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Smith given permission to speak to Blades

12:25pm Friday 3rd July 2009 in


Watford FC have accepted a £1.8 million bid for fans favourite Tommy Smith.

According to the BBC, the Hornets have granted permission for the Bramall Lane outfit to speak to Smith.

The full story can be found here

Comments(39)

Speedydog says...
12:35pm Fri 3 Jul 09

When I bought my season ticket we had a manager with whom I thought there was good a strong possibility of the team doing well next year. With Tommy, Tamas and the rest of the lads I put my money down. I am now suffering a big disappointment, firstly with that to55er Rodgers and now with the imminent departure of Tommy. How about some money back.

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JSD says...
12:45pm Fri 3 Jul 09

It's hardly the club's fault that Rodgers is a disloyal t**t and we are hardly in a position to turn down a bid of that amount. Why should you get some money back exactly? The season tickets couldn't be any cheaper!

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laddette says...
12:55pm Fri 3 Jul 09

I agree with you speedydog, if we are to have any chance of staying in the championship we cant afford to let smith go.

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a1derek says...
1:03pm Fri 3 Jul 09

I can see Speedy's point as we pretty much all brought in to the "Judas" plan.

But I believe there is a lot that has gone on behind the scenes here.

Why did Judas suddenly decide to walk when he had said all that reassuring stuff about loyalty?

He had said that we intended to build a team around Tom!

However, I know for a fact he definitely tapped up Tom just days after the end of the season!

So, was it that Rodgers was told that he had to sell Tom that changed his mind? I doubt it, to be fair.

The fact remains we did buy our ST's on the back of the grand Rodgers plan, and despite everything looking at it in the cold light of day, I think the b*****d Rodgers is going to be a good manager.

However, buying Graham to replace Smithy hardly fills me with optimism!

So, yes the ST's are great value, I agree, but it looks like we are going to get something very different to that which we "signed up" for.

Yes, we have to trust Malky to get it right, but it's now looking more and more like his hands are going to be tied a lot tighter than any of us thought!

And, it hurts every Watford fan to see our talisman sold, when he would really rather stay!


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cliff46 says...
1:12pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Anyone that thought Tommy as our most saleable asset was going be with us this season just hasn't understood our dire financial situation.
I am sorry to see him go but £1.8 for a 29 year old that has one year left on his contract is reasonable business.
We will have raised about £3m in sales so far so hopefully there shouldn't be many more to leave, manybe Jobi will go but hopefully we can hang on to Williamson.
I thought Williams was out of contract about now but I havent read anything yet, have I missed it?? If he were fit he would be very useful but I imagine he will be retiring which is sad but at least it will knock a fair ammount off the wage bill

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garyporter1 says...
1:19pm Fri 3 Jul 09

'Are you Watford in disguise' will be the chant when we play the blades! Taking into account the amount of Watford playing staff they have employed. They will probably change their kit to Watford colours next. Fair price for Tommy Smith considering he only has 1 year left on contract. He'll probably be back in a few years anyway.

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worthing_hornet says...
1:27pm Fri 3 Jul 09

All these comments about how were doomed if Tommy goes, it's a kick in the teeth for fans, the player must stay or he's a traitor. Yes let's keep every player till their contract expires and they don't want to renew and can leave on a bosmann, oh that will really help the club - get alife guys!. Now a question about all these Watford superstars we have had in the last four seasons, with the exception of Ashley Young, which of them has left the club and gone on to do super things??? - your suggestions please cos I cannot think of one who stands out particularly. I don't want to sound disloyal, but they are not world beaters we're talking about here. TS yes has been very good for us since his return. He cost us 500K what does that say about how he was doing before hand? JJOT is still developing and will hopefully get better. I personally think Tamas will go for more than TS when we do eventually sell him. He has age on his side.

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worthing_hornet says...
1:32pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Oh and another thought, can anyone answer? Given what has been put in the press about BR expressing his interest in taking TS, should we be asking the FA to invetgiate whether Reading can be accused of tapping up TS in an improper way - WO is there any mileage in investigating and reporting on that?

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getafix says...
1:35pm Fri 3 Jul 09

£1.8m for Tommy is pants, it undervalues him as a player and completely undervalues his importance to WFC over the recent seasons - this is rubbish business by a new board I was warming to

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Chris the Vic says...
1:39pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Hey fellas who complain what dont you understand??

Sell players or go into administration and then sell the players.

I bought my ST cos i support the horns.

As for Tommy and the blades I wish them well...just not as well as the Horns.

and I am so glad TS is not going with Rodgers especially as they were talking as if it was a done deal.

Also we still have some useful wingers and watch out for Ras if soton collapses in the next few days...we may still be very competitive and on our way out of the financial mire

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HOOF says...
1:47pm Fri 3 Jul 09

I agree that we can't really turn down £1.8m.
But why would TS want to go to another Championship side?
Surely for him now its all about playing in the prem.
I've got a funny feeling he may turn them down & hope that an offer comes in from the prem,and if not then will stay with us till at least January.
Or maybe i've just had a bit too much sun these last few days!!

