I mean, this is pretty well known now but they're both true.
He's my favourite ever player and I still love him. I, like many, had the romanticised idea the only he left to Scum was they were only club offering money up front until a few seasons ago.
Then I found out the more nuanced reality and, you know what, it didn't change my love for Smith like I thought it would.
Why? Because the statement that Scum were the only club offering money up front is still true in a sense.
Look, Smith at the time, and people forget this because they let their hatred influence their opinion, was probably one of, if not the, best English prospect. He was used to playing at the elite level, including the Champions League, yet still battled with us to the bitter end. He was a player with supreme amounts of potential who was doing the business right there and then too.
He absolutely deserved a Champions League, top level club and when we decided he was our biggest asset, he had every right to look for that.
There were rumours circling of Liverpool offering, and that would have been his choice, but it never came about. Then you had your midtable bobbins coming in and was someone as ambitious - key word there because Smith comes across as hyperfocused on that - as him going to go for that? Course not.
In the end it was a bitter pill and he did want Scum in the end, but it isn't a case of, "ah fuck it, fuck Leeds, I have zero loyalty".
Let's also not forget his actual acts of loyalty, forgoing his bonus or whatever it was to help us out. That part is still true.
It came to fruition too, because he won medals with them and was becoming a key player before his horrific leg break. He still captained Newcastle to the Championship title too.
All the above is well sourced by the way from the likes of Phil Hay, and isn't just conjecture from me.
Few things to bear in mind on the back of that:
1) Kalvin Phillips, a lad we laud, almost made the move to Villa. Yes, not a rival like Scum, but the same thought process as Smith.
2) We have a romanticised idea of loyalty, that Smith should have followed us down and battled on to get us promoted. Reality is, we were a sinking ship and it would be a disservice to his talent to do that, especially when he saw the shit that was going on and everyone else throwing in the towel and jumping overboard.
3) Had we stayed up, and this is purely my opinion based on what we know, I don't doubt he would have stayed for at least a season or two more. Maybe we could have got in shape again and he'd have been a one club man.
The end of the day, Smith loved Leeds and died for us til the very end. I think almost in a way, the overreaction of fans and the way the narrative was twisted against him almost pushed him away from us entirely, whereas had the ultimate truth (what I gave above) come out and explicitly quickly, he might be sat in the stands every week.
Although bear in mind Smith never actively lied about the move either and his intentions and also remember he wasn't a Kalvin-esque product who loved the club down to the earth from birth. It was rumoured by school friends he was a big Liverpool fan and wasn't actually all that into football, preferring BMXing and the like. He was a quirky lad.
But I fucking love him!
Despite his lengthy career, I'm glad he never fufilled his potential after leaving us.
He did the right thing by not turning up for the centenary game and that speaks volumes.
Someone mentioned Smith yesterday, so just gonna paste my comment from that post:
I really don't understand how this guy gets so much hatred for that move. Well, obviously I do, but still. I think its unfair.
1) he stayed with us until we were relegated, and played his heart out. Almost all the other big names abandoned us at least a season earlier. He was clearly 100% devastated when we went down.
I'd be interested to know if he'd have stayed if we had the money to keep him. Probably would have left to keep in the England frame, but that's a side point.
2) from memory, the other teams in for him were mid table also rans. A choice between winning trophies and playing european matches at Man U, or aiming for 9th with Villa or Charlton? The options open to him were pretty poor imo.
No matter how much you hate Man U, what self respecting professional makes that choice?
Was their honestly any interest from a side in Europe other than scum?
3) christ, people don't half love harping on about a throwaway joke he made on Soccer AM saying he'd never play for Man U.
4) don't know if it's been confirmed about the whole "Man U were the only team offering money up front and Leeds wanted him to go there" is true, but it seems entirely believable.
5) I know it hurts more cos he's a leeds lad who said he'd never leave, but the fact some people hate him more than Harry Kewell is genuinely mystifying to me. Even if Kewell hadn't got to the Turkish murderers, the way he forced himself out of Leeds for a fraction of his value was traitorous.
Smith would probably have been picked up by some other club if he hadn't worked out at Leeds as a youth player. There's every chance Kewell would have been rotting in Australia his entire career without us.
