QPR's Smith not sure about Pompey reception

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QPR winger Tommy Smith is unsure how his return to Portsmouth will be greeted by the home fans when his npower Championship-leading QPR side travel to Portman Road tonight.

Smith was one of a number of players who left Portsmouth following their relegation from the Barclays Premier League as they attempted to relieve the financial pressure on the club.

Since then both Portsmouth and Smith have enjoyed brighter times, with the south-coast club moving out of administration after finding the investment to secure their long-term future.

Smith, meanwhile, has been a part of the QPR team that has set the early pace in the Championship, with the 30-year-old scoring for the first time as they returned to the top of the table with a 3-1 win over Reading at the weekend.

"I really have no idea what reception I'll get at Pompey," he told the Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle.

"It wasn't just me wanting to go in the summer - the club were looking to sell three or four players as well as me.

"And I was glad to come to a stable club - but on the other hand it was tough to leave Portsmouth in that position."

Victory for QPR would move them four points clear at the top, with closest rivals Cardiff not in action until Wednesday night when they travel to Reading.

Hull will look to end their seven-game losing streak when they face Yorkshire rivals Leeds at Elland Road.

The Tigers have, however, failed to win all four of their meetings with Yorkshire opposition this season, while they lost their Humberside derby with Scunthorpe 1-0 at the weekend.

That has left them above the relegation zone on goal difference alone, and new signing Liam Rosenior told their official website: "Luckily for us, we've got another game on Tuesday and so we can't think too much about the disappointment.

"It will be another local derby, so we want to put Saturday behind us and put things right."

Leeds have themselves battled inconsistency this season but a 3-2 win at high-flying Coventry at the weekend means they could move into the top-six with a win over the Tigers.

Ipswich currently sit just inside the play-off places, a point above Leeds, and will look to defend their position when they host fourth-placed Derby.

Bottom club Crystal Palace will host Watford a day after 37-year-old former Holland midfielder Edgar Davids announced he was leaving the club.

Davids ended his pay-as-you-play deal after just three months and seven appearances for the Eagles.

Fifth-placed Coventry will look to bounce back from their weekend defeat when they make the short trip to Nottingham Forest while Barnsley will aim to end a four-game winless run at Preston.

In the other fixtures tonight, Burnley host Doncaster, Millwall face Norwich at The New Den and Scunthorpe entertain Middlesbrough.

Cardiff's trip to Reading highlights tomorrow's fixtures when Swansea, who beat the Bluebirds 1-0 on Sunday, are at home to struggling Bristol City while Leicester host Sheffield United.