Alan Smith
Encyclopedia
Alan Smith is an English
footballer who plays for Newcastle United
. He has also represented the England national football team
, winning 19 caps
.
Smith first came to prominence as both a striker and an attacking right-midfielder during his early days at Leeds United
before Manchester United
manager Sir Alex Ferguson converted him to a holding midfielder, a role which he continued in after his transfer to Newcastle United. Smith has earned a reputation as a hard-tackling player and is noted for his high work rate.
, Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, Smith started his career with Leeds United
and scored in his first team debut against Liverpool
, aged 18. He went on to become an undisputed first-choice, as the side consolidated in the domestic and European
fronts, reaching the semifinals of the 2000–01 Champions League
. Smith was part of an offensive line that included Michael Bridges
and Australia
n Mark Viduka
.
His senior FA Premier League debut was as a substitute for Leeds vs. Liverpool
at Anfield, where he displayed his natural scoring ability by scoring with his first touch of the ball. That goal helped propel him into the 1998–99 English football season, as he was one-half of manager David O'Leary
's first-choice striker pairing, along with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
.
Smith continued his run in the Leeds side, as the club began to grow in stature. He showed his class in 2001 while helping to lead the Leeds side through the much vaunted UEFA Champions League, though his experience ended on a sour note as he was sent off in the semi-final. The following season saw Smith switched to the right of midfield, his versatility being utilised by O'Leary, as the Leeds manager tried to accommodate new signings. 2001 also saw Smith's break into the England national football team squad. An England youth international at multiple levels, Smith made his senior England debut in May 2001. He did not make the final cut for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and accepted a position with the England Under-21 side. He scored four goals in a UEFA Cup tie at Hapoel Tel Aviv in November 2002.
A hometown hero for supporters of Leeds United, Smith won the "Supporter's Player of the Year" award two years running between 2003 and 2004 – a first in the club's history. Though his goal tally was not excellent by any means, his willingness to play any role on the pitch and his tireless efforts to save "The Whites" from relegation was greatly appreciated by the Leeds fans.
The iconic image of Leeds' relegation in May 2004 showed Smith kissing the badge and crying at what would be his last match for the club. His transfer to bitter rivals Manchester United, however, led to controversy and his exit was marred by accusations of treachery going from hero to villain in the eyes of some Leeds fans in the space of a day; this was despite the fact that club had publicly stated that they could not afford to pay his wages, that they were open to offers for him, and that no other club had registered an interest. Due to Leeds financial difficulties, Smith chose to waive his personal transfer fee owed to him by the club. But this did not stop some Leeds fans from feeling betrayed, as they held up banners in subsequent games which compared Smith to Judas
.
It has since been revealed by Peter Lorimer
that the only club Leeds would allow Smith to join was Manchester United, and that Leeds had in fact engineered the move. With Manchester United being the only club offering the requested money up-front, instead of on an instalment basis (as offered by Everton
and Newcastle
), and with Leeds facing administration, Smith faced allowing Leeds to go into administration or joining Leeds' bitter rivals. However, Smith had earlier gone on record as saying he would never play for Manchester United.
for £7 million. The second chapter of his career began on 8 August 2004, in the Community Shield
clash against Arsenal
, scoring for the club with a swerving volley in the 55th minute, as Manchester United lost 3–1.
An injury hampered his first season
, causing him to miss out on important matches such as the Carling Cup
semi-final against Chelsea
and the FA Cup
final against Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium
, which Manchester United lost on penalties. The forward scored 10 goals overall in his first season, but, with Wayne Rooney
in sparkling form and Van Nistelrooy back in the team after injury, was relegated to the bench.
In the summer of 2005 it emerged that Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson
, was grooming Smith as a successor to Roy Keane
in the Manchester United midfield. Ferguson stated: "Roy sees characteristics in Alan that he saw in himself as a young player, which could help Alan develop into a very good player in that position." Smith got his chance to prove his credentials as a replacement for Keane when the United skipper was injured early on in the 2005–06 season
. Smith began a prolonged run in the midfield 'anchor' role, with little effectiveness. The criticism aimed at Smith and his team-mates reached its nadir with United's embarrassing 4–1 capitulation away to Middlesbrough
and the subsequent 1–0 defeat to Lille OSC
in the Champions League. Smith was believed to be one of several Manchester United stars who were heavily criticised by Keane, in an MUTV
interview that was thought too explosive to be aired and consigned to the cutting room floor
by club officials. It seemed that Smith's performance in the crucial home match against league leaders Chelsea would be meticulously scrutinised in the light of Keane's damning words. Smith responded in determined fashion, giving a much better performance as his side won 1–0.
