Top facts about Alan Smith, Smudge

Alan Smith (born October 28, 1980) is a former professional player and English football coach. He last played for Notts County. He has also earned 19 caps for the England national team.

Smith was noted for his strong on-field attitude and high-pressing playing style.

Alan Smith’s age

is 41. Here, you can learn the most important facts about Alan Smith, Ex-Man United player.

Alan Smith rose to prominence as a striker and right winger during his early years at Leeds United; however, after breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle in a match against Liverpool, manager

converted him to a holding midfielder, a role he continued after his transfer to

.

His talent was completely revealed in the 2001 UEFA championship, where he performed really well for Leeds. The same year saw him get selected to the national Football team of England.

Smith has a reputation for being a hard-charging player who puts in a lot of effort. In 2017, he served as the caretaker manager of Notts County for a brief while before reverting to his previous post as player-coach with the hiring of Kevin Nolan as manager.

That he kept on playing for years when it was obvious that he wasn’t capable of meeting higher level standards was typical for a man who had more than the usual share of tough-mindedness.

Top facts about Alan Smith:

Alan Smith, who doesn't have a middle name since it's too frivolous, is 40 years old. He played striker and midfield in a 20-year career that saw him play 605 games and score 72 goals.

Alan Smith early life

Speaking about

Alan Smith’s childhood

, it should be mentioned that he attended Rodillian School in Rothwell, West Yorkshire, where he was born and raised.

Smith began his career at Leeds, where he made his first-team debut against

when he was 18 years old. There is no information available regarding

Alan Smith’s parents

.

As the team stabilized on both the home and European fronts, reaching the semi-finals of the 2000–01 Champions League, he established himself as an indisputable first-choice. Smith was a member of an offensive line that also featured Michael Bridges and

, an Australian.

Alan Smith personal life

Furthermore, there are several stories concerning Alan's love life, including reports of his having affairs with a slew of beautiful women. Lauren Frain, Amy Nuttall, Vanessa Nimmo, Cheryl Mulholland, Holly Worthington, Gemma Atkinson, Sophie Bovington-Kerr, and others are among his girlfriends.

He later married Kristina MacMillan, an X-Factor dancer, in June of 2015. However, the pair announced their separation after just four months of marriage.

When his wife discovered substantial proof of his cheating on her with businesswoman Sarah Cox, the football star took full responsibility. His relationship status is now single.

Alan Smith professional career

Alan Smith, born in Rothwell, Leeds, played initially as striker and later as a midfielder in a 20-year career which saw him play 605 games and score 72 goals.

He also played 17 times for England between 2001 and 2007. That he enjoyed such longevity is remarkable considering the terrible injuries he suffered along the way.

In his first season at United, he scored ten goals but boss Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to turn him into the next

, prowling the midfield, seeing the same fierce determination in Smith as in the Cork man. But his dream never came true!

Alan Smith club playing career

His senior FA Premier League debut came as a substitute for Leeds United against Liverpool at Anfield, when he showed off his natural scoring talent by scoring with his first shot three minutes after coming off the bench.

That goal propelled him into manager David O'Leary's first-choice striker duo, along with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, for the 1998–99 English football season.

Leeds United

Smith's time in the Leeds side grew in importance as the club grew in status. In 2001, he demonstrated his skill by guiding Leeds to the Champions League final, albeit his experience ended on a bitter note when he was sent off in the semi-final.

Smith was moved to the right side of midfield the following season, with O'Leary taking use of his adaptability as the

boss sought to accommodate new arrivals. Smith was also called up to the England national football team in 2001.

An important

fact about Alan Smith

is that he was a multi-level England junior international before making his senior England debut in May 2001. After failing to reach the final cut for the FIFA World Cup in 2002, he took a role with England's Under-21 team.

In November 2002, he scored four goals in a UEFA Cup meeting against Hapoel Tel Aviv. In February 2003, he signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal with Leeds.

Smith was a local hero for Leeds United fans, winning the "Supporter of the Year" title two years in a row between 2003 and 2004—a first in the club's history.

Though his goal total was not particularly impressive, the Leeds supporters admired his willingness to play any position on the field and his persistent attempts to save "The Whites" from relegation.

Following Leeds' relegation in May 2004, Smith kissed the emblem on his jersey and cried during his last match for the club. However, his move to Manchester United, a longtime rival, sparked controversy.

