PHIL Smith admits there would be no better place than Millwall to keep his first clean sheet of the season as he looks to prove the club who threw him on the scrap heap wrong.

Town's number one reveals rejection from the Den as a 21-year-old was hard to take but, now returning as an equal six years later, is relishing showing his boyhood club what they are missing.

Smith spent six years at the London outfit, from schoolboy, through the youth ranks, and then three years as a professional, before his career was brought to an abrupt halt when he was released aged 21.

Smith then experienced four years in the wilderness of non-league football, at times wondering where the next pay packet was coming from, but now back in league football, claims the experience only made him stronger.

He said: "It would be a first clean sheet of the season and it would be a big thing for it to happen at Millwall, so fingers crossed. I will be doing all I can to do that.

"I was gutted to leave there.

"I was 21 and had a taste of the first team. After that things fell away. I did not know what was going to happen with my life, being out of the game, and it was a hard time for me.

"Things happen and you become stronger for them.

"I thought I would love a cup run to go back there to play but to be there in my own right playing in the league is definitely a big thing.

"They got promoted into the championship and I was told at the time I was not good enough. Being on a level playing field it means a lot to hold my head up and show I have come back.

"There is no-one there I can hold my fingers up to but it will be nice to go back and show that I was good enough. It will be a good day for me, if I play."

Smith's number one slot at the County Ground has not come easily though with reserve keeper Peter Brezovan having just returned from a trial at Premiership Everton.

"Not many sub keepers get trials at Premiership clubs, but that just shows how good he is.

"I don't want to get caught too much into what Peter is doing.

"The only thing I can be worrying about is keeping my place. I don't think I am putting in bad performances, I am plodding along.

"I don't think I have put in a great performance yet but it is nice to have the confidence I can go out there and the manager has confidence in me.

"It could have been such an easy decision for the manager to put him in any time because I know the supporters and press like him and it would not have been a big deal for it to have happened.

"I appreciate he has stuck with me and hopefully I can repay him over the time he keeps me in there.

"I don't feel like I have been at fault for any goal although maybe there are things I could have done but that is all in hindsight."

Tomorrow's opponents have made a dismal start to League One, with just one win from seven and lying third from bottom in the table, and Smith believes Town can capitalise.

He said: "They have not started well but I know how difficult it can be going there.

"If the team is doing well the crowd will be 100 per cent behind them but if they are not, the crowd could be to our advantage because they will get on their backs.

"It will be a good time for us to go there because if confidence is not high we have a good chance, especially coming off our result Saturday.

"I don't think they get the same crowds as they used to but I would not take it for granted they have mellowed."