Peter Lorrimer "I think we all expected Alan to get some stick - he expected it as well - but I did feel a little sorry for him because while he went to our biggest rival football-wise, it's never been known by anyone what was behind him going to Old Trafford and I think now is the right time to clear that up. "What happened was that going back to the Gerald Krasner board at that time, they had just taken over, the club had massive debts, the tax man was pressing, we were struggling to pay the wages and we needed money in desperately. "The biggest asset at that time was Alan Smith. We had offers from Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Everton, and various other clubs were interested, but we also knew Manchester United were interested. "I was asked personally by the board of that time to ring Alex Ferguson to let him know that Alan was available if he was interested and tell him how much we were looking for. "And the reason he had to go there was that we were so pressed for money, and it was such a desperate situation, that they were the only team who could pay us the full amount there and then. "The other teams who were interested - as with most transfers nowadays - were on partial payment terms over a longer period of time. But the club was in such dire straits we needed the money there and then. That was the reason why he went there. "To a degree he might not have chosen Manchester United had he been given the choice, but he wasn't. The club led him down that line. His agent and Alan were made aware of the situation at that time, and the neccessity was that he went to Old Trafford. "Leeds fans didn't want him to go there but as far as the club is concerned, Alan Smith going there probably saved us from going into administration or liquidation a lot earlier than we did. "I know Alan. He is a Leeds fan and he always will be a Leeds fan and there is nobody more aware than him of how much it hurt our fans, but I would like to put the record straight. "I fully understand how the fans felt, but he was made fully aware of how bid the situation here was and what the club's preference was. "I hope they appreciate that he still loves Leeds and maybe now it's time to bury the hatchet. "Our fans are fantastic. When you think what they have gone through over the past few years, from where we were to where we are. Hopefully we are on the way back. Our fans stood up to it and they are still following the club. "It's sad our club has had to sell so many players, but all these lads don't forget their roots and I know Alan is the same." Lorrimer speaks a load of **** doesn't he
Zac Thompson looked excellent in centre midfield on Saturday. He could have a better future than Jonny H. Charlie Taylor to come in too, along with the Turners and Gimpel, plus that Lenighan is big and fast and looks like he could have a future too. Overall the long term looks bright given the kids coming through. Let's hope we can a) keep hold of them and b) develop them so they become better, faster, stronger and c) still have a football club worth talking about by the time they get on the scene.
Might have been more impressed if he's made this announcement years ago. All it does now is pour more scorn on him for keeping it to himself. Tosser.
Look, when all is said and done Smith did a fantastic job at Leeds, always led by example and gave his all for the club, no matter the situation. He had no choice but to sign for Manure because it saved our club. It was a real Sophie's Choice moment, and a sad one forced on him and the fans by a pathetic management team. However, truth is Smith is done as a player, his injury finished him a while ago. Would love to see him at Thorpe Arch coaching our young 'uns though, he'd teach them about desire and bleeding for the White shirt!!!
How is the search going? Might want to look out for the holy grail at the same time or those weapons of mass destruction that SoDamn Insane had.
If he supported Liverpool, that adds another dimension of betrayal. 1. Gives up Liverpool for Leeds, claiming he's a fan of the Whites. 2. Betrays Leeds AND Liverpool by engineering a move to the scum. Mercenary twat.
****'s sake. Every story suggesting he wore a Liverpool shirt, kissed the scum badge etc. has no proof, and the only thing anyone has said is that he was forced to go to the scum. Just watched his interview upon signing for them and he looked even more miserable than Jonny did signing for Norwich. The rest of the team squeezed us for every penny they could but he gave us his entire transfer fee. It's time people let this go.