He scored only one league goal in 2005–2006, in a 3–1 away win over Charlton Athletic
at The Valley. On 18 February, during a 1–0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup
, Smith broke his leg and dislocated his ankle
while attempting to block a free-kick from Liverpool's John Arne Riise
, an injury described by Ferguson as "one of the worst I've seen".
On the next day it was confirmed that Smith would miss action for at least 12 months. However, in May, after a successful operation on his ankle, it was reported that he would likely be back in action as soon as mid-September; he had been recovering alongside Rooney for several weeks, who was also reported to be making a "miraculous" recovery on a broken foot. "I felt my leg go from under me as I went to block a free-kick", Smith told The Sun
. "When I looked down, the leg was lying one way and my ankle was pointing towards Hong Kong so I knew I was in serious trouble."
There was however, a small consolation for Smith and his club when Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic
4–0 in the league cup final. After the match Manchester United players paid tribute to Smith by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "For you Smudge" (his nickname), in homage to Smith and his horrific injury. Smith was awarded a League Cup winners medal as without the fracture, dislocation of the ankle two weeks before the final; Smith was almost certain to feature in the squad and most likely the starting XI.
In the build up to the 2006–07 season
, Ferguson was quoted saying that he planned to replace the departing Van Nistelrooy (signed by Real Madrid
) by returning Smith to his natural position of centre-forward: "We are going to convert Alan Smith back into being a forward. He will be back in training soon and should be available by the end of August or the beginning of September."
On 26 September 2006 Smith made a return to action as a substitute in the 85th minute of the 1–0 Champions League victory over S.L. Benfica at the Estádio da Luz, immediately showing the passion he still had for the game by making a couple of crunching tackles in the 5 minute cameo appearance.
On 10 November 2006, Leeds United boss Dennis Wise
revealed he was interested in bringing Smith back to Elland Road
on loan. Ferguson told the press that Cardiff City
were also interested and he would let Smith go out on a short-term loan for Smith to regain his fitness. There had also been reported interest from other Premiership and Championship clubs
, with Newcastle United
, Sheffield United
and Aston Villa
seemingly keen on the player. This, however, proved to be untrue for Smith, through his agent, Alex Black, publicly announced his wish to remain at Manchester United, and his will to solidify his place in Ferguson's first team. The manager himself voiced his desire to have Smith back at top fitness, stating that he was undergoing special training in order to aid and speed his recovery.
Smith made his comeback for Manchester United in a 2006–07 UEFA Champions League
first knockout round win against Lille OSC
. He made his first start at Old Trafford since his injury on 19 March 2007 in an FA Cup quarter-final replay win against Middlesbrough. He also made a substitute
appearance in the Premier League game against Bolton Wanderers
and set up the fourth goal in United's 4–1 win.
Smith was selected to lead the line in Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to A.S. Roma
. He played a vital part in the game scoring an early goal, his first for 18 months, in an emphatic 7-1 victory. Smith also continued to gain Ferguson's trust by gaining a place in the starting line up against Manchester City
on 5 May 2007. United won the game 1–0 and were crowned league champions a day later, when Chelsea were held to a 1–1 draw at the Emirates Stadium
against Arsenal.
Despite falling one game short of the ten appearances needed to qualify for a Premiership winners medal, the league granted special dispensation for Smith to receive a medal on the last day of the season. This was followed a week later with an FA Cup
runners-up medal after the 1–0 defeat to Chelsea in the first final at the new Wembley
.
On 2 August 2007, Newcastle United confirmed they had agreed a fee with Manchester United of around £6m for Smith. The deal was confirmed on 3 August, with Smith moving to Newcastle on a five-year contract. He scored the winning goal on his debut for the Magpies, in a 1–0 friendly victory against Sampdoria
. However, the striker struggled to establish himself at Newcastle in his first season, failing to score a league goal.