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enlightened one says...
1:49pm Fri 3 Jul 09

I bought my season ticket to support the club,anyone who did on the back of thinking TS was going to be here for next season was to say the least naive and to write off the season on the back one player leaving is just ridiculous,Man-ure won't be winning anything next season then.

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GrahamTaylor says...
1:55pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Speedydog wrote:
When I bought my season ticket we had a manager with whom I thought there was good a strong possibility of the team doing well next year. With Tommy, Tamas and the rest of the lads I put my money down. I am now suffering a big disappointment, firstly with that to55er Rodgers and now with the imminent departure of Tommy. How about some money back.
We were all told by the Russos that players would be sold.

What would you prefer a Southampton situation?

Hoof TS is not good enough for the prem tried twice and faied

£1.8M is excellent business. He has one more big contract in him at 29 and will be about how much money not where he plays his football

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Prof Plum says...
1:58pm Fri 3 Jul 09

£1.8m for Smith is good business. Presumably the same people who demand loyalty from players/managers etc will show some to Mackay and Dyche when we’re bottom of the league after 10 games.

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RobboBTC says...
2:00pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Hoof, to be totally honest I think wages will be his 1st concern & Premiership football 2nd. He himself towards the end of the season stated that money was a major consideration for any player. He could probably double his money at Sheffield United & if he went to a Premiership club would he be any more than a bit part player, I believe he may also realise that, so may as well do well in the Championship & pick up big wages. Good luck to him.

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Berks Horn says...
2:01pm Fri 3 Jul 09

In some respects £1.8m could be considered good business for a player in the last year of his contract. If, as Cliff suggests above, it's a stark choice between selling him and going into administration then it's a no brainer. Although the financial situation is dire are we actually that close to the brink of administration though? That's not necessarily the impression given. If not then isn't it worth holding on to Tommy in order to retain Championship status and allowing him to go next year on a free if that Championship status is worth more than the £1.8M we get for him now?

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JoelCanning says...
2:07pm Fri 3 Jul 09

We are all as dissapointed as each other about losing Smith, but the board are trying to stabalise the club and have done well... around £3 million in transfer funds in, Poom, Kabba, Williamson, Smith all big earners and all gone / going... Williams will probably be off the wage budget soon (unfortunately due to injury) Severin is a good signing, Graham has a point to prove and i hope he does well... i have faith in this board and MM... C'mon you Orns

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Spencer Hutchinson says...
2:15pm Fri 3 Jul 09

well, I have looked at all the reports above, but let me say one thing, at the end of the season Tommy smith said he wanted to go, he has one year on his contract left. Lets have faith in the Manager and back room boys, they are not silly and will make sure Watford are up at the top end of the Div at the end of the season. Other players will come in and do goos jobs for us, thats all other than, "come on you golden boys"

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oxheypaul says...
2:24pm Fri 3 Jul 09

It should be obvious to anyone the only reason we are letting Tommy (17 goals and a dozen assists last season) go is because Nathan 'pass the pies' Ellington is back.
Malky has said he will adopt a carrot and stick approach with Ellington to turn him into the goal machine Hoofers always knew he would be. Or maybe it was a carrot, roast spuds, beef and gravy approach.

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HOOF says...
2:26pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Prof Plum wrote:
£1.8m for Smith is good business. Presumably the same people who demand loyalty from players/managers etc will show some to Mackay and Dyche when we’re bottom of the league after 10 games.
Christ,the season is still 6 weeks away,the players have only just arrived back at training and already a so called fan has written us off.Unbelievable!!!

s/w
wait-then

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the sniper says...
2:41pm Fri 3 Jul 09

What is it with Blackwell,he seems to want "OUR PLAYERS"?How many hornets does he want?Is it revenge from when we stuffed Leeds in the play-offs? At least ensure Smiffy plays in the premiership this season and doesn't come back to haunt us along with all our other ex-players.As for the Doom and Gloom merchants, how about getting behind the players that represent our beloved team and see how things pan out,cos without the support we'd be no better than the Sc*m up the M1...COYH!!

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CRBMK18 says...
4:07pm Fri 3 Jul 09

I agree this is a sad loss, yet it is good bussiness by the club. If we get £1.8mill for a 29yr old with 1 year left on his contract then so be it. Mooney, Robbo, Helguson, Marlon, all WFC hero's who we were gutted to lose, but the club battled on and survived. The reality is we are a small club, who is well short of cash, operating in a tough economic climate. Look at the mess Soton are in, and Norwich & Charlton are now a league below us too since their falls from recent Premiership grace. We should support the Russo's whilst they & the board try to stabilise this club, and support Malky & Co on the pitch. Good luck Smithy, but WFC must move on.

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Emmer Green Hornet says...
4:08pm Fri 3 Jul 09

We'll be fine without Tommy. 1.8M is a great deal and so pleased he didn't go to Judas FC. At least the Blades pay decent money when they come in for our players, rather than offering joke amounts for someone they tout as superman.

I have a horrible feeling Priskin will join Judas however, and I hope the Russo's maximise any income from him and invest it in players. I am fully expecting the Tommy money to go on keeping us in business and just as important on the brilliant academy we have. Any more sales must surely be spent on the playing side.