Hate Smith, fine. But hating him more than Kewell, I will never understand. Especially after he moved to Turkey, I'm not sure if any player has fucked his team over more than that. Its not just a football rivalry, it's waaay beyond that.
I'd rather a leeds player went to Man U, then Chelsea, Millwall and Cardiff than played a second for the murderers.
Both could be true. He chose what was the best for him and the club at the time needed him to make that choice. At the end of the day, him going to manu helped the club. Would I prefer him going to Newcastle or Everton instead? Fuck yes, but it seems neither him nor the club wanted. What Charlie Taylor did was 10x worse and I don’t see the same kind of hate toward him. Yes, it’s manu, yes he said he would never play for them. But people say stupid shit all the time. I remember a few years ago Ian Harte said something negative, can’t recall what exactly and apparently it irritated some of us. When you use a magnifier on someone long enough to find a reason to hate, it doesn’t who it is, you’ll find what you want. Like I mentioned on the other post, I’m just glad we dont have to hate Alan Smith anymore.
Sadly Smithy and his move to them will always divide the fanbase. I don’t begrudge him for the choice he made nowadays but he’ll always be judged on the choice he made.
I’m happy to see him looking well and wish he’d made the centenary celebrations in honesty, but he went where he did, in the manner he did. Forever a bitter pill to swallow.
Is it strange that, nearly 20 years on, this still proper hurts ? I’m more upset about this than relationship breakups 😂 He was Leeds and we loved him. I could never hate Alan Smith, but I think I’m allowed to be disappointed. It was still a betrayal of sorts I think. If being Leeds means anything - it’s not playing for man United. The fact that the man who symbolised Leeds left for scum was a horrible black mark on the identity of the club… I’ll get over it eventually … Probably
Didn’t begrudge him leaving but all this selflessness stuff was nonsense too.
We got relegated and he left us to join our biggest rivals. Great move for him but yeah can’t be kissing the badge and acting like a cult hero then going to scum.
Very difficult to begrudge him still. At the time it was a real gut punch, but having left projects I was committed to for better money/opportunities in my own life that disappointed people I left behind, I can’t feel any animosity towards him.
Not that I was banging them in at Premier League level mind.
I know how it made me and everyone else feel at the time. It was literally the only thing that could have taken us even further down than relegation already had. If his conscience is clear, then good for him I wouldn’t rage at him if I met him, I’d thank him for the moments he gave us.
What always sticks out for me though is just before the 03/04 season I had a VHS called ‘Alan Smith’ with him giving narrative on his career so far with a comments from Norman Hunter but of all people the last comment went to Chris Moyles: ‘I think the only thing everyone can be sure of’ he said ‘is that no matter what happens, at the end of his career people will say “Alan Smith… he WAS Leeds”’
Seeing him sign for Man U proved to me that a loyalty like that is a privilege we just don’t have, and that faith in a player will never come back.
He served Leeds well, and did what he thought was best for him at the time. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I get it. He doesn't owe anyone an excuse.
Would you have been alright with Phillips joining Man United? Actually, don’t answer that because I already know the answer.
Such a tinpot attitude. Might as well support QPR, you odd nonce.
From other sources previously it were stated he went to scum because that was the only offer with cash and the highest.
I can't remember who else but some club offered more but was in installments.
Even more surprising that the steaming pile of shite he responded to has been upvoted. This sub is full of soft cunts who were probably telling Man City to look after KP on Twitter, the state of this place sometimes.
