Make-or-break season for Diamonds ace Sam
Sam Smith believes this season will be "a make-or-break year" for his Rushden & Diamonds career.
Graduation from the Nene Park youth set-up saw him finish the 2008-09 campaign as the nine-goal top scorer, mainly coming off the bench to earn a 'super-sub' reputation.
But last term he only netted once and started just three times in 19
appearances while also going out on loan to Blue Square Bet North sides
Corby Town and Hinckley United.
Diamonds boss Justin Edinburgh has already indicated Smith will be handed more first-team opportunities with three goals in four pre-season games so far.
Smith said: "I certainly hope to be involved more often.
"I'm capable of doing it. This is a make-or-break year for me.
"I want to get into the team and stay there now.
"Being known as a super-sub wasn't necessarily a bad thing at the start of my professional career.
"Competition for places is healthy at any club because it keeps everyone on their toes.
"If we stick with the 4-3-3 formation I can play through the middle as a target man or I can go out wide. Hopefully those options will help me to play regularly and score goals.
"The squad exceeded expectations last year and it may be harder this time. But we are confident."
Smith struck twice during the first group game against Ilfracombe Town in the Joma South West Challenge Cup last week and then completed 90 minutes in the defeat to Shrewsbury Town.
Despite missing out on the weekend's knockout stages, he believes the trip to north Devon was worthwhile for the new-look Diamonds squad.
Smith added: "It was great for team bonding.
"We had two games in 24 hours so the gaffer rotated the side, although we got little niggles which affected seven or eight of us.
"I was struggling with a tight groin earlier in the week but I came on against Ilfracombe and I was particularly pleased with my first goal.
"I was tiring for the last half an hour against Shrewsbury but the performances are getting better with four games still to go."
Meanwhile Diamonds' youth-team squad are likely to be joined by a few senior players – including Jamie Day and Justin Miller – for tonight's trip to Newmarket.
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Weather for Kettering
Monday 13 February 2012
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