His progress next season was hampered by stress fracture of the ankle sustained in the preseason, meaning it took until February 2009 before he played in a competitive fixture by coming on as a substitute against Everton
. Despite the comeback, Smith was relegated for the second time in his career as Newcastle lost by a single goal to Aston Villa. Again, he finished the season without a goal.
In the summer of 2009-10, Smith played against his former club Leeds United
in a pre season friendly at St James Park, the match was the first time he had played against Leeds since leaving the club for bitter rivals Manchester United
, his every touch was booed throughout the game by Leeds fans and he was heavily booed when he was substituted. Smith was made vice-captain for the 2009–10 season, but captained the team in almost every game due to Chris Hughton
's preference of Smith to first choice captain Nicky Butt
. Smith has been a regular feature, but in a much deeper role acting as a central defensive midfielder.
Despite playing regularly as a deep lying midfielder, he lost his place after the January transfer window with the arrival of Wayne Routledge
and Danny Guthrie
's excellent form in central midfield. To allow 2 strikers up front in the form of Peter Løvenkrands
and Andy Carroll
for more games, Smith was dropped to accommodate. Newcastle won promotion to the Premier League.
Smith started Newcastle's first four Premier League games due to the injury of Danny Guthrie
, Smith partnered Joey Barton
for the 3-0 loss to former club Manchester United
, the 6-0 victory over Aston Villa
, the 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers
and the 2-0 loss to Blackpool
. He lost his place to new signing Cheick Tioté and the arrival of Hatem Ben Arfa
. Smith was given time in the Football League Cup
, where Chris Hughton
gave young players and fringe players such as himself, Ryan Taylor and Peter Løvenkrands
a chance. While serving bench duty for the Premier League fixtures, he saw United's 4-3 cup win over Chelsea
and the 4-0 defeat to Arsenal
.
Alan Smith served a lot of bench duty with Cheick Tioté cementing his place as the inform defensive midfielder. Smith saw a return to action in Newcastle's 3-1 cup defeat to Stevenage on 8 January 2011. With Tioté suspended for three games following his sending off in the same game, Smith started in Newcastle's 1-1 derby draw with Sunderland
, but came off after half an hour with an injured ankle. It was later confirmed it would rule Smith out for the rest of the season.
After returning to full training in April, it was reported by assistant manager John Carver
that he would be in contention to start Newcastle's penultimate fixture to Chelsea with the club likely to rest Cheick Tioté to save him from a 3 match ban.
On 7 June 2011, Smith was notified by the Newcastle management that his services would no longer be required, and he was free to leave the club.
On 8 June 2011, Leeds United
chairman Ken Bates
revealed that he was not ruling out a move to acquire Smith subject to his wage demands and fitness. After being made available for transfer, Smith was linked with a move to his former club Leeds United with Leeds manager Simon Grayson
confirming his interest in the player.
squad for the friendly against Italy
in November 2000, but later withdrew in order to rest. He eventually earned his first cap in May 2001 in a friendly against Mexico
, but did not make the final cut for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
, and continued representing the under-21s
. Smith scored on his full debut against Portugal
in September 2002, being set up by Leeds team mate Lee Bowyer
. In a Euro 2004 qualifier against Macedonia in October 2002, he received his first international red card from a second yellow card after a tackle on Aleksandar Vasoski
In 2005, he drew some criticism after withdrawing from the England squad to play Denmark
(a game England lost 4–1) in order to play for the Manchester United reserves. After a prolonged absence from international football, Smith was called up for an England B
match on 26 May 2007, against Albania. He scored the first goal of the game which ended in a 3–1 win. The next day he was named in the senior team to face Brazil
, on 1 June 2007.
