BLACKBURN Rovers top scorer Jordan Rhodes will have a point to prove at his former club Ipswich Town tonight.

The match will mark the first time the prolific striker has returned to Portman Road since being controversially sold to then League One side Huddersfied by the Tractor Boys boss at the time – Roy Keane in July 2009.

Ipswich defender Tommy Smith remembers the exact moment that Rhodes was told in no uncertain terms by Keane that his time at the club was up.

“It was completely out of the blue,” said Smith.

“I don’t know what happened behind the scenes but one day we were sat on the coach waiting to go to a pre-season game at Charlton, he (Rhodes) was in the squad, got called off the coach, got back on and told us ‘I’m off’. It happened as quickly as that.

“I ended up having to get his boots for him because he wasn’t allowed back at the training ground.

“At the time it was my best mate at the club leaving.

“But I think you can say that leaving Ipswich has been the best thing for his career.”

Rhodes has scored 125 goals in 213 appearances since Keane’s decision to sell him to Huddersfield Town for £350,000.

One of those goals was the winner in February’s league clash between Rovers and Ipswich at Ewood Park.

It was a match in which Rhodes had his nose broken by ‘his best friend in football’ Smith.

And the New Zealand defender knows the Rovers hot-shot won’t have forgotten that.

Smith added: “He’ll be trying to get some pay back for that!”

Ipswich are expected to be unchanged when Rovers make the long journey south tonight.