Jeff Smith Returns To Vale Park

Last updated : 06 April 2007 By Thetashkentterror
Smith in Vale colours
United midfielder Jeff Smith, who was speaking to The Sentinel, talked about his £60,000 January move from Vale Park to Brunton Park and how it will feel playing against his old club tomorrow :


"The move to Carlisle came out of the blue. I knew the Carlisle manager, Neil McDonald, because he was reserve-team coach at Bolton. Also, Carlisle offered me a two-and-a-half year contract, and I felt I had to take that. I think it has worked out well for both clubs, and I don't bear any grudges to anyone at Port Vale.

"Vale is where I have played most games, with more than 100 appearances. Martin Foyle gave me the chance when he picked me up from Bolton and made me the player I am. I have to thank him for that, but on Saturday I will be here to do a job for another club."

"It is going really well here. It will be a massive game at Vale. We are pushing for the play-offs and, with a win at Huddersfield, Vale would have been just behind us. You never know what reception you will get, but hopefully it will be a good one.

"It took me a while to get going at Vale because of injuries. But I was injury-free this season and playing my best football. It's going to be strange going into the opposition dressing room, but I hope we will still be friends by the end. If I score, there'll be so many emotions going through my head. I don't know how I'll react."


Meanwhile, Martin Foyle, Smith's old boss at Vale Park said :

"Jeff is a real decent lad and I really like him. We took to him the minute we signed him. It took him a while to settle, but that is what you find with players who have never played first-team football. It might take them a year to get going and to get games under their belts. In his second season, I thought he played some better stuff.

"He was up and down, but so was the team, but this year he was one of our better players. It was a deal which the club thought was right with his contract up at the end of the season. He would have gone anyway because we weren't in a position to offer him two years. I wished him well and we keep in touch. He still pops his head in and is more than welcome here. He has never been a problem and it is nice to see those sort of players do well.

"The pleasing thing is that Danny (Whitaker) has settled on that side like a duck to water, he hasn't looked out of place or ungainly. When Chris Birchall moved from the right to the left, he didn't look right, but Danny is clever and comfortable on the ball, which is a bonus. We hoped that would be the case when Jeff left because Danny is a player who can play anywhere. But, in general, a left-winger is something we need to find and are looking for. If it's not to be and we can't find anybody, then we carry on."