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Smith: “I never thought United wanted me”

alan-smith-2Alan Smith has admitted he never thought Manchester United would sign him and that the opportunity to play for Sir Alex Ferguson was too good to turn down.

In an interview with Andy Mitten on the Manchester Evening News, the former United man, now playing for Notts County in League One, revealed some interesting details over what brought him at Old Trafford.

Leeds born and bred, Smith famously said that he would never play for United.

“I did say that,” Smith said.

“I’ve also learned to never say never in football. When I said it I was young and naive and never thought that a) Man United would ever want me and b) Leeds would ever sell me. Look how silly I was.”

However, the 34-year-old also admitted that he might have left Elland Road had Leeds not been relegated in the wake of their well documented financial troubles.

“I would probably have never left if we hadn’t gone down but Leeds were trying to sell me to the highest bidder. It was a free for all and I didn’t like it.”

Smith’s move to United in 2004 upset Leeds fans as much as Eric Cantona’s, Joe Jordan’s and Gordon McQueen, but the former England striker said he expected to be on the receiving end of a backlash from Leeds fans.

“As for criticism, I would have been a fool if I thought that would never have happened,” Smith said.

“I’d been at the club when Eric left to go to Old Trafford. I was ball boy the day he came back and scored at the Kop and saw the feelings that day.

“I spoke to Sir Alex and he said: ‘I never thought you’d be brave enough to make that decision.’ But the Leeds I left wasn’t the Leeds I knew. There were people in charge of the club who I didn’t like. I went to meetings and saw some bizarre things, with me being touted about to the highest bidder.

“I had the chance to go from a team who’d been relegated to the champions of the country. Arguably the greatest club manager ever wanted me. How could I turn that down?”

The full interview with Alan Smith by the ever brilliant Andy Mitten is available here.