Rovers are facing a fight to hang on to player of the season Michael Smith â with a clutch of Football League clubs queuing up to land the defender. Championship newcomers Brentford â who finished runners-up in League One last term â are among those being linked with the Northern Irishman. At least two League One outfits are also understood to be targeting the talented right-back, with Peterborough United and Barnsley both expressing an interest in the 25-year-old. Smith currently has another season left on his existing contract with the Pirates and the club have offered him a new and extended deal in a bid to keep him at the Memorial Stadium and would command a fee should any of the interested parties firm up their interest with an official offer. The Northern Irishman, who was named in the PFA's League Two team of the year last term, is settled in Bristol and reluctant to up sticks and move, but the likelihood is that a move away from the Memorial Stadium is almost inevitable if Smith is to finally realise any ambitions of representing his country at international level. Former Rovers boss Paul Buckle signed Smith from Northern Ireland Premiership club Ballymena United in 2011. He has since made 84 league starts for Rovers with a further 17 appearances from the bench and was one of their most consistent performers during a disastrous campaign which saw them drop from the Football League on the final day of the season. Manager Darrell Clarke is expected to hold talks with Smith as well as Lee Brown and Alefe Santos, who have also both been offered new deals, later this week in a bid to keep the trio at the club. Clarke has already started what looks to be a massive re-building job following Rovers relegation to the Conference by turning to his network of contacts both inside and outside of the Football League in an attempt to identify the "right" players. At least ten new players are expected to arrive to bolster a squad that only has 12 players contracted beyond the end of June in addition to the five scholars that have been offered the opportunity to turn professional. Clarke, however, knows that he faces a job in hanging on to both Smith and John-Joe O'Toole, while Tom Lockyer was also being monitored by a number of Football League clubs towards the tail end of last season and is also expected to be the subject of interest as the summer progresses. It has been well documented that Clarke is to focus on strengthening the attacking areas of his squad and is targeting one or two older heads with knowledge of playing at Conference level â but is keen to avoid recruiting journeymen looking to see out the final year or two of their playing careers. Taken from the Post.
Well, it's to be expected. He's far too good for the Conference, and too good for League Two as well IMO.
Yep. We knew he would get interest from clubs. And to be honest I wouldnt blame him for leaving. I would be gutted if he left to a league 2 team but league 1 onwards then i would be happy for him. He certainly deserves it as he always gives 100%. I just hope out of loyalty that he signs a new deal with us 1st which should increease his value so we get more for him. Apparently he as 1 year left on his contract. So we may not get as much for him. If he has 2 or 3 years left then we would get more for sure.
The only thing is we won't get a lot 4 him IMO he's worth at least £750,000 but not sure Brentford will have that sort of cash
1 year left on his contract, we will be lucky to get £200k. Why would any team play anything more when they could get him for free in 12 months time? We dont have to sell but if a team bids for him and we say no and then Smith may say he wants to go and then we be lucky to get £100k for him.
He's a class act who would do well in The Championship. None of the clubs interested set the pulse racing but he would be better off with Brentford. £300k would be reasonable in the current market but his value will probably rise rapidly once he's playing in The Championship.
