IPSWICH-LOVING Thomas Gaardsoe is hoping for a repeat of the scenario when his old and new clubs met last September.Victory for West Brom, a goal for the Dane, and then for the Blues to go on a long unbeaten run.

IPSWICH-LOVING Thomas Gaardsoe is hoping for a repeat of the scenario when his old and new clubs met last September, writes Derek Davis.

Victory for West Brom, a goal for the Dane, and then for the Blues to go on a long unbeaten run.

Gaardsoe's fervent hope is that, whatever tomorrow's result, both clubs win promotion to the Premiership.

He said: "When we played Ipswich last time they went bottom after we beat them. But they won eight out of their next nine games and got back into the top six where they belong.

"I'm hoping we win this time again and that I can score but then hopefully Ipswich will win every other game for the rest of the season and get promoted. Of course I want us to go up as well, hopefully a bit quicker than Ipswich."

The Baggies are currently second behind Norwich City on goal difference and with Millwall and Sunderland coming up in the next 10 days, they are taking nothing for granted.

Gaardsoe said: "We really are taking one thing at a time. This is a very even league and we have three very big games in a row coming up so you can set targets but we just have to go and do a job. We are not aiming for any particular amount of points, we just want to go up. It doesn't matter if we go up in first or second just as long as we do."

The Dane, who joined Town from Aab Aalborg, was upset to be sold last August but admits the move has worked out well.

He has scored four goals for the Baggies coming from deep or arriving at set pieces.

He has also been part of a defence that has conceded just 32 goals in 38 games.

He said: "Football wise it has gone very well. We are second in the table and although we have not always played the best football we have been getting results."

Gaardsoe was a firm favourite with supporters during his two-year stint with Ipswich and believes the Town fans will understand the circumstances of his departure and be gentle with him on his return.

He said: "I'm looking forward to coming back to Ipswich to say hello to a lot of friends and see the Blues supporters again. I never really got a chance to say goodbye properly so I hope they are good to me."

Blues boss Joe Royle is not surprised that Gaardsoe has fitted in so well in Gary Megson's system.

He said: "Thomas has done very well. He is ideal for a three-centre back formation and he is a year wiser. He is a very likeable boy and I'm very pleased for him."

But Royle will be hoping that the Dane is picked up at set pieces and history is not repeated.

* Ipswich Town's game against Sheffield United has been brought forward a day to Friday, April 30 with a kick-off time of 7.45pm. The game has been re-arranged to suit television.