FORMER Colchester United favourite Sammie Szmodics believes he is playing the best football of his career after committing his future to Blackburn Rovers.

The 28-year-old former U’s academy player, who made 165 appearances for his home town club Colchester between 2013 and 2019, has penned a new deal with the Championship club until at least the summer of 2026.

Szmodics, who is currently the division’s top goalscorer is in fine form in his second season at Blackburn and has latterly worn the captain’s armband, in the absence of Lewis Travis and Dom Hyam.

And the former Stanway School pupil says he jumped at the chance to sign a new contract, at Ewood Park.

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He told RoversTV: “It was an easy choice for me.

“I’m playing the best football I’ve ever played and I’m really enjoying my time up north with my family. I’m excited about what the future holds.

“When we got the sniff that the new contract might become available, it was something we wanted to get done as quickly as we could.

“It was a test at the beginning when you’re joining a new club, new team-mates, a new manager and a new league.

Gazette:

“I was relegated from the league and there may have been questions as to why the club signed a player from League One.

“I knew I just needed to bide my time, get used to the manager and how he wants to play, and I’m thoroughly enjoying my football here."

Szmodics joined Blackburn from Peterborough United in August, 2022 and has now made more than 50 appearances for them, in all competitions.

He said: “I had a point to prove to fans and myself.

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"I’d played in the Championship before and it’s a really tough league. I was down the bottom of the league with Peterborough and I joined a team in Rovers who were fighting for the Premier League.

“This season, again, we’ve shown great quality. The way the manager wants to play, the football speaks for itself. You have to be good on the ball, which is one of my attributes and you have a freedom and a license to express yourself, which is what I’ve done and why I’m scoring so many goals at the moment.

Gazette:

“I’m comfortable with everyone now, everything suits be down to a tee and I’ve flourished.”

Szmodics ended his 16-year association with the U's when he joined Championship side Bristol City, in the summer of 2019.

The former U's academy product joined Peterborough on a four-year deal from the Robins in September 2020 having previously been on loan at Posh, where he made 86 league and cup appearances, scoring 23 times.

Now he is impressing for Blackburn, having hit the net 11 times already this season.