Despite the fact that the 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 expressed an interest, his departure was marred by accusations of treachery, and in the space of a day, he went from hero to villain in the eyes of some Leeds fans.

Smith opted to forego the personal transfer fee owing to him by Leeds due to the club's financial woes. This did not stop some Leeds supporters from feeling deceived, and they displayed banners comparing Smith to Judas in following games.

Peter Lorimer has now disclosed that Manchester United was the only team Leeds would allow Smith to join, and that Leeds had in fact orchestrated the transfer.

With

being the only club willing to pay the needed amount in whole rather than in installments (as

and Newcastle United did), Smith had to choose between letting Leeds to go into administration and joining Leeds' fiercest rivals. Smith, on the other hand, has previously said that he would never play for Manchester United.

Manchester United

A notable

fact about Alan Smith

is that he joined Manchester United for £7 million after Leeds was relegated at the conclusion of the 2003–04 season.

On August 8, 2004, in a Community Shield match against Arsenal, he scored his first goal for the club with a swerving volley in the 55th minute, but United lost 3–1.

He scored his first league goal against Norwich City in the 49th minute, with a "stunning volley" after setting up a goal for David Bellion earlier in the game.

His first season was hindered by injuries, which caused him to miss key matches such as the League Cup semi-final against Chelsea and the 2005 FA Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium, which Manchester United lost on penalties.

With

in fine form and

returning to the club following injury, the attacker was demoted to the bench in his debut season.

In the summer of 2005, it was revealed that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was grooming Smith to take over as Roy Keane's midfield replacement.

"Roy sees in Alan attributes that he saw in himself as a young player, which may help Alan grow into a very successful player in that position," Ferguson said.

 When Manchester United captain Roy Keane was injured early in the 2005–06 season, Smith was given the opportunity to establish his worth as a substitute. Smith started a lengthy stint as the 'anchor' midfielder, although he was ineffective.

With United's 4–1 setback away to Middlesbrough and the following 1–0 defeat to Lille in the Champions League, the criticism leveled at Smith and his teammates.

A notable fact about Alan Smith is that he is understood to be one of many Manchester United players who were harshly criticized by Keane in a MUTV interview that club executives deemed too combustible to show and sent to the editing room floor.

Smith's performance in the critical home encounter against league leaders Chelsea seemed to be scrutinized closely in light of Keane's harsh statements. Smith replied with tenacity, earning the man of the match award from The Guardian for his efforts in the 1–0 victory.

In 2005–06, he only made 33 appearances and scored once, in a 3–1 away triumph against Charlton Athletic.

Smith shattered his leg and dislocated his ankle while trying to stop a free kick from Liverpool's John Arne Riise on February 18, 2006, during a 1–0 FA Cup loss against Liverpool at Anfield, an injury Ferguson characterized as "one of the worst I've seen."

 Liverpool supporters allegedly assaulted Smith's ambulance as it left Anfield, according to reports at the time, however Smith has subsequently rejected these accusations.

 The next day, he underwent surgery, and it was predicted that he would be out of the game for nine months. Manchester United won the League Cup final 4–0 against Wigan Athletic a week later.

Manchester United's players honored Smith after the game by accepting the trophy in T-shirts with the words "For you Smudge" (Smith's nickname).

Ferguson traded Van Nistelrooy to

before of the 2006–07 season, stating that he wanted to replace him by reverting Smith to his natural center-forward position: "We're going to revert Alan Smith to a forward position.

He'll be back in training shortly and should be ready to go by the end of August or the start of September."

In August 2006, after three outings for the reserves, Smith returned to Manchester United's first team in September 2006, first as an unused replacement in a 3–2 Champions League home triumph over Celtic on 13 September, then for the last five minutes of a 1–0 away win against Benfica two weeks later.

An important fact about Alan Smith is that he made his first debut in eight months in Manchester United's 2–1 League Cup fourth-round victory against Crewe Alexandra.

He was still not totally match-fit, however, and only made one substitute appearance in the next four months. Both Cardiff City and his previous club Leeds United indicated interest in acquiring Smith on loan while he completed his training, but Smith said that he wished to battle for his position in the Manchester United squad.

On March 7, 2007, Smith made his comeback in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 encounter against Lille, replacing striker Henrik Larsson in the 75th minute of the 1–0 victory.