|1998–99
||rowspan="6"|Leeds United
||rowspan="11"|Premier League||22||7||4||2||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||26||9
|-
|1999–00
||26||4||3||1||1||0||8||1||38||6
|-
|2000–01
||33||11||2||0||1||0||16||7||52||18
|-
|2001–02
||23||4||1||0||2||0||5||1||30||5
|-
|2002–03
||33||3||4||1||colspan="2"|-||6||5||43||9
|-
|2003–04
||35||9||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|-||37||9
|-
|2004–05
||rowspan="3"|Manchester United
||31||6||3||0||2||1||5||2||41||9
|-
|2005–06
||21||1||2||0||2||0||8||0||33||1
|-
|2006–07
||9||0||3||0||2||0||4||1||18||1
|-
|2007–08||rowspan="5"|Newcastle United
||33||0||2||0||2||0||colspan="2"|-||37||0
|-
|2008–09||6||0||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||6||0
|-
|2009–10||Championship||32||0||2||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||35||0
|-
|2010–11
||rowspan="2"|Premier League||11||0||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|-||14||0
|-
|2011–12
||1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||1||0
|-
316||45||28||4||17||1||52||17||411||67
316||45||28||4||17||1||52||17||411||67
Statistics correct as of match played 28 August 2011
Newcastle United:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who plays for Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. He has also represented the England national football team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, winning 19 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
.
Smith first came to prominence as both a striker and an attacking right-midfielder during his early days at Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
before Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
manager Sir Alex Ferguson converted him to a holding midfielder, a role which he continued in after his transfer to Newcastle United. Smith has earned a reputation as a hard-tackling player and is noted for his high work rate.
Leeds United
Born in RothwellRothwell, West Yorkshire
Rothwell is a market town on the River Dolphin in the south east of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, situated between Oulton to the east, Belle Isle to the west, Woodlesford to the north east and Robin Hood to the south west. Swillington, Methley and Kippax are located...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, Smith started his career with Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and scored in his first team debut against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, aged 18. He went on to become an undisputed first-choice, as the side consolidated in the domestic and European
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
fronts, reaching the semifinals of the 2000–01 Champions League
UEFA Champions League 2000-01
The 2000–01 UEFA Champions League was the ninth edition of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA's premier European club football tournament, since it was renamed from the European Cup in 1992, and the 46th tournament overall. The competition was won by Bayern Munich , who beat Valencia 5–4 on...
. Smith was part of an offensive line that included Michael Bridges
Michael Bridges
Michael Bridges is an English football striker who currently plays for A-League club, Newcastle Jets. Bridge has previously played over 200 Premier League games.-Sunderland:...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Mark Viduka
Mark Viduka
Mark Anthony Viduka is a former Australian soccer player who played as a centre forward. He captained the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany to the last 16.-Melbourne Croatia:...
.
His senior FA Premier League debut was as a substitute for Leeds vs. Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
at Anfield, where he displayed his natural scoring ability by scoring with his first touch of the ball. That goal helped propel him into the 1998–99 English football season, as he was one-half of manager David O'Leary
David O'Leary
David Anthony O'Leary is an Irish football manager and former player. His managerial career began at Leeds United and later he managed Aston Villa. He most recently worked as the manager of Al-Ahli Dubai...
's first-choice striker pairing, along with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jerrel Hasselbaink usually known as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a Dutch former football striker who played for various clubs in the Netherlands, Portugal, England, and Spain, as well as the Dutch national team. He scored more than 200 career goals...
.
Smith continued his run in the Leeds side, as the club began to grow in stature. He showed his class in 2001 while helping to lead the Leeds side through the much vaunted UEFA Champions League, though his experience ended on a sour note as he was sent off in the semi-final. The following season saw Smith switched to the right of midfield, his versatility being utilised by O'Leary, as the Leeds manager tried to accommodate new signings. 2001 also saw Smith's break into the England national football team squad. An England youth international at multiple levels, Smith made his senior England debut in May 2001. He did not make the final cut for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and accepted a position with the England Under-21 side. He scored four goals in a UEFA Cup tie at Hapoel Tel Aviv in November 2002.
A hometown hero for supporters of Leeds United, Smith won the "Supporter's Player of the Year" award two years running between 2003 and 2004 – a first in the club's history. Though his goal tally was not excellent by any means, his willingness to play any role on the pitch and his tireless efforts to save "The Whites" from relegation was greatly appreciated by the Leeds fans.
The iconic image of Leeds' relegation in May 2004 showed Smith kissing the badge and crying at what would be his last match for the club. His transfer to bitter rivals Manchester United, however, led to controversy and his exit was marred by accusations of treachery going from hero to villain in the eyes of some Leeds fans in the space of a day; this was despite the fact that club had publicly stated that they could not afford to pay his wages, that they were open to offers for him, and that no other club had registered an interest. Due to Leeds financial difficulties, Smith chose to waive his personal transfer fee owed to him by the club. But this did not stop some Leeds fans from feeling betrayed, as they held up banners in subsequent games which compared Smith to Judas
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
.
