Newcastle poised for Smith

Stuart Brennan

July 31, 2007

Alan Smith

ALAN Smith is set to join Newcastle after United accepted a £6m deal for the striker.

The 26-year-old was today due to hold talks with manager Sam Allardyce over personal terms, with the transfer expected to go ahead this week.

Smith was also the subject of a bid from Middlesbrough, who wanted him to replace St James' Park-bound Mark Viduka, but the former Leeds striker was not keen on a move to the Riverside.

Smith now seems certain to leave United, who he joined for £7m just over three years ago. He has made 93 appearances for the Reds, scoring 12 goals.

Smith has been reluctant to leave Old Trafford, but the impending arrival of Carlos Tevez and the singings of Nani and Anderson over the summer means there is little room for a player who has struggled to make an impact on the first team since he broke his leg and dislocated his ankle against Liverpool in February last year.

The transfer is also a sign that United are optimistic they can still secure a deal to bring Tevez to the club before the August 31 transfer deadline.

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Mick, Dublin (31/07/2007 at 09:52)

Good luck, Smudger.

He'll do well at Newcastle. Not the right player for the sensational team Fergie is building at MUFC but good enough to be a big hit at the bar-codes.

I really, really hope the club's confidence over signing Tevez turns out to be correct. If we sell Smith and DON'T sign another striker we will be light up front. Again.

Gerry, Glastonbury (31/07/2007 at 10:00)

Smith will do well at Newcastle. It's easy to see him in a very similar role to that of Kevin Davies at Bolton? They'll love his style / attitude there and he has the opportunity to follow some real legends.
Good luck to him. He had an awful injury at United, played out of position most of the time and though perhaps not quite good enough
has a real opportunity at St James's to make a name for himself. A good move I would have thought and 50,000 Gordies roaring you on! I could think of worse career moves.

Frank Old Trafford (31/07/2007 at 10:00)

The fact that United have accepted a pathetic 6 million pound bid for a current England international forward is an indication that they think he's bobbins.

This is also a vindication of me and the others (who were many) who were against his signing.

The change in the approach to squad building from the plc to the Glazers is dramatic. If this is what SAF really wanted to do all along and was only forced into the the DjembaBellion strategy by the plc then we should be relieved that those days are over!

Demo, Glossop (31/07/2007 at 10:09)

i believed that given a decent pre season then smith could do a job for us but unfortunately on the tour he hasnt looked any good and if tevez is coming then there is no space for him.

rossi has to stay and get a chance, saha when fit will play a part, and rooney and tevez will be main strike force. unfortunately if you include the cameo sub from ole then there is no room left for smith and if its a option of letting go of rossi or smith then everytime its smithy to go! and im part of the smithy fan club!

Life Is Not Fair, Audenshaw (31/07/2007 at 10:14)

He's played his last game for England then!

DENNIS LAWS BACK HEEL (31/07/2007 at 10:15)

IF YOU SELL HIM TO NEWCASTLE DOES THAT MEAN THAT HE LOSSES HIS "WORLD CLASS" STATUS?

terry (31/07/2007 at 10:23)

Way to go Smithy. Having spent over a year on Tyneside I can tell you you'll be welcomed as a hero and all the diehard qualities you have shown for us will be loved by the Toon. Also, the chance to play alongside somegood players. Thanks for all you've given us, Smithy. Thanks for filling the hole in midfield when we were desperate. Full credit for the way you've grafted your way back and I wish you the very best (but don't do a Forlan and score 30 goals a season and especially don't score against us). See you in Europe. Cheers.

salfordite (31/07/2007 at 10:25)

Richardson and now Smith! What a great summer! Anyone for Silvestre?

salfordite (31/07/2007 at 10:31)

12 goals in 93 games! Says it all really. banjo a hit backside cow couldn't He. arrange those words into a well known saying. See you Alan, you won't be missed by me.

Birdy, Ireland (31/07/2007 at 10:35)

Is there a prize for the first comment?!?

6m is what we expected to get, so happy enough with that. It also is a signal that we're confident of landing Tevez.