On 14 March, he made his first appearance at Old Trafford since his injury in a friendly against a Europe XI to honor the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome's signing. His first competitive start at Old Trafford came against Middlesbrough in an FA Cup quarter-final replay on March 19, 2007.

Smith played the full 90 minutes of Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Roma on 10 April 2007, scoring Manchester United's second goal in the 17th minute, his first goal since November 2005, after a string of games in which he was either a substitute or was himself substituted.

On 5 May 2007, he was chosen to the starting lineup against

; United won the game 1–0 and were proclaimed league champions the next day, when Chelsea were held to a 1–1 draw by

at the Emirates Stadium.

Despite the fact that Smith fell one game shy of the required 10 appearances for a Premier League winner's medal, the league gave Smith special permission to obtain a medal on the last day of the season.

He made his last competitive game for Manchester United in the 2007 FA Cup Final against Chelsea, the first final played at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium, going on in the second minute of extra time to replace Darren Fletcher.

Newcastle United

A notable fact about Alan Smith is that he played in all four games of Manchester United's pre-season tour of Asia, however Newcastle United announced on August 2, 2007, that they had agreed to purchase Smith for roughly £6 million. Smith will join Newcastle on a five-year agreement, which was revealed on August 3rd.

On his Magpies debut, he scored the game-winning goal in a 1–0 friendly victory over Sampdoria. However, the striker failed to make an impression in his debut season at Newcastle, failing to register a league goal.

The stress fracture in his ankle he received in pre-season delayed his development the following season, and he didn't participate in a competitive match until February 2009, when he came on as a substitute against Everton.

Smith was demoted for the second time in his career despite the comeback, as Newcastle were defeated by

by a single goal. He went the whole season without scoring.

An important fact about Alan Smith is that he played a pre-season friendly against his former club Leeds United at St James Park in the summer of 2009, the first time he had played against Leeds since leaving for bitter rivals Manchester United. His every touch was booed by Leeds fans throughout the game, and he was heavily booed when he was substituted.

For the 2009–10 season, Smith was named vice-captain, although he led the team in almost every game owing to Chris Hughton's preference for Smith over first-choice captain Nicky Butt. Smith has been a consistent performer, although in a much more advanced position as a central defensive midfielder.

Despite consistently playing as a deep-lying midfielder, he lost his starting spot following Wayne Routledge's January arrival and Danny Guthrie's strong showing in central midfield.

A notable fact about Alan Smith is that he was dropped to provide room for two attackers up front, Peter Lvenkrands and Andy Carroll, to play more games. Newcastle United have been promoted to the Premier League.

Due to the injury of Danny Guthrie, Smith started Newcastle's first four Premier League games, partnering Joey Barton in the 3–0 defeat to former club Manchester United, the 6–0 triumph over Aston Villa, the 1–1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and the 2–0 loss to Blackpool.

Cheick Tioté, a new signing, and

's presence cost him his starting spot. Smith saw action in the Football League Cup, when Chris Hughton handed periphery players like himself, Ryan Taylor, and Peter Lvenkrands a chance.

With Cheick Tioté consolidating his position as the defensive midfielder, Alan Smith spent a lot of time on the bench. Smith made his comeback in Newcastle's 3–1 cup loss to Stevenage on January 8, 2011.

Smith started in Newcastle's 1–1 derby tie with

, but came off after half an hour with an injured ankle. Tioté was banned for three games after his sending-off in the same game. Smith would be sidelined for the remainder of the season; it was subsequently revealed.

After returning to full training in April, assistant manager John Carver predicted that he would start Newcastle's last match against Chelsea, with Cheick Tioté likely to be rested to avoid a three-match suspension.

Smith was informed by Newcastle management on June 7, 2011, that his services would no longer be needed and that he was free to quit the club.

On June 8, 2011, Leeds United chairman Ken Bates said that a move for Smith was not out of the question, pending his pay demands and health.

Smith was linked with a return to his previous club Leeds United after being made available for sale, with Leeds manager Simon Grayson expressing his interest in the player. Newcastle United released him on June 1, 2012.

Milton Keynes Dons

Smith joined Milton Keynes Dons on loan until the end of the season on January 29, 2012. On 31 January 2012, he made his League One debut as a 50th-minute replacement for Adam Chicksen in a match against Sheffield Wednesday. The match concluded in a 1–1 tie.