It has since been revealed by Peter Lorimer
Peter Lorimer
Peter Patrick Lorimer is a former footballer who formed part of the much-admired and feared Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s....
that the only club Leeds would allow Smith to join was Manchester United, and that Leeds had in fact engineered the move. With Manchester United being the only club offering the requested money up-front, instead of on an instalment basis (as offered by Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and Newcastle
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
), and with Leeds facing administration, Smith faced allowing Leeds to go into administration or joining Leeds' bitter rivals. However, Smith had earlier gone on record as saying he would never play for Manchester United.
Manchester United
As Leeds were relegated at the end of 2003–04 season, Smith joined Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
for £7 million. The second chapter of his career began on 8 August 2004, in the Community Shield
2004 FA Community Shield
The 2004 FA Community Shield was the 82nd FA Community Shield, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions...
clash against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, scoring for the club with a swerving volley in the 55th minute, as Manchester United lost 3–1.
An injury hampered his first season
FA Premier League 2004-05
The 2004–05 season of the FA Premier League began on 14 August 2004 and ended on 15 May 2005. Arsenal were the defending champions after going unbeaten the previous season....
, causing him to miss out on important matches such as the Carling Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
semi-final against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and the FA Cup
FA Cup 2004-05
The FA Cup 2004–05 was the 124th season of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup.The competition began on 28 August 2004, with the lowest-ranked of the entrants competing in the Extra Preliminary Round...
final against Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
, which Manchester United lost on penalties. The forward scored 10 goals overall in his first season, but, with Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
in sparkling form and Van Nistelrooy back in the team after injury, was relegated to the bench.
In the summer of 2005 it emerged that Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
, was grooming Smith as a successor to Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
in the Manchester United midfield. Ferguson stated: "Roy sees characteristics in Alan that he saw in himself as a young player, which could help Alan develop into a very good player in that position." Smith got his chance to prove his credentials as a replacement for Keane when the United skipper was injured early on in the 2005–06 season
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
. Smith began a prolonged run in the midfield 'anchor' role, with little effectiveness. The criticism aimed at Smith and his team-mates reached its nadir with United's embarrassing 4–1 capitulation away to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
and the subsequent 1–0 defeat to Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
in the Champions League. Smith was believed to be one of several Manchester United stars who were heavily criticised by Keane, in an MUTV
Manchester United TV
MUTV is an English subscription based television channel, operated by Manchester United FC. The channel first broadcast on 10 September 1998....
interview that was thought too explosive to be aired and consigned to the cutting room floor
Cutting room floor
The term cutting room floor is used in the film industry as a figure of speech referring to unused footage not included in the finished film. In fact offcuts of film are retained in a special cutting room bin and numbered during the editing process in case they are required later...
by club officials. It seemed that Smith's performance in the crucial home match against league leaders Chelsea would be meticulously scrutinised in the light of Keane's damning words. Smith responded in determined fashion, giving a much better performance as his side won 1–0.
He scored only one league goal in 2005–2006, in a 3–1 away win over Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
at The Valley. On 18 February, during a 1–0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, Smith broke his leg and dislocated his ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
while attempting to block a free-kick from Liverpool's John Arne Riise
John Arne Riise
John Arne Semundseth Riise is a Norwegian footballer who currently plays as a left wing-back for Fulham and the Norwegian national team. Riise spent seven years playing for Premier League side Liverpool before moving to Roma in 2008...
, an injury described by Ferguson as "one of the worst I've seen".
On the next day it was confirmed that Smith would miss action for at least 12 months. However, in May, after a successful operation on his ankle, it was reported that he would likely be back in action as soon as mid-September; he had been recovering alongside Rooney for several weeks, who was also reported to be making a "miraculous" recovery on a broken foot. "I felt my leg go from under me as I went to block a free-kick", Smith told The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
. "When I looked down, the leg was lying one way and my ankle was pointing towards Hong Kong so I knew I was in serious trouble."