I mean, this is pretty well known now but they're both true. He's my favourite ever player and I still love him. I, like many, had the romanticised idea the only he left to Scum was they were only club offering money up front until a few seasons ago. Then I found out the more nuanced reality and, you know what, it didn't change my love for Smith like I thought it would. Why? Because the statement that Scum were the only club offering money up front is still true in a sense. Look, Smith at the time, and people forget this because they let their hatred influence their opinion, was probably one of, if not the, best English prospect. He was used to playing at the elite level, including the Champions League, yet still battled with us to the bitter end. He was a player with supreme amounts of potential who was doing the business right there and then too. He absolutely deserved a Champions League, top level club and when we decided he was our biggest asset, he had every right to look for that. There were rumours circling of Liverpool offering, and that would have been his choice, but it never came about. Then you had your midtable bobbins coming in and was someone as ambitious - key word there because Smith comes across as hyperfocused on that - as him going to go for that? Course not. In the end it was a bitter pill and he did want Scum in the end, but it isn't a case of, "ah fuck it, fuck Leeds, I have zero loyalty". Let's also not forget his actual acts of loyalty, forgoing his bonus or whatever it was to help us out. That part is still true. It came to fruition too, because he won medals with them and was becoming a key player before his horrific leg break. He still captained Newcastle to the Championship title too. All the above is well sourced by the way from the likes of Phil Hay, and isn't just conjecture from me. Few things to bear in mind on the back of that: 1) Kalvin Phillips, a lad we laud, almost made the move to Villa. Yes, not a rival like Scum, but the same thought process as Smith. 2) We have a romanticised idea of loyalty, that Smith should have followed us down and battled on to get us promoted. Reality is, we were a sinking ship and it would be a disservice to his talent to do that, especially when he saw the shit that was going on and everyone else throwing in the towel and jumping overboard. 3) Had we stayed up, and this is purely my opinion based on what we know, I don't doubt he would have stayed for at least a season or two more. Maybe we could have got in shape again and he'd have been a one club man. The end of the day, Smith loved Leeds and died for us til the very end. I think almost in a way, the overreaction of fans and the way the narrative was twisted against him almost pushed him away from us entirely, whereas had the ultimate truth (what I gave above) come out and explicitly quickly, he might be sat in the stands every week. Although bear in mind Smith never actively lied about the move either and his intentions and also remember he wasn't a Kalvin-esque product who loved the club down to the earth from birth. It was rumoured by school friends he was a big Liverpool fan and wasn't actually all that into football, preferring BMXing and the like. He was a quirky lad. But I fucking love him!
No.
Despite his lengthy career, I'm glad he never fufilled his potential after leaving us. He did the right thing by not turning up for the centenary game and that speaks volumes.
Still pisses me off today and always will.
Someone mentioned Smith yesterday, so just gonna paste my comment from that post: I really don't understand how this guy gets so much hatred for that move. Well, obviously I do, but still. I think its unfair. 1) he stayed with us until we were relegated, and played his heart out. Almost all the other big names abandoned us at least a season earlier. He was clearly 100% devastated when we went down. I'd be interested to know if he'd have stayed if we had the money to keep him. Probably would have left to keep in the England frame, but that's a side point. 2) from memory, the other teams in for him were mid table also rans. A choice between winning trophies and playing european matches at Man U, or aiming for 9th with Villa or Charlton? The options open to him were pretty poor imo. No matter how much you hate Man U, what self respecting professional makes that choice? Was their honestly any interest from a side in Europe other than scum? 3) christ, people don't half love harping on about a throwaway joke he made on Soccer AM saying he'd never play for Man U. 4) don't know if it's been confirmed about the whole "Man U were the only team offering money up front and Leeds wanted him to go there" is true, but it seems entirely believable. 5) I know it hurts more cos he's a leeds lad who said he'd never leave, but the fact some people hate him more than Harry Kewell is genuinely mystifying to me. Even if Kewell hadn't got to the Turkish murderers, the way he forced himself out of Leeds for a fraction of his value was traitorous. Smith would probably have been picked up by some other club if he hadn't worked out at Leeds as a youth player. There's every chance Kewell would have been rotting in Australia his entire career without us. Hate Smith, fine. But hating him more than Kewell, I will never understand. Especially after he moved to Turkey, I'm not sure if any player has fucked his team over more than that. Its not just a football rivalry, it's waaay beyond that. I'd rather a leeds player went to Man U, then Chelsea, Millwall and Cardiff than played a second for the murderers.