On 4 February 2012, he earned his first start for the club, playing 66 minutes in a 1–1 draw with Huddersfield Town before being substituted by Jabo Ibehre.

Smith played his first full 90 minutes for the Dons in a 2–1 victory against Bury on February 23, 2012. The game's winning goal came from a penalty awarded to Smith shortly before halftime after he was fouled by Bury goalkeeper Cameron Belford. Dean Bowditch duly scored the spot-kick.

In a 1–0 victory against Sheffield United on April 21, he scored his first goal in five years. In the League One play-off semi-final against Huddersfield Town on 15 May 2012, he came in as a substitute and scored with a diving header in injury time.

MK Dons manager Karl Robinson was believed to have initiated negotiations with Smith's representation about a permanent transfer to the club on May 31, 2012.

Smith made 18 appearances for the club after arriving from Newcastle United in late January, scoring two goals. Smith signed a two-year deal on July 10th, completing the transfer.

Smith, with previous coach Ian Wright, has taken charge of MK Dons XI sides in the Berks & Bucks Cup, as well as playing in the unfamiliar position of center back for a game. Smith, along with three other players, was dismissed from the club on May 16, 2014.

Nottinghamshire

Smith joined Notts County as a player-coach on a one-year deal in 2014. In May 2015, he signed a new one-year contract.

In 2017, he served as the caretaker manager of Notts County, however once Kevin Nolan was appointed as manager, he returned to his previous job as player-coach. Notts County released him at the conclusion of the 2017–18 season.

Alan Smith international career

Smith was a multi-level England youth international who was summoned into the England team for a friendly against Italy in November 2000, but eventually withdrew to rest.

In a friendly against Mexico in May 2001, he got his first cap, although he did not make the final cut for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and continued to play for the under-21s. Smith made his full debut in September 2002, scoring against Portugal after being set up by Leeds colleague Lee Bowyer.

After a foul on Aleksandar Vasoski in a Euro 2004 qualifier against Macedonia in October 2002, he earned his first international red card after a second yellow card.

Smith received significant backlash in August 2005 for leaving from the England team to face

(a game England lost 4–1) in order to play for Manchester United's reserves.

Smith was called up for an England B match against Albania on May 26, 2007, after a lengthy hiatus from international football. He scored the game's opening goal, which resulted in a 3–1 victory. The next day, on June 1, 2007, he was selected to the senior squad to play Brazil.

As of December 2020, Smith is a coach at the XL Soccer World Academy in Orlando, Florida, where he works with both male and female children.

Alan Smith legacy

After six seasons and 228 appearances with Leeds United, he earned a reputation as a brave and tenacious midfielder.

He was sullen and passive aggressive, his bruised purple-red lips set in a sulky kind of pout. Anyone born in Yorkshire understands that this is an attitude that comes with your mother's milk and is worn like a winter overcoat to keep the world at arm's length.

Alan was the biggest supporter on the field, which just added to their disappointment. It's an understatement to say it was irrational.

Because the club was in financial trouble and he was one of their most prized assets, he became entangled in financial and political issues beyond his control. It's a wonder why fans couldn't see and grasp this.

It was as though they wanted to despise him as a kind of self-punishment for liking him. That's a very Yorkshire thing to do. I speak as someone who was born and raised in the county.

When he joined Manchester United, supporters were ecstatic to see him in red, believing he would be a valuable addition to the club. That seemed to be the case briefly, with a stunning goal against Arsenal in the Community Shield and against Norwich City in the league. Things in life may change suddenly and unexpectedly.

Alan, who had never been wounded before, could not have known how much what happened next would affect his life as Riise stood over the free kick.

He practically had to re-learn or re-educate himself in football terms after that. Despite this, he remained a popular player due to his dedication and hard work ethic. For a player that scored 68 goals in his first ten years, the fact that he only scored five goals in the latter ten years of his career is a strange oddity.

It's difficult not to admire a player that works hard and refuses to give up no matter what, particularly a striker. You wouldn't anticipate such a thing from a defense, but the gruff and courageous forward is an intimidating figure, and despite his youth, his work was simple to love.

It was characteristic of a guy with more than his fair share of bloody-mindedness that he continued to play for years after it became clear that he wasn't capable of matching higher-level requirements.

He may be a liability for Leeds when he's at his best, clattering into tackles and wiping people down with his jaw protruding and what I used to refer to as his f*ck off face in full force.