There was however, a small consolation for Smith and his club when Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
4–0 in the league cup final. After the match Manchester United players paid tribute to Smith by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "For you Smudge" (his nickname), in homage to Smith and his horrific injury. Smith was awarded a League Cup winners medal as without the fracture, dislocation of the ankle two weeks before the final; Smith was almost certain to feature in the squad and most likely the starting XI.
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
, Ferguson was quoted saying that he planned to replace the departing Van Nistelrooy (signed by Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
) by returning Smith to his natural position of centre-forward: "We are going to convert Alan Smith back into being a forward. He will be back in training soon and should be available by the end of August or the beginning of September."
On 26 September 2006 Smith made a return to action as a substitute in the 85th minute of the 1–0 Champions League victory over S.L. Benfica at the Estádio da Luz, immediately showing the passion he still had for the game by making a couple of crunching tackles in the 5 minute cameo appearance.
On 10 November 2006, Leeds United boss Dennis Wise
Dennis Wise
Dennis Frank Wise is an English former football manager and player, and former Executive Director at Newcastle United....
revealed he was interested in bringing Smith back to Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
on loan. Ferguson told the press that Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
were also interested and he would let Smith go out on a short-term loan for Smith to regain his fitness. There had also been reported interest from other Premiership and Championship clubs
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, with Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
and Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
seemingly keen on the player. This, however, proved to be untrue for Smith, through his agent, Alex Black, publicly announced his wish to remain at Manchester United, and his will to solidify his place in Ferguson's first team. The manager himself voiced his desire to have Smith back at top fitness, stating that he was undergoing special training in order to aid and speed his recovery.
Smith made his comeback for Manchester United in a 2006–07 UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League 2006-07
The 2006–07 UEFA Champions League was the 15th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, the UEFA Champions League, since it was rebranded from the European Cup, and the 52nd season overall. The final was contested by Milan and Liverpool on 23 May 2007...
first knockout round win against Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
. He made his first start at Old Trafford since his injury on 19 March 2007 in an FA Cup quarter-final replay win against Middlesbrough. He also made a substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
appearance in the Premier League game against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and set up the fourth goal in United's 4–1 win.
Smith was selected to lead the line in Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
. He played a vital part in the game scoring an early goal, his first for 18 months, in an emphatic 7-1 victory. Smith also continued to gain Ferguson's trust by gaining a place in the starting line up against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 5 May 2007. United won the game 1–0 and were crowned league champions a day later, when Chelsea were held to a 1–1 draw at the Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
against Arsenal.
Despite falling one game short of the ten appearances needed to qualify for a Premiership winners medal, the league granted special dispensation for Smith to receive a medal on the last day of the season. This was followed a week later with an FA Cup
FA Cup 2006-07
The FA Cup 2006–07 was the 126th staging of the world's oldest football knockout competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup...
runners-up medal after the 1–0 defeat to Chelsea in the first final at the new Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
.
Newcastle United
U.C. Sampdoria
Unione Calcio Sampdoria is an Italian association football club based in Genoa. The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria...
. However, the striker struggled to establish himself at Newcastle in his first season, failing to score a league goal.
His progress next season was hampered by stress fracture of the ankle sustained in the preseason, meaning it took until February 2009 before he played in a competitive fixture by coming on as a substitute against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. Despite the comeback, Smith was relegated for the second time in his career as Newcastle lost by a single goal to Aston Villa. Again, he finished the season without a goal.
In the summer of 2009-10, Smith played against his former club Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in a pre season friendly at St James Park, the match was the first time he had played against Leeds since leaving the club for bitter rivals Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, his every touch was booed throughout the game by Leeds fans and he was heavily booed when he was substituted. Smith was made vice-captain for the 2009–10 season, but captained the team in almost every game due to Chris Hughton
Chris Hughton
Christopher William Gerard "Chris" Hughton is a professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Birmingham City F.C....
's preference of Smith to first choice captain Nicky Butt
Nicky Butt
Nicholas "Nicky" Butt is an English footballer. He began his career with Manchester United and spent 12 years in their first-team before moving to Newcastle United in 2004. He spent one season on loan to Birmingham City in 2005–06...
. Smith has been a regular feature, but in a much deeper role acting as a central defensive midfielder.
