Tommy Smith - Gazumped by Pompey - Thread

[Big Foot]

FAO those who see Tommy Smith as the answer to our lack of goals

1997–2003 - Watford 149 (33)
2003–2004 - Sunderland 37 (4)
2004–2006 - Derby County 92 (20)
2006–2009 - Watford 124 (27)


Such a great goalscoring record!!!

Because he isn't a striker.

Last season was the best season in his career to date in terms of goals.

Even if they get Smith, Reading still need a proper centre forward.

Which makes this whole debacle even more laughable

A whole Summer spent chasing a player and getting mugged off by a chairman with an attitude - to spend the best part of £2m on a player who isn't going to get us many goals?

[Terminal Boardom]

Mr Mad said earlier on Radio Berks that a statement is going to be issued stating "where the money has gone" -
he also said it wasn't his idea to name the stadium after him.

Very true. It was Nigel Howe's idea. SJm being the overgrown egotist that he is lapped the idea up.

[Alan Partridge]

FAO those who see Tommy Smith as the answer to our lack of goals

1997–2003 - Watford 149 (33)
2003–2004 - Sunderland 37 (4)
2004–2006 - Derby County 92 (20)
2006–2009 - Watford 124 (27)


Such a great goalscoring record!!!

Because he isn't a striker.

Last season was the best season in his career to date in terms of goals.

Even if they get Smith, Reading still need a proper centre forward.

Which makes this whole debacle even more laughable

A whole Summer spent chasing a player and getting mugged off by a chairman with an attitude - to spend the best part of £2m on a player who isn't going to get us many goals?

He will almost certainly get us more than our current wide players, he does improve the team and he will fit in ok on the right. The problem is that we still don't have a striker capable of this lone front man role. Our strikers Noel Hunt aside are dire regardless. Really hope Rodgers addresses this soon.

[Silver Fox]

Have we signed him yet then?

LOL @ this thread and LOL @ the majority of Reading fans

'greed, quite the bunch of tits

[Mr Optimist]

It is not necessarily Tommy Smith's goalscoring record that is going to help us score more goals but will provide the better link to the striker/s that has meant little service to whoever has been playing in the last third so far this season.

Although for an advanced midfield player his goalscoring record is reasonable and is in good from this year from a goalscoring point of view.

I do wonder sometimes why some people bother "supporting" the club. If it makes you that unhappy why bother? (and don't bother coming back when the team turns the corner, your services are no longer required).

[loyalroyal4life]

It is not necessarily Tommy Smith's goalscoring record that is going to help us score more goals but will provide the better link to the striker/s that has meant little service to whoever has been playing in the last third so far this season.

Although for an advanced midfield player his goalscoring record is reasonable and is in good from this year from a goalscoring point of view.

I do wonder sometimes why some people bother "supporting" the club. If it makes you that unhappy why bother? (and don't bother coming back when the team turns the corner, your services are no longer required).

we still need another striker IMO

[Seal]

LOL at board snobbery above.

I really don't think 66 pages on this transfer is a reflection of some obsession with Tommy Smith. It is more that this unfortunate man (god help him when he doesn't score for 5 games) has become the metaphor for our woeful transfer market activity: not just this summer but pretty much since August 2007. I don't think anyone expects us to spend millions, but it is the combination of slowness, frugality, lack of communication, and some quite frankly very poor signings that has frustrated us.

I think a lot of people felt Coppell may have been at the heart of this - I for one would never say it for due to a reluctance to criticise the great man - but now we are seeing that it is maybe an inherant club issue.

I really don't want the world, and don't expect from a club with sub 20,000 attendances which is in the Championship. All I want is a decent winger (Smith or someone else), a number 9 who can hold the ball up, and maybe at a push a combative centre midfielder with a bit of experience. Don't care if they cost £200k or £2m, just as long as they add to the squad. And unfortunately it would have been nice to have had them for the start of the season rather than trying to save a £100k getting them just before the deadline.

Still, delighted if this goes through and fingers cross for some more positive news over the weekend.

[Alan Partridge]

LOL at board snobbery above.

I really don't think 66 pages on this transfer is a reflection of some obsession with Tommy Smith. It is more that this unfortunate man (god help him when he doesn't score for 5 games) has become the metaphor for our woeful transfer market activity: not just this summer but pretty much since August 2007. I don't think anyone expects us to spend millions, but it is the combination of slowness, frugality, lack of communication, and some quite frankly very poor signings that has frustrated us.

I think a lot of people felt Coppell may have been at the heart of this - I for one would never say it for due to a reluctance to criticise the great man - but now we are seeing that it is maybe an inherant club issue.

I really don't want the world, and don't expect from a club with sub 20,000 attendances which is in the Championship. All I want is a decent winger (Smith or someone else), a number 9 who can hold the ball up, and maybe at a push a combative centre midfielder with a bit of experience. Don't care if they cost £200k or £2m, just as long as they add to the squad. And unfortunately it would have been nice to have had them for the start of the season rather than trying to save a £100k getting them just before the deadline.

