THOMAS Gaardsoe last night took time out from celebrating the greatest of great escapes with West Brom, to wish Ipswich Town good luck in tomorrow's semi-final against West Ham, writes Derek Davis.

THOMAS Gaardsoe last night took time out from celebrating the greatest of great escapes with West Brom, to wish Ipswich Town good luck in tomorrow's semi-final against West Ham, writes Derek Davis.

The delirious Dane has played a massive part in ensuring the Baggies' Premiership survival and last night urged his old Blues mates to join him.

Gaardsoe last night told the EADT: “I really hope Ipswich can join us in the Premiership. I really believe they can do it.

“I was pleased to see them come from two goals down against West Ham and now I think they will beat them and go on to be promoted.”

The Danish international (pictured above) who joined the Baggies from Ipswich for a bargain £200,000 in the summer of 2003, admitted it was a close run thing to stay up and create history in doing so.

He said: “It was a pretty intense day but we knew we had to win our game and see what happened from there.

“The other results went our way but we did what we had to do. We are very proud of what we have managed to do. To break tradition and stay up despite being bottom at Christmas is quite something.”

Gaardsoe has been a regular fixture in Bryan Robson's side that lost just six of its final 22 games after being the basement at Christmas, to finish fourth bottom, despite also being bottom not just during the festive period but on the last day of the season too.