February 22, 2003 (Saturday)

Woody's sell-out hurt

By MICHAEL MORGAN

ALAN SMITH has revealed for the first time the hurt and despair he felt at the sale of best mate Jonathan Woodgate to Newcastle

England defender Woodgate was flogged by Leeds during last month's transfer window.

And his controversial £9million switch to the Toon came just days after Elland Road chairman Peter Ridsdale had assured anxious fans no more sales would be made following the £7m departure of Robbie Fowler to Manchester City.

Woodgate's exit was seen by furious punters as the ultimate act of betrayal by Ridsdale, who had been frantically offloading top stars to reduce the Yorkshire club's horrific £77m debt.

Ridsdale became a hate figure for the crowd and they have continued to demonstrate at matches and demand his removal from office.

Leeds and England striker Smith confessed: "We'd seen top players leave because of the club's financial situation and we understood why lads like Rio Ferdinand and Robbie Keane had to go.

"But, if I am honest, Woody's sale was the one that upset me the most.

"From the point of view of our fans, they saw it as one sale too many. It was the one that finally snapped their patience.

"Not least because they felt they had been betrayed after being told that the club would never sell its crown jewels.

"Woody, of course, was considered one of the crown jewels. He'd been at the club ever since he was 13 and our supporters absolutely loved him.

"For me, it felt like losing a special friend who I'd known since I was 12 years of age and had grown really close to.

"So, to lose someone who you have grown up with just made me think that you never know what's around the corner.

"At the start of this season, I could never have imagined that Woody would be leaving us for Newcastle or anywhere else.

"His departure came as a massive shock to me and everyone else.

"During the time the deal was on the go, I spoke to him about it quite a bit.

"He just felt that, once Leeds had accepted Newcastle's bid, then it was obvious he would be going up to St James' Park.

"I have spoken to him a few times since and it is clear he is enjoying it up there.

"But everyone here at Elland Road knows how much he cared about this club."

Woodgate will not be turning out for Newcastle against his old team at Elland Road today.

Leeds were clever enough to insert a clause in the transfer forbidding him to play in this fixture.

Woodgate will not even be at the game. He has been banned from doing that by Bobby Robson because his new manager fears his presence at his old club could cause crowd problems.

Yet Smith, 22, is disappointed he will not be crossing swords with his old pal.

He said: "I would really like to have played against him. In the past, we had some real good battles against each other in training but I have never been able to pit my wits against him in a competitive game.

"And that's a big shame because I reckon it would be a contest worth watching.

"Still, the fact Woody is not coming back to play in this one has got to be good news for us.

"That is because he is rated so highly by all the lads he left behind here. We all know Newcastle have got themselves a great centre-half.

"And, hopefully, Woody will also go on to be a great centre-half for England as well."

Woodgate, 23, was the last big name to leave Elland Road in an all-star exodus, which saw Ferdinand, Keane, Fowler, Lee Bowyer and Olivier Dacourt shaved off boss Terry Venables' squad.

Smith admitted: "It was hard to take seeing mate after mate going through the exit door. As I said, I think the lads in the dressing room understood why players had to be sold.

"But a lot of the fans found it difficult to accept or understand why Woody left. And that was the main reason why the crowd were up in arms.

"The fans coped with Rio leaving for Manchester United last summer because it was a massive amount of money.

"I know we miss him as a player and everybody says we shouldn't have sold him if we were building for the future.

"But I think the team could cope and the fans could realise why he had gone for £30million. It was money the club couldn't turn down."

Despite all the departures, Smith never once questioned his own desire to stay with his hometown club.

And the Rothwell-born hitman showed his belief in Leeds' future by agreeing a new 3½-year contract worth around £40,000 a week earlier this month.

Smith said: "I didn't take much persuading to sign the new deal. During discussions, I always maintained I wanted to sign and stay here.

"So it was only a matter of time before the details were sorted out.

"The fact that players were leaving did not influence my thinking at all.

"I am proud to play for my hometown team - the team I support, anyway.

"Don't forget, as a player, I am still learning my trade.

"And if I did want to move away from this club - which I don't - I'd have to be a well-established player to get a top club on the continent.

"If that's what you want to do, then fine. For me, though, I'm more than happy at Leeds for the foreseeable future."

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