Despite playing regularly as a deep lying midfielder, he lost his place after the January transfer window with the arrival of Wayne Routledge
Wayne Routledge
Wayne Neville Anthony Routledge is an English footballer who plays for Swansea City. He plays as a midfielder predominantly on the right wing but can also play on the left. He has represented England at under-16, under-19 and under-21 level...
and Danny Guthrie
Danny Guthrie
Danny Sean Guthrie is an English footballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United, as a midfielder.His displays in Liverpool's Academy side earned him a call-up to the England schoolboy side...
's excellent form in central midfield. To allow 2 strikers up front in the form of Peter Løvenkrands
Peter Løvenkrands
Peter Rosenkrands Løvenkrands is a Danish footballer who plays for Newcastle United in the Premier League, and for the Danish national team. He is a striker who can also play as a left winger and is known for his pace....
and Andy Carroll
Andy Carroll
Andrew Thomas "Andy" Carroll is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Liverpool and the England national team....
for more games, Smith was dropped to accommodate. Newcastle won promotion to the Premier League.
Smith started Newcastle's first four Premier League games due to the injury of Danny Guthrie
Danny Guthrie
Danny Sean Guthrie is an English footballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United, as a midfielder.His displays in Liverpool's Academy side earned him a call-up to the England schoolboy side...
, Smith partnered Joey Barton
Joey Barton
Joseph Anthony "Joey" Barton is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League side Queens Park Rangers as either a central midfielder or a winger....
for the 3-0 loss to former club Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, the 6-0 victory over Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, the 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
and the 2-0 loss to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. He lost his place to new signing Cheick Tioté and the arrival of Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa is a French association football player who plays for English club Newcastle United in the Premier League. He plays as a winger, preferably on the left side, and an attacking midfielder...
. Smith was given time in the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, where Chris Hughton
Chris Hughton
Christopher William Gerard "Chris" Hughton is a professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Birmingham City F.C....
gave young players and fringe players such as himself, Ryan Taylor and Peter Løvenkrands
Peter Løvenkrands
Peter Rosenkrands Løvenkrands is a Danish footballer who plays for Newcastle United in the Premier League, and for the Danish national team. He is a striker who can also play as a left winger and is known for his pace....
a chance. While serving bench duty for the Premier League fixtures, he saw United's 4-3 cup win over Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and the 4-0 defeat to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Alan Smith served a lot of bench duty with Cheick Tioté cementing his place as the inform defensive midfielder. Smith saw a return to action in Newcastle's 3-1 cup defeat to Stevenage on 8 January 2011. With Tioté suspended for three games following his sending off in the same game, Smith started in Newcastle's 1-1 derby draw with Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, but came off after half an hour with an injured ankle. It was later confirmed it would rule Smith out for the rest of the season.
After returning to full training in April, it was reported by assistant manager John Carver
John Carver
John Carver was a Pilgrim leader. He was the first governor of Plymouth Colony and his is the first signature on the Mayflower Compact.-Mayflower:...
that he would be in contention to start Newcastle's penultimate fixture to Chelsea with the club likely to rest Cheick Tioté to save him from a 3 match ban.
On 7 June 2011, Smith was notified by the Newcastle management that his services would no longer be required, and he was free to leave the club.
On 8 June 2011, Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
chairman Ken Bates
Ken Bates
Kenneth William Bates is a British businessman and football executive. The current chairman and now owner of Leeds United AFC, Bates was previously chairman and majority shareholder of Chelsea FC from 1982 until 2003....
revealed that he was not ruling out a move to acquire Smith subject to his wage demands and fitness. After being made available for transfer, Smith was linked with a move to his former club Leeds United with Leeds manager Simon Grayson
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson....
confirming his interest in the player.
International career
An England youth international at multiple levels, Smith was called into the EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
squad for the friendly against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in November 2000, but later withdrew in order to rest. He eventually earned his first cap in May 2001 in a friendly against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
, but did not make the final cut for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
, and continued representing the under-21s
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
. Smith scored on his full debut against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
in September 2002, being set up by Leeds team mate Lee Bowyer
Lee Bowyer
Lee David Bowyer is an English professional footballer born in Canning Town, London, who plays as a midfielder for Ipswich Town of the Football League Championship....
. In a Euro 2004 qualifier against Macedonia in October 2002, he received his first international red card from a second yellow card after a tackle on Aleksandar Vasoski
Aleksandar Vasoski
Aleksandar Vasoski is a Macedonian football player who currently plays for FK Vardar.A defender, he played for German Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt from 2005 to 2011...