Still, delighted if this goes through and fingers cross for some more positive news over the weekend.

A fine summary here, good post.

[Big Foot]

Midfield is a position where we have a surplus of talent so to spend what appears to be a large chunk of our transfer war chest on that department seems nonsensical.


We are 1 centre forward & right back away from having a side anywhere near challenging for the play offs.

[(.)Boobies(.)]

Midfield is a position where we have a surplus of talent so to spend what appears to be a large chunk of our transfer war chest on that department seems nonsensical.


We are 1 centre forward & right back away from having a side anywhere near challenging for the play offs.

Really? I'd say we were a striker or two away, a right back and a left winger.

[Royal With Cheese]

We are 1 centre forward & right back away from having a side anywhere near challenging for the play offs.

I would say we are 1 centre forward and a right back away from having a side that won't be relegated - but then I'm feeling particularly pessimistic at this juncture.

[Kitson12]

Midfield is a position where we have a surplus of talent so to spend what appears to be a large chunk of our transfer war chest on that department seems nonsensical.


We are 1 centre forward & right back away from having a side anywhere near challenging for the play offs.

Wings maybe, CM/CAM/CDM no, we've got plenty.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Midfield is a position where we have a surplus of talent so to spend what appears to be a large chunk of our transfer war chest on that department seems nonsensical.

Who in our midfield can create chances on a regular basis? Other than tackling, which a number of them struggle with, that's kind of a midfielder's job.

We are 1 centre forward & right back away from having a side anywhere near challenging for the play offs.

A big centre-forward to head in all the crosses that nobody is making, I assume?

[(.)Boobies(.)]

We are 1 centre forward & right back away from having a side anywhere near challenging for the play offs.

A big centre-forward to head in all the crosses that nobody is making, I assume?

I think you will find a Mr Smith has a rather tasty cross on him.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Hopefully the start of a busy week, still badly need 3 - 4 players on top of Smith.

Striker and defensive mid are a must, really need a right back too, I think we'll have to cross our fingers on Kelly coming back soonish.

People have got to learn to cover their bases better on here. By all means slag of JM, but phrase in a way that you can go back on.....

[southbank1871]

LOL at board snobbery above.

No snobbery here if that was aimed at me.

Just find it laughable that people got so wound up with the club after Russo came out with that rubbish yesterday.

[bigmike]

LOL at board snobbery above.

Agreed
If people dont like what people are typing on an Internet DISCUSSION board why dont they explain where people are wrong? of course there is always the enlightened view of just call people tits and use insults because you can form a valid argument

[Row Z Royal]

LOL at board snobbery above.

Agreed
If people dont like what people are typing on an Internet DISCUSSION board why dont they explain where people are wrong? of course there is always the enlightened view of just call people tits and use insults because you can form a valid argument

Thye are, on the most part, correct.

[bigmike]

LOL at board snobbery above.

Agreed
If people dont like what people are typing on an Internet DISCUSSION board why dont they explain where people are wrong? of course there is always the enlightened view of just call people tits and use insults because you can form a valid argument

Thye are, on the most part, correct.

that may be true however some of the tits also have quite valid points

[MalcybabyRFC]

I have to say after reading some of the negative posts regarding this topic I have to say some of you clearly havent a clue what your talking about. Just how much do you know about TS??? Please read below for a lesson

About Tommy Smith
One of his best seasons by far was the 2008/09 season, where he scored 17 league goals and made 9 assists (in half a season) thats 1 off of Kevin Doyle. In doing so he was statistically named the Championship's top midfielder and was overall ranked second in the list of top 100 footballers in the whole of the English football League (inc premiership). In addition, as well as finishing as the clubs top scorer, he was named player of the season for the second year running, as Smith scored 17 goals & 9 assists in the second half of the season after being out injured for most of the 1st 5 months, this lead to Watford slipping almost into the relegation zone, however after Smiths inputs above and practically single handedly saving Watford they finished 13th. Smith also made his 300th appearance for Watford in the penultimate game of the season, a 3-2 win away to Coventry City.

Smith started the 2009/10 season in the same form: notching five goal assists and two goals after the first four league games (meaning Watford's first seven goals of the season all involved Smith). This was despite on-going transfer speculation linking Smith with Reading, managed under former Watford manager Brendan Rodgers and also Newcastle United and several Premier league clubs.

Yeah see what you mean - why bother with this jerry hat-trick who is over the hill and clearly offers nothing to a team.
You do realise that one of our main problems other than not having TS goals, is that we have sold / lost most of our experienced players!!! Tommy Smith is a player who will bring much needed experience into a team of kids, and an established style of play that we are now trying to Adopt under BR.

Its a no brainer - plus sorry to state the bloody obvious but he has only cost 1.8mill - bugger me better stop the free lunches at Hogwood. Lets have some ambition shall we