It is a legacy of 20 years in football from the Premier League title and Champions League semi-final to League Two. But Smith reckons most other pros would have taken that decision 12 years ago after his infamous horror injury for Manchester United at Liverpool. “It would have been easier to walk away and people remember you as a top Premier League player. He takes huge satisfaction from subsequent title successes after injury with both Manchester United and next club Newcastle who won the Championship in 2010. Winning the Premier League is a massive thing for anyone which United did in 2007 before I left.

Source: Daily Mirror October 12, 2018 16:30 UTC