In 2005, he drew some criticism after withdrawing from the England squad to play Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
(a game England lost 4–1) in order to play for the Manchester United reserves. After a prolonged absence from international football, Smith was called up for an England B
England B national football team
England B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the England national football team. At times they have played other nations' full teams; they have also played matches against 'B' teams from other football associations...
match on 26 May 2007, against Albania. He scored the first goal of the game which ended in a 3–1 win. The next day he was named in the senior team to face Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
, on 1 June 2007.
Disciplinary problems
In total Smith has been sent off seven times and booked 67 times in the Premier League. He has committed 500 fouls in the competition since 2002–03 making him the sixth most prolific fouler.Club
|-|1998–99
FA Premier League 1998-99
The 1998–99 FA Premier League season was the seventh season of the Premier League, the top division of English football, since its establishment in 1992. The season will always be remembered as the one in which Manchester United won a unique treble of the league title, the FA Cup and the European Cup...
||rowspan="6"|Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
||rowspan="11"|Premier League||22||7||4||2||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||26||9
|-
|1999–00
FA Premier League 1999-00
The FA Premier League 1999–2000 season was the eighth season of the FA Premier League, and Manchester United secured their sixth Premiership title. Like the previous season, they lost only three league games all season...
||26||4||3||1||1||0||8||1||38||6
|-
|2000–01
FA Premier League 2000-01
The FA Premier League 2000-01 season was the third season running which ended with Manchester United as champions and Arsenal as runners-up. Sir Alex Ferguson became the first manager to win three successive English league titles, although three teams had achieved that feat in the past - but with...
||33||11||2||0||1||0||16||7||52||18
|-
|2001–02
FA Premier League 2001-02
The 2001–02 FA Premier League season was the tenth season of the competition. It began with a new sponsor, Barclaycard, and was titled the FA Barclaycard Premiership, replacing the previous sponsor, Carling...
||23||4||1||0||2||0||5||1||30||5
|-
|2002–03
FA Premier League 2002-03
The 2002–03 FA Premier League was the eleventh season of the Premier League, the top division in English football. The first matches were played on 17 August 2002 and the last were played on 11 May 2003...
||33||3||4||1||colspan="2"|-||6||5||43||9
|-
|2003–04
FA Premier League 2003-04
The 2003–04 FA Premier League season was the twelfth season of the Premier League. In the end, Arsenal went through the season without a single defeat – only the second ever team to do so and were crowned champions once more, at the expense of Chelsea, who had spent heavily throughout the...
||35||9||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|-||37||9
|-
|2004–05
FA Premier League 2004-05
The 2004–05 season of the FA Premier League began on 14 August 2004 and ended on 15 May 2005. Arsenal were the defending champions after going unbeaten the previous season....
||rowspan="3"|Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
||31||6||3||0||2||1||5||2||41||9
|-
|2005–06
FA Premier League 2005-06
The 2005–06 season of the FA Premier League began on 13 August 2005, and concluded on 7 May 2006. The season saw Chelsea F.C retain their title after defeating Manchester United 3–0 at Stamford Bridge towards the end of April...
||21||1||2||0||2||0||8||0||33||1
|-
|2006–07
FA Premier League 2006-07
The 2006–07 FA Premier League was the fifteenth season of the FA Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 19 August 2006 and concluded on 13 May 2007....
||9||0||3||0||2||0||4||1||18||1
|-
|2007–08||rowspan="5"|Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
||33||0||2||0||2||0||colspan="2"|-||37||0
|-
|2008–09||6||0||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||6||0
|-
|2009–10||Championship||32||0||2||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||35||0
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
||rowspan="2"|Premier League||11||0||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|-||14||0
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Premier League
The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012...
||1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||1||0
|-
316||45||28||4||17||1||52||17||411||67
316||45||28||4||17||1||52||17||411||67
Statistics correct as of match played 28 August 2011
Club
Manchester United- Premier League (1): 2006–07
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
(1): 2005–06
Newcastle United:
- Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
(1): 2009–102009–10 Football League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship season 2009–10 is the sixth season of the league under its current title and eighteenth season under its current league division format...