Colchester United keeper in team despite upcoming exams

Colchester goalkeeper Tom Smith is gearing up to make his debut in the league this season, just days before he sits for his economics degree exams.

The 21-year-old, on loan from Arsenal last year, will be stepping in for Owen Goodman, who is currently on duty with the England Under-20 squad, in the match against Forest Green.

“Even though I’m part of the card school during away coach trips, I always bring my books with me to study at the hotel,” Smith disclosed to BBC Essex.

Smith, who moved to Colchester permanently over the summer, has been studying at the esteemed London School of Economics for the past three years.

“Completing my degree was something that Arsenal really encouraged, and my parents were also really supportive of me continuing my studies so that I have something to fall back on after football,” he added.

“Colchester has also been incredibly supportive and understands the importance of my education and qualifications,” Smith emphasized.

Smith continued, “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed pursuing my studies, but in the next couple of years, I’ll be completely focused on football and seeing how far I can go in the sport.”

With Goodman joining Crystal Palace on loan for the season, Smith has had to patiently wait for his opportunity at Colchester.

Smith did have an appearance in a 5-0 defeat against Tottenham Under-21s in the EFL Trophy, and manager Ben Garner has confirmed his place in the starting lineup for Saturday’s game against Forest Green.

“This is a great chance for me now, and if I perform well, I can start to make the manager think twice,” Smith expressed.

He continued, “I had a similar situation last year with Kieran O’Hara where I was benched for eight or nine games, but then due to an injury, I played the last six games.”

O’Hara has since left Colchester and joined Kilmarnock, leaving Smith determined to impress whenever the opportunity arises.

“This kind of situation will probably happen to me another 10 times in my career, so I need to be prepared and train hard at all times,” he stated.

Smith further commented, “Although it’s not ideal to not be playing, I still believe that coming here was the right decision.”

“Being part of senior football at a high level is much better than being in an academy. It means something, the training is more intense, and you’re striving for success as a team,” Smith concluded.