Is it a good move for Smith? Well he's gonna be up against Owen, Martins, Viduka, Ameobi and Luque so he's not gonna just walk into the Newcastle side, but thats his problem. I think he's a good signing for them though, and would be a good foil for speed merchants like Owen and Martins.

Anyway, i'd rather see Smith leave than Rossi. If nothing else hopefully it secures his place in the squad for the coming season

edinburgh red, edinburgh (31/07/2007 at 10:38)

Surely if boro, city and newcastle are all intrested in him could we not get a higher fee, I dont mind him going but we really need to get numbers into cover as rooney would then be our only experienced fit striker left, we should do a cah plus smith deal for martins.

Balders, Tier 2 Stretford (31/07/2007 at 10:41)

good luck Smudge - regardless of what some 'reds' say you did a good job. Saf signed you and said you would play up front & then tried to turn you into a CM , duh - one he certainly got wrong. You didn't complain though & still gave your all. I do agree with some comments tho' that you're style prob' doesn't fit the way we're going now - so in your interests as well a move is best all round & in big Sam 'those reds' will see what you can bring to an 'english' side! good luck !

Holstonpils, Bromley (31/07/2007 at 10:49)

Well

That is a shame, I had high hopes for Smithy, but after watching him in Asia, I think he's lost the passion he once had. Its probably best all round that he moves on, he won't get a game otherwise! Looking foward to seeing Anderson on Saturday though! Nani has looked Sharp and he can definately put the ball in the Net, both his goals where great strikes!
Come on Tevez!!

bremen red (31/07/2007 at 10:51)

I´m surprised that Keano ain`t after him...I mean, he took KR off our hands...didn´t they get on with each other?

Lee , Heywood, Heywood (31/07/2007 at 10:57)

Good luck Alan. An honest player and a likeable personality. I hope you have a good career elsewhere. All the best.

bobdazzle, Manchester (31/07/2007 at 10:59)

Good piece of business. Fond memories of a lad who had grit and determination and believed in the shirt.
This must mean Rossi stays

Hilton (31/07/2007 at 11:06)

There is a God!

Carlos4all, Nairobi (31/07/2007 at 11:18)

Go for it smith. You are guranteed some football at Newcastle.

edinburgh red, edinburgh (31/07/2007 at 11:20)

Out of liverpool,chelsea,spurs, and even newcastle we are considerably shorter than our opposition in the forward ranks which is quite worrying, we dont hace a front pair for the start of the season if smith goes, imagine an injury to rooney we would be left with untried rossi ,unfit saha and sorry to say past it in ole, so we aren't blessed in this dept and i dont want players played out of position, hopefully tevez and another will arrive.

Fredrik, Sweden (31/07/2007 at 11:26)

Initial outlays so far: 2*8m for Nani and Anderson, 16m for Hargreaves. Recouped 5.5m for KR and now 6m for Smith. That's a net outlay of approx. 20m (14m if you include the 6m for Obi Mikel and even less if you include the add-ons from RvN's sale to Real). Not quite the 52m wildly reported in the press.

I agree with Lee, good luck to Smith. A very honest player but not United class.

Robbo, North Stand (31/07/2007 at 11:36)

Two down, one to go. Richardson (check!), Smith (check!), so come in number 24, your time is up!

Steve, Glossop (31/07/2007 at 11:41)

Everything crossed yippee!

Steve, Great Britain (31/07/2007 at 11:42)

I will be sorry to see him go, but if you don't get regular games then you are never going to do that well.

At least we are getting a decent fee. I always think we never get the right fee. Beckham Van Nistlerooy for instance. Sold on the cheap.

For those of you who knock Smithy I remember when in his first season he scored in 7 games.

Good luck mate

manc abroad, OT (31/07/2007 at 11:45)

Sorry to see him go. Don't think he was given a proper chance through being played out of position and that terrible injury.

Good luck.

terry (31/07/2007 at 11:51)

Why does nobody mention that Ronaldo is a striker?! He has played there for Portugal more than he's played on the wing. Also, Rossi is Italy U21. So, Edinburgh Red - Rooney, Tevez, Rossi, Ronaldo, Saha, Solskjaer. How many strikers do Chelsea/Arsenal/Liverpool have? Cheers.

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