http://www.getwestlo...rce=twitterfeed Fulham to let striker decide over Bristol City stay Fulham will let Matt Smith decide whether he wants to stay at Bristol City on loan - or return to Fulham. The 6ft 6ins striker has been standing tall at Ashton Gate since he arrived there at the end of November with nine goals in 11 games, as well as winning a converted penalty in the 2-0 win at S****horpe on Saturday. The Whites have been on the hunt for a striker in the transfer window, but manager Kit Symons intends to have a heart to heart with the man bought from Leeds in the hope of rekindling a scoring partnership with Ross McCormack. The gaffer said: “I’ve been in contact with Matt and glad that he’s doing so well. I will speak further to Matt and see where his thoughts are and we'll make a decision.” Smith admits he’s had a welcome jolt since donning City red after a horrendous start to his Fulham career. He got shown a different sort of red on his debut after just 17 minutes in the 3-0 defeat to Reading in September. However, everything is ship-shape and Bristol fashion with the forward hoping to hang around. He said: “I'm really enjoying it here and everyone has been fantastic since I signed. The goals have given me confidence and you just want to keep playing. “I'm keen to stay but Fulham are my employers so first and foremost I want to do well for them.” Symons saw Smith banging four in against Gillingham at the beginning of the month, and then told him off for not scoring six. “I went to watch him against Gillingham and let him know I was coming,” the manager added. “Texted him the next morning and told him he should have had six. “He’s our player, and his stock’s rising. We’re very mindful of that, and that why I went and saw him.”
Might be wrong, but is Kit Symons talking up Smith's transfer value ? Whatever, have faith in SC to know if Smith can play/excel in the Championship.
I think he is...they would likely want 750, 000 for him at the moment, if he stays on till season end expect 1,000,000. going for him staying here is the JP cup final ! AT WEMBLEY, and the possibility of a Lge 1 honour. Fulham are unlikely to be able to offer much for the next year or so anyway!
You would think that playing regularly, a probable Wembley appearance and a promotion push would make him want to stay
He's done the hard work of winning over a doubting set of fans.. If I was him I would be staying put.
According to OTIB the longest we could keep him for is 1 month because he has played for 3 clubs this season, after that he has to return to Fulhm for the rest of the season. So 2 options, we fork out 5-600k for him on a permanent or just have him for the 1 extra mont....
http://www.inbrief.co.uk/football-law/footballers-transfer-in-season.htm This article mentions the rule about no more than three clubs. Thus it would appear that Matt Smith is OK to play for us for the remainder of this season. But are there any restrictions on loan period for him? http://www.owlstalk.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic/161614-football-league-loan-rules/ This article has the rules on loans. I cannot see any restriction which would stop Matt Smith staying here for the rest of the season.
My ultimate feeling on this is that Big Matt is the sort of player that needs to play most weeks - it will do him no good going back to Fulham and sitting on the bench (at best)
I think he has proved he is not an impact player,so regular starts would be his forte, Fulham seem sorted at the moment team wise and if he went back then he would need to play, but would be stuck if he didn't................ we made money on Sam, Donny replay and will on WHU game. we appear to have a small squad and injuries in the next few months could drop us into the play off's at best... Wilbers might not be the same when he comes back... He actually ( after looked at his previous history) needs a club to settle in to, I think CITY COULD WELL BE THAT ONE!
He has the option of some possible glory with us or as others have said, warming the bench at Fulham. If he stays and we are successful then the move might be made permanent
I'd like for us to do the gamble and try and buy him, say he has a good season finale, his value would go up and other teams will have an interest "as the player in Div 1 that helped city " get promoted" and scored x number of goals! At least, agree terms and transfer option at the end of the season! ? £1 million cant be bad and likely will go up in value over the next 3 years !
Even when he wasn't scoring, I could tell that he has a natural strikers instinct that gets him into good scoring potential positions. Replacement for Wilbraham long term, up front with Agard?
Smith's initial loan spell will end after Sunday's FA Cup please log in to view this image fourth-round showdown against Premier League West Ham United at Ashton Gate, after which City will allow the deal to lapse for a few days before recalling the former Oldham and Leeds United forward to face Gillingham in next Thursday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy southern area final second-leg tie. But if City successfully defend their 4-2 first-leg advantage to reach the final, Smith will miss out on a big day at Wembley on March 22 owing to Football League please log in to view this image regulations. The rules clearly state that no player can turn out for more than two clubs in one season unless they are signed on an emergency 93-day loan. While City are at liberty to extend Smith's stay by a further month, they will be unable to then re-engage the 6ft 5in striker on a standard loan for the remainder of the season. Smith has already played for Championship clubs Leeds and Fulham please log in to view this image this season and, once his emergency loan spell at Ashton Gate expires, he will have no option but to return to Craven Cottage. If Fulham boss Symons chooses not to include him in his first-team plans, Smith's season will, to all intents and purposes, be over by the end of February. All of which means City boss Cotterill will, in all likelihood, return to the market place in search of another striker when the window for loan singings reopens next month.
We'll have Smith up until the 1st of March so he will be available for H West Ham FA Cup H Gillingham JPT H Fleetwood A MK Dons H Port Vale H Sheffield United H Peterborough A Colchester H Rochdale It's just a bit gutting for ourselves and him that he won't be going to Wembley. Some big games though before he goes back to Fulham. Big advantage for us that 5 of our 7 league games next month are at home and all of them look very winnable. Wish we had big Matt for April.... That month will decide whether we go up automatically or settle for Play offs. Swindon, Preston, Bradford, Oldham & Chesterfield with every one of those games bar Swindon away...
