IT is a good job Pim Balkestein is doing so well as a footballer, because the Dutchman admits if he had to sing for his supper he would starve.

Derek Davis

IT is a good job Pim Balkestein is doing so well as a footballer, because the Dutchman admits if he had to sing for his supper he would starve.

The Blues midfielder was asked to sign on the backing track for a song by Asa Jennings as part of Fabian Wilnis' testimonial and after seeing himself on You Tube has vowed to stick to football.

The Dutchman's efforts on 'Let's Go To Town' made the Smurfs sound like Frank Sinatra and it is fair to say he won't be asked to lead Town's karaoke crew in future.

Balkestein said: “I did it for Fabian but didn't realise there would be cameras there. It was a great laugh but when I saw it back on YouTube I saw how bad I was, so never again - I will stick to football.”

The �800,000 signing from Heerenveen gets the chance to do what he does best again tonight as Town take on Crystal Palace at Portman Road.

After nodding on in against Real Valladolid in pre-season, the Dutchman is desperate to get on the score sheet once more and bang in his first Championship goal.

Balkestein said: “I was really happy with the goal I got score against the Spanish side but now I have to score in the Championship.

“I had a lot of chances last year but didn't get a goal so now I need to stick one into the back of the goal.

“The balls in are great and at Coventry Gareth and I both had two chances each so we need to put them away.

“We are working a lot on that on the training pitch and it is getting better so it is up to us to get our head on the ball.”

The 22-year-old, who was voted the most improved player by coaching staff at the end of last season, is pleased with the way his partnership with skipper Gareth McAuley is going but admits he still has a lot to learn.

Balkestein said: “He is a great defender and I'm learning a lot from him.

“We can only get better and that will come by talking and learning to play with Damien and whoever is right back.

“I feel I have learnt the English game, heading away upwards instead of down, little things like that.”

With only a point to show so far in the new season Balkestein appreciates how important it is to get maximum return in front of a home crowd tonight.

He said: “It was good to have a clean sheet on Saturday but it was disappointing not to get all three points and we have to improve our game. It is important that we get all three points against Palace and to do that it is simply a case of getting the ball in the net and stopping goals against us.

“We showed our capabilities in the game against Real Valladolid what we have to do now is show it in the Championship.”

His last outing against Palace was fruitful when he came back into the side nearly four months after his previous start and is looking forward to tussling with Alan Lee once more.

Balkestein recalled: “I enjoyed that game, we won 4-1 and I hope we can do that again.

“I hope I'm playing and if so I know what a threat in the air he is but I have to go to war with him and fight against his threat.”

If Balkestein does that, and scores, everyone will be singing his praises.