He wouldn't survive a minute if he played now like he did in 2000. And that's a pity, because witnessing Smithy wipe out someone was one of the things worth paying money to see, much like seeing David Batty, who he played with, do the same.

The Leeds team that clawed their way to the Champions League semi-final did it as much on attitude as on talent, and Smith epitomized that, even being sent off in the final.

Some quick facts about Alan Smith:

Alan Smith was born in Rothwell, Leeds. Between 2001 and 2007, he also represented England 17 times. Given the horrific injuries he sustained along the road, it's astonishing that he lived so long. Leeds, on the other hand, makes them difficult.

In the 1998-99 season, he rose from the Leeds United youth systems to the first squad, during a pivotal point in the club's history. He came off the bench for his debut Premier League game and scored with his first touch inside three minutes. At Anfield, to be precise.

As a child, he was the kind of driven, cruel person he was. He was not going to be stopped, he was not going to back down, and he was going in with both feet. It was a characteristic that saw him accumulate 130 yellow cards, 11 red cards, and five consecutive red cards throughout his career.

His greatest season at Leeds was 2000-2001, when he scored 18 goals, his only season in which he scored in double digits for the club. Manager David O'Leary moved him to the right side since he was a flexible player. He was a great fan favorite for his confrontational attitude, which appeared very Yorkshire. He won Supporters Player of the Year twice.

Leeds, on the other hand, were in financial difficulties and were relegated in 2004. To say the fans were unhappy with his transfer to Manchester United is an understatement.

The fact is that Leeds couldn't pay his wages, only United could, and the club would only sell him to United, so he had little choice but to go or put Leeds out of business, despite previously stating that he wouldn't play for their bitter rivals.

None of this mattered to the supporters, who either didn't know or didn't care, and who nevertheless attacked him mercilessly.

Smith scored 10 goals in his debut season at United, but manager Sir Alex Ferguson hoped to convert him into the next Roy Keane, patrolling the midfield and seeing in Smith the same fiery resolve as the Cork man. This, however, never materialized.

He shattered his leg and dislocated his ankle in February 2006 while stopping a free kick by John Arne Riise. He was sidelined for nearly nine months after that, and it would be another 13 months before he began another United game, and another 14 until he played the entire 90 minutes in the 7-1 hammering of Roma.

An important

fact about Alan Smith

is that he moved to Newcastle for £6 million after playing 93 appearances and scored 12 goals for United. It had been a terrible four and a half seasons for him, with a stress fracture causing him to miss almost the whole season.

He performed well in midfield in the Championship, winning the team promotion, but there was always the impression that he wasn't a fully developed midfield presence and was only filling in. This may have been unjust.

Finally, in January 2012, he fell two levels to join MK Dons on loan, where he played 83 times before finishing his career with five seasons with Notts County, most recently in the lower leagues, where he played 108 games before hanging up his boots in 2017-18.

During the upheaval, he served as a player manager on and off for a time, even taking leadership of a game. He departed three years ago and is now reportedly teaching at the XL Soccer World Academy in Florida, which seems like a good job, and surely preferable than being booed by Leeds supporters.

He seemed to be the genuine thing as a striker, aggressive, brave, and direct. He scored some fantastic goals, but injuries and circumstance prevented him from having the tremendous career he deserved.

Did he ever make an impression as a midfielder? That is debatable, especially at a higher level, although he did play that position for a longer period of time than he did striker.

A notable fact about Alan Smith is that he played in the third and fourth tiers for the final six and a half years of his career simply to be able to play football, even though he couldn't handle it at a higher level, demonstrating modest tenacity and drive. But again, it was never anything he lacked.

Alan Smith social media

Regarding

Alan Smith social media

, it should be mentioned that he does not have ant pages on any social media platforms.

Alan Smith body measurements

Speaking about

Alan Smith body measurements

, it should be mentioned that he is 181 cm and 80 kg.

Alan Smith net worth and salary

Alan Smith is one of the most well-known soccer personalities. He has been active in football for more than two decades and has amassed millions of dollars.

Alan Smith net worth

is estimated to be approximately $8 million as of 2022. His annual compensation is 3.12 million GBP as of 2012.

He is a dedicated and hardworking individual with a strong sense of purpose. He also participates in charity activities such as the Fashion Kicks Charity Event.

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