Smith, Alan (1980)

Start

As a boy, Alan Smith was enrolled by his parents at Rotwell Children's Football School, where his older brother Gavin was already studying. The kid impressed the coach and was transferred to the junior team, which with the arrival of Alan won the League three times and took the cup three times. And Smith scored 92 goals in one season.

Leeds United bosses took the team in pencil. Alan was one of the first on the list. And for the next few years he went to the training camp of the big Leeds.

At age 14, Smith received his first serious injury - an ankle fracture. Leeds United gave all the support to the guy, and Smith thanked his team at the age of 16. For the first time in a double of his club, Alan entered the field at Christmas against the second Manchester United squad. The match ended in a draw. And in the next game against Derby, Smith scored his first goal and received the first red card.

Leeds United

Leeds coach David O'Leary decided it was time to get the young footballer to play for the first team, and in 1998, 18-year-old Smith made his debut in the English Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield . Alan came on as a substitute and scored a goal with the first touch. This goal helped him gain a foothold in the first team. In the first season of 1998-99, O'Leary prefers Smith in the starting lineup, where he composed an attacking tandem with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank . Smith continued to progress, as did Leeds . In 2001, he showed his class by scoring 7 goals in UEFA Champions League matches when the team reached the semifinals, losing to Valencia . The following season, O'Leary tried to use Smith as a central midfielder.

2001 was also remembered for the fact that Smith was involved in the national team of England. After playing for the youth team, Alan finally made his debut for the first national team in May 2001. However, he did not get into the final application for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and continued to play for the youth team.

On November 14, 2002, as part of the UEFA Cup, Leeds arrived in Tel Aviv to visit the local Hapoel . The English club defeated the Israelis with a score of 5: 1, and Smith scored four goals. The hero of the hometown for Leeds United fans, Smith, for two consecutive seasons in 2003 and 2004, was recognized by them as a player of the year. This happened for the first time in the club’s history. A player who has earned the reputation of being a “bad guy,” often playing rude, occasionally receiving red cards. He did not score many goals, but his willingness to play any role on the field, and his tireless efforts to save the “whites” from relegation were greatly appreciated by the fans.

Unsuccessful financial operations drove the team into debt. The inevitable sale of the best players has begun. By the end of the 2003-2004 season, it became clear that Leeds was leaving the elite society of English teams. Smith held out longer than many others. He spent 6 seasons in the team. However, it was sold to the camp of competitors at Manchester United . During the day, Alan from a hero turned into a villain in the eyes of many fans. This happened even despite the club’s public statements that he cannot afford to pay Smith’s previous salary and that the player was put up for transfer and the only club willing to pay the real amount is Manchester United . Everton and Newcastle were ready to acquire a striker only by installments. Due to the financial difficulties of Leeds , Smith refused his personal transfer amount, which he owed the club. But this did not stop some Leeds fans from feeling betrayed.

Manchester United

In May 2004, after Leeds relegated from the Premier League, Alan Smith signed a contract with Manchester United . The amount of transfer amounted to 7 million pounds. In “MU” Alan Smith immediately entrenched in the main team, but subsequently ceded a permanent place at the base of Wayne Rooney and Rud van Nistelrooy . After leaving Keane ’s team, Alex Ferguson, the Mankunian coach, transferred Alan Smith from the attack line to midfield.

February 18, 2006 in the FA Cup match against Liverpool , Alan Smith replaced in the last minutes of the match. Trying to block the penalty kick inflicted by Jon Arne Riise , he unsuccessfully fell and received a severe leg fracture. Manchester United players conquered in the League Cup match a week later dedicated their injured friend Alan Smith. ^{[1] The} treatment for the injury was successful, but after a long recovery period, Smith was still unable to gain a foothold in the club’s main team and moved to Newcastle United before the 2007-2008 season .

Newcastle United

On August 2, 2007, Newcastle United confirmed that they had agreed with Manchester United a fee of 6 million pounds for Smith. On August 3, a personal contract was signed with the new club for a period of five years. The debut of the forty was held in the August friendly game against Sampdoria, in which Alan scored the only and winning goal. In the Premier League, Smith made his debut on August 11 in an away match against Bolton . However, the striker, struggling to gain a foothold in Newcastle in his first season, could not score more than a single goal.

His progress in the next season was hindered by an ankle fatigue fracture obtained during preseason training. It took more than six months before Smith recovered and, having gained the optimal form, on February 22, 2009 he replaced his home match against Everton. Despite returning, Smith was unable to help Newcastle escape from relegation from the Premier League. Having missed the only goal in the last round from Aston Villa, the club sank into the Championship . And Smith ended the season again without goals.

The following season, 2009-2010, Smith was appointed team vice-captain. In the absence of captain Nicky Butt for various reasons, Smith led his partners to the field during the season. By this time, Alan finally changed his playing role, taking the place of a defensive midfielder. Now he was no longer engaged in scoring goals, but in defense of his goal. This time the injuries practically did not make themselves felt, and Alan took part in 35 matches of the championship season, which ended with a triumphant return to the Premier League.

Season 2010-11 Smith began in the starting lineup. He invariably entered the field in the first four games of the championship. But, with the signing of Sheik Tiote and Hatem Ben Arf , Alan lost the spot at the base. Smith received playing time on September 22 in a League Cup match, where Chris Hewton gave young players and those who did not have regular playing practice the opportunity to play. The match ended in Newcastle victory 4-3, and Chelsea suffered the first defeat of the season. Alan Smith during the season was almost always in the application for the game, and was always ready to replace. Due to the three-match disqualification of Sheik Tiote, he returned to the starting lineup. But on January 16, in the first half of the match with Sunderland, Smith was again injured by his left ankle and was forced to leave the field. As further medical examination showed, Alan was out of order before the end of the season. However, the recovery was faster than expected. In April, Smith began full-fledged training and ended up in the bid for the last two matches of the season. And in the latter (against West Brom) he even took part, replacing Levenkrands in the 70th minute of the game.

On June 7, 2011, Smith was notified by Newcastle management that the club did not need his services, and that he was entitled to look for a new job. However, the player had a contract, valid for another year. Therefore, Smith went on lease before the end of the season at MK Dons ^[2] .

MK Dons

After the contract with Newcastle United ended, Smith decided to join MK Dons on a contractual basis for 2 years. Smith also led the team’s reservists and participated in the Aon Training Complex, where his former Manchester United teammates Nicky Butt , Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville work. ^[3]

Notts County

On May 20, 2014, the Notts County Third Division English Club signed a one-year contract with Alan Smith. In addition to playing for the team, Smith will also act as one of the coaches ^[4] .

England team

In 2001, Alan Smith first received an invitation to the England team . On May 25, 2001, he entered the field in a match against the Mexican national team , which the British won 4-0. Smith scored his first and last goal for the national team in a match with the Portuguese national team in September 2002 , which ended in a draw.

Having recovered from an injury, since the summer of 2007 he has been involved in national team games, participated in friendly matches of the main team, as well as in the match of the second England team ( England-B ).

(updated as of July 27, 2011)

• Alan Smith Fans Site
• England Football Association website profile