Alan Smith (born 28 October 1980 in Rothwell, Leeds, England) is
an English football player. He has played centre-forward for
most of his career, but as of 2005 he is undergoing a conversion
into a midfield role. He formerly played for Leeds United and
now plies his trade for Manchester United. He is 5'10" tall, and
weighs 152 pounds.
Alan Smith is a hard-working footballer, who got his start with
his hometown and future club at age 10, when he entered the
Leeds United Centre of Excellence. Smith eventually joined up
with Leeds United proper in March 1998.
His senior Premiership debut was as a substitute for Leeds vs.
Liverpool at Anfield, where he displayed his natural scoring
ability by scoring with his first touch of the ball. That goal
helped propel him into the 1998/1999 season, as he was one-half
of manager David O'Leary's first-choice striker pairing, along
with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Smith continued his run through the Leeds side, as the club
began to grow in stature. Smith showed his class in 2001 while
helping to lead the Leeds side through the much vaunted
Champions League, though his experience ended on a sour note as
he was sent off in the semifinal. The following season saw Alan
relegated to the midfield, his versatility working against him,
as O'Leary tried to accommodate new signings. 2001 was also the
year for Smith's break into the England squad. An England youth
international at multiple levels, Smith made his senior England
debut in May 2001. Unfortunately, Alan did not make the final
cut for the 2002 World Cup, and accepted a starring role with
the England Under-21 side.
A hometown hero and a teen idol for supporters of hometown club
Leeds, Smith was the poster boy for the club for the 2002-2004
seasons, winning his supporter's "Player of the Year" award two
years running, a first in Leeds' history. Though his goal tally
was not excellent by any means, his willingness to play any role
on the pitch and his tireless efforts to save "the Whites" from
relegation for two seasons was met with love from his adoring
public. Smith also caused controversy, when in a League Cup game
against Manchester United he threw a bottle in the crowd after
it was thrown on the field, incidentally hitting his best
friend's sister. This incident got Smith in hot water with his
club and the FA. Smith announced his desire to leave Leeds due
to relegation in May of 2004, ending his Leeds career by kissing
the badge and crying at his last match. His transfer to bitter
rivals Manchester United, however, led to controversy and his
exit was marred by accusations of treachery[citation needed].
Alan SmithSmith started the second chapter of his career on
August 8th, 2004 at the Community Shield clash against Arsenal
F.C., netting for the "Red Devils" with a swerving volley in the
55th minute. Smith has impressed at Old Trafford since his
arrival, with several prominent former players hailing him as
something akin to the next Mark Hughes[citation needed]. Despite
only being at the club for a few months, he developed a fearsome
reputation for both long-ranged strikes such as his strikes
against Arsenal and Norwich City, and more intelligent, 'poacher'-type
goals, akin to those crafted by Ruud van Nistelrooy, such as the
double against Dinamo Bucharest in the UEFA Champions League.
An injury hampered his first season, causing him to miss out on
several matches including the Carling Cup semi-final against
Chelsea. He missed out in the FA Cup final against Arsenal at
Millennium Stadium as Manchester United lost out to penalties in
the game. As the 2004/2005 season ended rumours were rife about
Alan Smith's future, despite Smith saying he wanted to continue
at United for his entire career[citation needed]. The forward
managed a good return of 10 goals for his first season at Old
Trafford. However, with Wayne Rooney in sparkling form and Ruud
van Nistelrooy back in the team after injury, Smith was
relegated to the bench. However, he remained a fans' favourite.
In the summer of 2005 it emerged that Manchester United manager,
Sir Alex Ferguson, was grooming Alan Smith as a successor to Roy
Keane in the Manchester United midfield. Ferguson stated, "Roy
sees characteristics in Alan that he saw in himself as a young
player, which could help Alan develop into a very good player in
that position."[1] Smith got his chance to prove his credentials
as a replacement for Keane when the United skipper was injured
early on in the 2005/2006 season. Smith began a prolonged run in
the midfield 'anchor' role, with moderate effectiveness. However,
as United began to stutter in the absence of several senior
players, the midfield came under heavy flak from fans and
pundits alike, and it was questioned whether Smith was cut out
for the vital midfield role he was being asked to play[citation
needed]. These criticism aimed at Smith and his team-mates
reached its nadir with United's embarrassing 4-1 capitulation
away to Middlesbrough and the subsequent 1-0 defeat to Lille OSC
in the Champions League. Smith was believed to be one of several
United stars who were heavily criticised by Roy Keane in an MUTV
interview that was thought too explosive to be aired and
consigned to the cutting room floor by club officials. It seemed
that Smith's performance in the crucial home match against
league leaders Chelsea would be meticuluosly scrutinised in the
light of Keane's damning words. Smith responded in spectacular
fashion, giving a man-of-the-match performance as his side won
1-0. Following Roy Keane's contract termination at Manchester
United, Alan Smith looks to secure the role of central
midfielder.
He has only one goal under his belt this season, that came in a
3-1 away win over Charlton Athletic at The Valley. On February
18, during a 1-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup,
Alan broke his leg and dislocated his ankle while attempting to
block a free-kick from Liverpool's John Arne Riise, an injury
described by Sir Alex Ferguson as "one of the worst I've seen".
Despite the rivalry between the two clubs, he was given an
ovation by many of the Liverpool fans as he was stretchered off
the pitch. As a result of this injury, he now looks certain to
miss out on his place in the England World Cup 2006 squad. [2].
On the next day, it was confirmed that Smith would miss action
for at least 12 months, after a successful operation on his
ankle.
"I felt my leg go from under me as I went to block a free-kick,"
Smith told The Sun. "When I looked down, the leg was lying one
way and my ankle was pointing towards Hong Kong so I knew I was
in serious trouble." There was however, a small consolation for
Smith and his club when United beat Wigan Athletic 4-0 in the
Carling cup final of the same season. United players toasted,
with T-shirts emblazened with "For you Smudge", in homage to
Smith and his horrific end to the 2005/6 season. |
