye at Colchester, he moved to Bristol City, where he struggled to adjust to the Championship. A loan stay with Peterborough United developed into a permanent one, although he returned to the second tier a few years later. Even yet, the first several months of his tenure at Ewood Park were difficult.
His recent form, however, has been spectacular, as he won the Championship Golden Boot last season. When asked what clicked for him, Szmodics answered, “I enjoy having a point to prove. I enjoy people always doubting me. People now doubt us.
“I went to Bristol and things didn’t work out. In my first year at Blackburn, I struggled to get started. People begin to doubt whether you are good enough for the level, but I have always maintained that I am.
“It’s proving people wrong without coming across as arrogant or overly dramatic. It’s about letting your football speak for itself and putting in the work on the field, which I believe I’ve done in recent years.
“Without these obstacles, I would not be where I am now. I traveled to Bristol, had a difficult time getting in and playing there. Two or three years ago, I was demoted from the Championship with Peterborough.
“I recall telling my agent that I would still play in the Premier League. We were just demoted from the Championship, and I told him I still feel I can play in the Premier League. He told me he believed it, too, but he was laughing since I had just been relegated from the Championship.
“The most important thing for me is belief. I’ve always thought that I was good enough. I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League, and now I have the opportunity to do it under the tutelage of a renowned football club’s management.
“Last season, I scored so many goals that I couldn’t believe myself. That confidence has really kicked in, so maybe I can carry it into this season.”
Ipswich was drawn to his physical appearance. As a local youngster, the Blues had obviously been aware of him for some time, and the opportunity to join them in the Premier League was too good to pass up.
That didn’t make it any easier for him to leave Blackburn, who were obviously eager to retain him. In the end, it was obvious that they were fighting a losing struggle.
“It was really tough but Blackburn were really good because the Premier League is everyone’s dream,” he told me. “The transfer had been going on for perhaps six or seven weeks, and there was no denying that I wanted to come here.
“I told Blackburn about my feelings, and it was announced in the press that I would not be playing any pre-season games. I was still training, sometimes with the team and sometimes on my own, but I was approaching it professionally.
“I told Blackburn I didn’t want to play any pre-season games, which they were happy with. I kept everything professional at all times, which I believe helped with this transition.
“Because I had been professional and good to Blackburn, they were good to me in the final moments of attempting to close the sale. I have nothing but positive things to say about them.
“It’s difficult because, ultimately, I wanted this move to go through, but I needed to keep fit; you don’t want to get injured.
“Blackburn were fantastic with me, and after speaking with Ipswich, they obviously don’t want me to get injured; they wanted to get me for as little as possible, while Blackburn wanted to sell me for as much as possible.
“There is so much that goes into a transfer, but I’ve seen stuff in the press when players throw their toys out the pram. It does not assist. I had a job to do and was still under contract with Blackburn. They offered me a good deal to stay, but I had already decided to come here.”
Sammie Szmodics. Who else? 🤩
Mayhem at Elland Road as Blackburn go 1-0 up after 81 minutes 💣 pic.twitter.com/wcYqtiTofH
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 13, 2024
Szmodics’ decision is an emotional one. His great grandma is an Ipswich supporter, as are many of his pals. He claimed that when he first arrived at the club, manager Kieran McKenna presented him to the group by playing a video of him scoring for Blackburn at Elland Road, a result that helped the Blues finish ahead of Leeds United and earn promotion last season.
“I found it great,” the 28-year-old said of his first few days with the team. “I knew a lot of the guys already from playing against them. I knew a few of the staff from my time at Bristol City, and I’ve heard great things about the management. Obviously, I have seen it up close and personal now. That’s wonderful.
“I believe I’ve grown as a player, both tactically and on the ball. He has made it quite easy for me to adapt to my new surroundings, which is where I grew up. When you’re off the pitch, you can really concentrate on it. I believe it helps in that way.”
Now he is a Premier League player. “This is it,” he acknowledges. “This is the ‘pinch myself’ moment.”
It’s a major task for him. He cited his struggle with 19-year-old Manchester City sensation Rico Lewis as one of the most difficult he’s encountered this season, while also mentioning Erling Haaland, saying that the Danish superstar learned from his efforts in the Championship last season.
“There comes a degree of also knowing that I’m good enough to be in and around these players,” he told me. “They’re not simply Premier League teams anymore; they’re the opposition.
“I’m a big West Ham fan, and there’s nothing better than going to West Ham and winning because I’ve supported them my entire life. You want to compete with the best, so going to West Ham and winning would be fantastic for me as a supporter.
“You have to strike a balance between realizing how much work you’ve put in to get where you are and appreciating that they’re Premier League teams, but I now play for a Premier League club.
“It’s about relishing these moments, taking it in and showing people what you can do.”
At 28, Szmodics is slightly outside of the age range that Ipswich would typically target. No matter how good he performs, he is unlikely to become a £100 million player as a result. It certainly has some parallels with Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, whose best years came in the latter stages of his career.
“What he’s done is obviously amazing,” Szmodics stated. “I had a fantastic conversation with him at the close of last season about his age and why he’s still doing it. We played against Leicester, and he complimented me on my goals.
“It’s a very similar story. Maybe he was a little later than me, but he’s fought his way up and is doing it consistently in the Premier League. It is something I hope to achieve in the long run.
“Obviously, this is my first season in the Premier League, but our journeys are probably very similar, so I can look at aspects of his game and how he’s done it.” It’s probably quite similar to me.
“He congratulated me on my goals. It’s definitely extremely wonderful of someone of his stature to play for England and score the goals he has. He offered me a bottle of champagne to celebrate my successful season.
“That wasn’t anything he had to do. I don’t know him personally, but it just displays his personality.”
The focus now shifts to Saturday’s encounter at Southampton. Szmodics has scored his first goal, and Ipswich has collected its first points, but a win is next on the agenda.
Following that, Szmodics hopes to score his first goal for the club at Portman Road. Many fans will recall his excitement after scoring against the Blues in Peterborough’s 4-1 victory in Suffolk back in February 2020. This time, he hopes to hear cheers from the North Stand.
“I think, bar one game, every time I’ve played at Portman Road I’ve scored!” He cracked a joke. “When I was growing up in Colchester, everyone assumed there was a rivalry. I used to see comments like ‘I despise Ipswich Town, I’d never play for them,’ which was never the case. It’s just that I’ve never felt the need to express myself honestly.
“There’s no denying that I have family members who support both Ipswich and Colchester. Growing up, while playing for Colchester, I was a Colchester fan. I’ve always wanted to beat Ipswich.
“Every squad I play for, I put my heart on my sleeve. I’m a very serious character, yet not a serious character. I enjoy the banter; I’m loud and the same on the pitch. If I score against a team and the crowd boo me, I’ll boo them as well.
“At Portman Road, the fans would always give me some, and I’d reciprocate. It was always like that.
“For me, scoring at the Etihad Stadium was great, but maybe it will be at Portman Road. It will probably be a little better this time if the crowd cheer rather than boo and make gestures at me.
“Scoring at Ipswich would be amazing for me, to turn those boos into cheers.”
