Jack facing exile for the play-offs

3:00pm Friday 9th May 2008

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CHICAGO-bound Jack Smith admits wife pressure will leave him a peripheral figure to this season's Football League play-offs although he is still hopeful of getting to a blue-riband Wembley final.

The Town defender, pictured, will be on his way to the States for his summer holiday as Doncaster and Southend lock horns in tonight's first League One play-off - and he admits the further away the better.

Chances of sneaking a peak at the first round of play-off matches are virtually nil, with his wife making the most of a rare football-free zone, but Smith will be keeping track of how brother Tommy is getting on in his bid to reach the Premier League.

Tommy Smith will be a key figure if underdogs Watford are to upset the odds and defeat Hull City in the Championship first round and, returning just in time for the final, Smith is hopeful of a first trip to the new Wembley Stadium.

He said: "Me and the missus are going on holiday today and I certainly don't think she would be too happy if I went to the pub to watch the League One and League Two play-offs.

"I tried it once before and she was not very happy so lets just say never again. It will be nice to get away though and hopefully when I come back my Swindon future can be sorted.

"The Championship play-offs are a bit different though because, with my brother being involved, she will understand if I keep an eye on that.

"I was playing golf with Tommy on Wednesday and he seemed pretty chilled. It would be great if Watford could get through and then I would go to Wembley to watch him."

While having a close personal interest in the race for the Premier League, Smith admits it would have been painful to have watched Town's League One rivals battle away for a place in the Championship.

Leeds, Carlisle, Doncaster and Southend will all harbour ambitions of playing in the second tier next campaign but Smith insists Town should not have been far off.

He said: "I don't really want to watch the League One games anyway because I didn't think we were that far off.

"Without that terrible run we could have competed.

"I am a fan of the play-offs though, even though I have never been involved in them myself.

"I think they are a great spectacle and bring some real excitement to the end of the season."

With his County Ground future still up in the air, Smith knows the holiday season cannot last too long as he looks to firm up where he will be next season.

Town boss Maurice Malpas has offered the former Watford man a further one-year deal but the defender admits he is still unsure whether he will be in Wiltshire next campaign.

He said: "Negotiations will continue when I get back and hopefully things will become clearer then."