Tom Eastman was sent off on his Ipswich Town debut and his time at Portman Road never really recovered
HIGHLIGHTS
- Eastman became a Colchester United legend after a disastrous debut with Ipswich Town, thanks to a red card against Sheffield United.
- Despite supports from Roy Keane, Eastman’s career at Ipswich never recovered, leading him to sign with Colchester United where he thrived.
- With an impressive 464 appearances for Colchester, Eastman secured a legacy as a club legend before moving to Dagenham & Redbridge.
Tom Eastman, who spent 12 years with Colchester United, may have benefited from a red card against Ipswich Town.
Central defender Eastman joined the Tractor Boys’ programme when he was eight years old, and Roy Keane gave him his first-team debut on the final day of the 2009/10 season as Ipswich met Sheffield United.
However, Eastman’s debut was devastating, as he was sent off after earning two yellow cards as his team suffered a heartbreaking 3-0 home defeat to the Blades.
This set the tone for Eastman’s career with the Tractor Boys, and his time at Ipswich never recovered, much to the delight of adjacent Colchester.
Tom Eastman’s Ipswich Town career started in the worst way possible
The Tractor Boys are keeping an eye on John Lundstram as they prepare to return to the top division.
During the 2010/11 season, Eastman made 12 appearances for the Tractor Boys, including eight league starts. However, he declined a sixth-month contract extension to join League One club Colchester United on a two-year agreement.
It was unfortunate for Eastman that he was sent off in his first appearance for the club, but he had enough chances during the 2010/11 season to stake a claim for a first-team spot, but he seemed to fall out of favour under Paul Jewell, and his move to Colchester provided him with more first-team opportunities.
The Tractor Boys are keeping an eye on John Lundstram as they prepare to return to the top division.
During the 2010/11 season, Eastman made 12 appearances for the Tractor Boys, including eight league starts. However, he declined a sixth-month contract extension to join League One club Colchester United on a two-year agreement.
It was unfortunate for Eastman that he was sent off in his first appearance for the club, but he had enough chances during the 2010/11 season to stake a claim for a first-team spot, but he seemed to fall out of favour under Paul Jewell, and his move to Colchester provided him with more first-team opportunities.
Tom Eastman became a Colchester United legend
Eastman, who joined Colchester United in 2011, became a club icon with 464 appearances before moving on to fresh opportunities in 2023.
The writing was on the wall for his future at Colchester when he was loaned to Harrogate Town in the second half of the 2022/23 season, and he was released when his contract expired that summer.
Harrogate wanted to sign Eastman on a permanent basis, but he declined and instead signed with National League club Dagenham & Redbridge to stay closer to home.
| Tom Eastman’s senior career | |
|---|---|
| Club | Season(s) |
| Ipswich Town | 2010-11 |
| Colchester United | 2011-23 |
| Crawley Town (Loan) | 2011 |
| Harrogate Town (Loan) | 2023 |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 2023- |
In 2023, he signed a two-year contract with the National League team and performed well in his first season, playing 33 games and scoring four goals.
Eastman’s time at Ipswich is long gone, but it was a remarkable feat for him to make his first-team debut for the club after joining when he was eight.
Colchester may be grateful that Eastman was sent off in his debut game for the Tractor Boys, since they gained a modern-day legend.
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