Homegrown Ipswich Town talent never really recovered from disaster debut

After spending 12 years with the team, Tom Eastman is a legend at Colchester United, and the U’s could be able to attribute it to an Ipswich Town red card.

Eastman, a central defender, joined the Tractor Boys’ academy at the age of eight. Roy Keane gave him his club debut on the last day of the 2009–10 season when Ipswich hosted Sheffield United.

Nevertheless, Eastman’s debut was a complete disaster as his team suffered a humiliating 3-0 home loss to the Blades, and he was substituted after getting two yellow cards.

To the delight of neighbouring Colchester, this established the tone for Eastman’s time with the Tractor Boys, and his career at Ipswich never really recovered.

Tom Eastman’s Ipswich Town career started in the worst way possible

Towards the close of the 2009–10 season, Eastman was benched for four league games by then Ipswich manager Roy Keane, who gave Eastman the chance to start their season’s last game with nothing to play for.

It was undoubtedly a big event for Eastman, who had been with the club since he was eight years old, but sadly, it will be remembered for his getting sent off and suffering a crushing loss.

In the wake of the incident, Roy Keane expressed his unwavering support for Eastman, saying, “I thought it was harsh.” He most clearly got a touch on the ball for the second booking. The referee ought to have given the boy the benefit of the doubt, in my opinion.

“Instead of speaking with him briefly, it seemed like he was eager to send him on his way. Since I don’t think the athlete earned it, I was disappointed for him.”

While many at Portman Road would have anticipated that Eastman would make a breakthrough the next season, Keane showed him no ill will and gave him more chances.

Eastman declined the option of a six-month contract extension in lieu of signing a two-year contract with League One team Colchester United. Eastman went on to make another 12 appearances for the Tractor Boys during the 2010–11 season, including eight league starts.

Although it was unfortunate that Eastman was dismissed from the team on his very first game, he had enough chances in the 2010–11 campaign to challenge for a first-team spot. However, under Paul Jewell, he appeared to lose favour, and moving to Colchester provided him with more first-team opportunities.

Tom Eastman became a Colchester United legend

Eastman became a club icon in Colchester United after joining the team in the summer of 2011 and going on to make an amazing 464 appearances for the U’s before moving on to other adventures in 2023.

When he was loaned to Harrogate Town in the second half of the 2022–2023 season, the writing was on the wall for his future at Colchester; that summer, his contract expired and he was released.

Eastman turned rejected a move to Yorkshire and signed with National League club Dagenham & Redbridge because he chose to stay closer to home, despite Harrogate’s desire to sign him permanently.

In the summer of 2023, he inked a two-year contract with the National League team. He played 33 games and scored four goals in his debut campaign.

In retrospect, it seems like a long time ago that Eastman was a member of the Ipswich squad, and it was quite an accomplishment for him to join the first team at the age of eight.

Colchester might be relieved that Eastman was dismissed in his Tractor Boys debut, as they were able to take on a contemporary legend.

GET MORE NEWS HERE