Sixteen league games to go and Ipswich Town are just three points adrift of the Championship play-off places – but just try telling midfielder Jay Tabb this is a pressure situation.
The Blues midfielder is a keen golfer and lover of classical music. And the soon-to-be 30-year-old – who is fast approaching 350 Premier League and Football League appearances – says that walking out on the pitch in front of thousands of expectant fans is nothing compared to teeing off in a Pro-Am tournament and meeting famous Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi.
“I’ve always liked the piano and classical music,” said Tabb. “I’ve seen Einaudi five times now. After one of his concerts I went for a meal nearby afterwards and he came in with his entourage. I was too scared to go and ask for an autograph!
“My team mates don’t know I’m into classical music. I guess they will now though!”
A grade three level pianist himself, when Tabb is not tinkling the ivories he is out on the golf course as a seven handicapper.
“I’ve played in the BMW Pro-Am at Wentworth the last couple of years,” he revealed. “It’s an invitation event, I e-mailed them to see how I could get in and luckily the guy who organises it is a Reading fan (Tabb’s former club).
“I played with Ben Curtis in the first year and Paul McGinley last year. It was amazing.
“It was shaking like a leaf on the first tee, probably more so than going out and playing football. I don’t know how I took my club back I was that nervous.
“It was actually worse on the range before hand. At Wentworth I had Ian Poulter one side of me and Sergio Garcia the other. You’re standing there and they’re whacking these balls and it’s terrifying.”
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