here's an interesting (i thought) read: http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article2831048.ece
Smith's job is to take goals to Newcastle
The Yorkshireman has much to his game but must score more on Tyneside, writes Glenn Moore
Published: 03 August 2007
In his last two seasons Alan Smith has played in 49 matches, scored two goals and been booked 12 times. In his career he has received 10 red cards, been found wanting as a central midfielder, and averages less than a goal every five Premiership matches.
Which begs the question why at least at least a quarter of top flight managers, notably those of Newcastle, Everton, Tottenham, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, are prepared to spend up to £6m on him?
The reason is that there is more to Smith than his statistics, and popular image, suggest. On the field he may be something of a blunt instrument at times, with an appaling disciplinary record, but he has a delicacy of touch, is a model professional off the pitch, and has worked hard on improving his temperament.
He has also demonstrated his character by coming back from the stomach-churning injury, a broken leg and dislocated ankle, he suffered at Anfield in February 2006. He did not start a game for a year, but recovered to the extent his last appearance of last season was at Wembley, for England against Brazil.
While he has played a lot of football, having made his Leeds debut at 17 (scoring, against Liverpool, also at Anfield, with his first touch), at 26 he should still have plenty of games left in him. He is also an inspirational presence on the pitch.
But what of the disciplinary record? That he has only been dismissed once under Sir Alex Ferguson, in a Manchester derby in 2004, suggests he has largely learned to control himself. Playing for a club other than his hometown team, Leeds United, probably helps. He is still a reckless tackler, but appears to have learned to stop after the first yellow card.
The goals return should be better but at both Uniteds he has had to be compromise on his desire to play at centre-forward. At Leeds he frequently played wider or deeper, at Manchester, where he started with six goals in 12 games, he had a spell being trialled as a successor to Roy Keane. It did not succeed and he finished last season up front, impressing against Roma in Europe and Watford in the FA Cup semi-final. Not playing Smith against Milan, against whom he had success with Leeds, may have been a rare error by Ferguson.
Smith is also a maker, as much as a taker, of goals. It is easy to see why Sam Allardyce, who looks like winning the chase for his signature, wishes to renew Smith's former Leeds partnership with Mark Viduka – though with Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Shola Ameobi also in the frame a regular place is far from guaranteed.
Not that Smith will shirk the challenge. He has always been prepared to be contrary. As a boy he walked out of the FA National School at Lilleshall, deciding it was not for him. When he left Leeds for their hated Mancunian rivals he infuriated the fans who had idolised him. When Ferguson tried to send him out on loan last season, he refused. He is also thought to be teetotal, not an easy principle to maintain, even in the "modern" dressing room.
Not that he is totally at odds with football culture. He has enjoyed modelling clothes though more common, but less publicised, have been his appearances for charity.
Smith's combative, heart-on-sleeve style will be very popular at St James' Park. Allardyce, though, will need him to provide at least an echo of Alan Shearer's goals, as well as his physicality, if Big Sam's Magpie Revolution is to take flight.
