Alan Smith - Told he can leave

Sky Sources: Newcastle midfielder Kevin Nolan rejects new contract offer. Alan Smith told he is free to leave St James' Park.


Did a job (not a very good one) and now time to leave, never really excelled for us and now is just a high wage earner.
Be good to get rid of him now IMO.

Sounds like Nolans contract was only a 2 year extention, considering he had 2 years left to run, what's the rush to tie him down. Let it run another year then look to improve it.

 

Agree on Smith front...Wont' be one to get boo'd by the crowd (least I hope not) stuck around and seemed a popular lad in the dressing room. Just never quite had the sharpness!

 

Yeah, smith's time at Newcastle is over now like. It's a shame because he has the exact kind of attitude I wish more footballers had.

 

He's a good physical player, unfortunalty at times he's to physical. But has a good attitude, shame he's a liability on the pitch.

Nolan and Barton are my big concern, Nolan is the heart and soul of the team and as long as he doesn't go this summer I'm hoping that this time next year he will be offered a much improved contract. He still has 2 years so don't see it being as big an issue as the press have made it.

Barton with 1 year left is the big concern, he's like nolans right hand man and a huge infuence in how the team plays. Again hopefully we'll hang onto him and an improved contract will follow.

 

Smith was a non-starter really, he was finished when he broke his leg at Man U. They wouldn't have let him go if he was any good.

Thanks for your efforts Smudger but I personally won't miss you.

 

this

 

Shame he never scored for us but definitely his time to leave

 

Says it all really, for someone who was supposed to be a striker who was moved further and further back into a defencsive role. He's had chances to score as well, maybe Ranger has been training with him!!!

 

True! He was just a non starter really never got going, shame but yes definitely time to lose some other owners money

 

this seems to sum it up

Smith is one of the players that is still on a huge wage at Newcastle. That wouldn’t be a problem as such, if he justified it, but the fact is that he just doesn’t do enough on the pitch for Newcastle United these days. Good for the dressing room he may be, but £60,000-a-week for what is essentially a cheerleader is a lot of money.

 

Nolan in 4 years time doesn't fill me with confidence! I would be quite happy for him to run down his contract and then go on a free in two years time, unless he is still as influential on the pitch then as he has been this season! Gosling, Cabaye, Tiote and possibly Guthrie are the future for our CM's. Lets not forget Richardson and Vuckic as well!

 

This

 

As people have said Smith did a job, but the wages he is on doesn't make sense under this regime when they can get a younger foreign player in on a fraction of the money with potential to be sold on for a profit.

It's a shame to lose someone of his experience in the dressing room especially with the average age of the squad getting younger and younger, but if his reported wages are true then he has to go really. It'll be difficult to shift him as he's still got 12 months to go and if he wants to go somewhere like Leeds United he'd probably have to take a 60% paycut and not many footballers are willing to do that

 

Oh yeah and Regarding Smith...see you later! Cabaye and Neil Taylor wages will equal his!

 

think it's more likely his contract will be paid up

 

smith hasnt scored any goals for newcastle because he has changed his role from attacking mid/striker to defensive midfielder, it annoys me when people say things like "OMG alan smith hasnt scored for newcastle" - andy gray on our first match of the season v man u. that aside, totally agree with everyones points, he was a really good DM for us in the championship and he put his shift in with us, thanks very much. but dont see a place for him in our current and hopefully future line up.

 

Can't all slam them in like wor tiote eh. Lol

 

ah, now that is different, TIOTE IS GOD!!!

 

Bye Smudger. He's finished, it'll be good to cut his wages.

Anyone else think Nolans on his way out? Since he's lost his place to Cabaye?

 

When he signed I was wary after his leg break at Man Utd and he was never the player we all thought he could have been.

He tried his best in pretty much every game he played but at the end of the day he's not up to the standard the club wants to move towards so he's surplus to requirements.

Cheers Smudger. All the best and thanks for your influence in the dressing room when it truly mattered.