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mattymashup says...
4:22pm Fri 3 Jul 09

how can any of you be surprised tommys going? remember he may be a Watford legend but he walked out on us once and now he`s doing it again, good luck to him he`s a good player, but no-one is irreplaceable, roll on the next watford legend!

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RJL says...
4:40pm Fri 3 Jul 09

What price do we put on staying in the championship.I would keep TS even if it is for 6 months.Who else is going to score the goals we need.

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The Rover says...
4:43pm Fri 3 Jul 09

mattymashup wrote:
how can any of you be surprised tommys going? remember he may be a Watford legend but he walked out on us once and now he`s doing it again, good luck to him he`s a good player, but no-one is irreplaceable, roll on the next watford legend!
Watford FC have given Sheffield United permission to talk to TS, it is not TS that has requested a transfer.

It is not a case of TS walking out on us at all.

You never know, TS might say he does not want to go, although I would guess the package he will be offered will be much better than the one he is on at WFC and him going is inevitable.

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Chris the Vic says...
5:02pm Fri 3 Jul 09

And now the Blades are talking to JJ O'Toole is this a buy WFC move...or is it Blackwell buying the players he wanted that Aidy sneaked in and bought. Either way the Blades will look remarkably like last years squad at this rate.

But above all they appear to have conducted themselves well unlike Reading

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Heimishe_Hornet says...
5:17pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Chris is quite right.

You support the club, you buy the season ticket, you support the club irrespective of the manager, the individual star, the particular season's performance or promise. Besides, re Rodgers he's only been in situ half a season and every club must be bigger than it's best player.

COYH - 09/10 season; a new start, a new opportunity

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Grissom says...
6:00pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Maybe it is Sheff Utd's way of sharing their payout from West Ham, with the other teams who also got relegated with them?!?!

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Mick Jones says...
6:18pm Fri 3 Jul 09

HOOF wrote:
Prof Plum wrote: £1.8m for Smith is good business. Presumably the same people who demand loyalty from players/managers etc will show some to Mackay and Dyche when we’re bottom of the league after 10 games.
Christ,the season is still 6 weeks away,the players have only just arrived back at training and already a so called fan has written us off.Unbelievable!!! s/w wait-then
He is not a fan he is Prof Plum the professional tosser

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VoR says...
8:29pm Fri 3 Jul 09

What's with all this tosser business, this is not friendly banter, it's nasty from nasty pieces of work, all are entitled to their opinions, anyway aren't you a Leeds supporter?

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Feff says...
9:20pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Tommy Smith will be getting more money at Sheff Utd than with us. Good luck to him. Brendon Rodgers is getting much more money at Reading (and more money to spend) than with us. I daren't say "good luck to him" because of the deluge of postings that already call him "Judas". Look yourselves in the mirror, however, and answer honestly whether you would not have done what BR has done and TS is about to do.

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richbolt says...
12:32am Sat 4 Jul 09

Chris the Vic wrote - who complain what don't you understand.This is what - we've bought and sold our ground more times than i can recall.We've twice got to the Prem - spent relatively sod all both times and had fall out payments.Now we've sold another player for 1.8 million ( 10 million Ashley Young etc).In this period of so called tranparency - how much do Watford players earn - and if it isn't 50k a week how much do we pay the hot dog sellers ! Where has the money gone - maybe an old question - but Chris the vic that is what I don't understand ?.Oh by the way Jay must be worth 3 million after them performances.AHHHHH!
?

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herts hornet says...
12:46pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Yes BUT CROSSED ANYONES MIND that the 1.8m pound fee for Smith includes John Joe as part of that deal we are not being told the "agreed" fee ,let us know Watford please ? the headline of smith off for 1.8million seemed palletable BUT if includes john joe as i have heard well !!!!!

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HOOF says...
5:15pm Sat 4 Jul 09

I've just been informed that TS has turned sheff utd down.
Reading are now favourites to sign him.
Don't do it Tommy!!!!

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WFC4ever says...
11:20pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Heimishe_Hornet wrote:
Chris is quite right. You support the club, you buy the season ticket, you support the club irrespective of the manager, the individual star, the particular season's performance or promise. Besides, re Rodgers he's only been in situ half a season and every club must be bigger than it's best player. COYH - 09/10 season; a new start, a new opportunity
Exactly...we've sold top players before and lost good managers for various reasons but still kept going.

I would rather ensure money is there (so long as Malky is allowed to spend some of it albeit in the right areas for the right price) than risk administration and starting the season off with -10 because the season is going to be hard enough as is it.

For the record we have some good young players who might make the grade if given a chance.

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hawkhorn says...
2:11am Sun 5 Jul 09

To Chris the Vic: I'm not one to go on, I told you so you naive fool! Make sure you listen next time.

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hawkhorn says...
4:14am Sun 5 Jul 09

to$$ers!

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eltonsarmy says...
2:36pm Mon 6 Jul 09

Its all gone quite again board of dirctors, talk to us, is TS going to Sheff united or has the player said no and we are now going to take a lower bid from that pile of crap in berkshire.

WE NEED TO KNOW:

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