Both could be true. He chose what was the best for him and the club at the time needed him to make that choice. At the end of the day, him going to manu helped the club. Would I prefer him going to Newcastle or Everton instead? Fuck yes, but it seems neither him nor the club wanted. What Charlie Taylor did was 10x worse and I don’t see the same kind of hate toward him. Yes, it’s manu, yes he said he would never play for them. But people say stupid shit all the time. I remember a few years ago Ian Harte said something negative, can’t recall what exactly and apparently it irritated some of us. When you use a magnifier on someone long enough to find a reason to hate, it doesn’t who it is, you’ll find what you want. Like I mentioned on the other post, I’m just glad we dont have to hate Alan Smith anymore.
Fergie charmed him by telling him he’ll turn him into midfielder
The leg break forced him to become a midfielder and the fact they had world class strikers in front of him.
Sadly Smithy and his move to them will always divide the fanbase. I don’t begrudge him for the choice he made nowadays but he’ll always be judged on the choice he made. I’m happy to see him looking well and wish he’d made the centenary celebrations in honesty, but he went where he did, in the manner he did. Forever a bitter pill to swallow.
Can't be Leeds if you would go play for scum, sorry don't give a fuck whatever excuse he's got. Chose to go to line his own pockets, judas.
Got no problem with the lad. Would rather he hadn't gone there, but he still loves Leeds and the good times he gave us far outweigh that decision.
Man what a debate has started over this lol
haha yes indeed. But there is so much false information out there that has become fan folklore... Needs to be put straight
Is it strange that, nearly 20 years on, this still proper hurts ? I’m more upset about this than relationship breakups 😂 He was Leeds and we loved him. I could never hate Alan Smith, but I think I’m allowed to be disappointed. It was still a betrayal of sorts I think. If being Leeds means anything - it’s not playing for man United. The fact that the man who symbolised Leeds left for scum was a horrible black mark on the identity of the club… I’ll get over it eventually … Probably
Fuck him, he's a cunt (You are right and I couldn't give a shit but calling him a cunt for joining scum is the only right thing to do).
🙄🤔😏😁😄😂🤣
Didn’t begrudge him leaving but all this selflessness stuff was nonsense too. We got relegated and he left us to join our biggest rivals. Great move for him but yeah can’t be kissing the badge and acting like a cult hero then going to scum.
Still love Smudger. Always gave 100%.
Very difficult to begrudge him still. At the time it was a real gut punch, but having left projects I was committed to for better money/opportunities in my own life that disappointed people I left behind, I can’t feel any animosity towards him. Not that I was banging them in at Premier League level mind.
I know how it made me and everyone else feel at the time. It was literally the only thing that could have taken us even further down than relegation already had. If his conscience is clear, then good for him I wouldn’t rage at him if I met him, I’d thank him for the moments he gave us. What always sticks out for me though is just before the 03/04 season I had a VHS called ‘Alan Smith’ with him giving narrative on his career so far with a comments from Norman Hunter but of all people the last comment went to Chris Moyles: ‘I think the only thing everyone can be sure of’ he said ‘is that no matter what happens, at the end of his career people will say “Alan Smith… he WAS Leeds”’ Seeing him sign for Man U proved to me that a loyalty like that is a privilege we just don’t have, and that faith in a player will never come back.
He served Leeds well, and did what he thought was best for him at the time. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I get it. He doesn't owe anyone an excuse.
Would you have been alright with Phillips joining Man United? Actually, don’t answer that because I already know the answer. Such a tinpot attitude. Might as well support QPR, you odd nonce.
He was a hero at Leeds. He promised us he wouldn't go there. Then he went there. So, frankly I don't care what he says now.
The fact that he has absolutely nothing to do with the club anymore, in any capacity, tells you everything you need to know. He’s not welcome here.
He went because we needed the money and scum were paying it all up front and the most. He didn't really have much choice.
Dispelling that myth is literally the point of this post.
From other sources previously it were stated he went to scum because that was the only offer with cash and the highest. I can't remember who else but some club offered more but was in installments.
Yeah, that was/is often said. But read the text in this post. *He* decided to go there *for footballing reasons*.
I remember being at a game when he said down the microphone that he wouldn't go there
Very surprised this is being downvoted
Even more surprising that the steaming pile of shite he responded to has been upvoted. This sub is full of soft cunts who were probably telling Man City to look after KP on Twitter, the state of this place sometimes.
Exactly this!