Originally Posted by
LesHiboux
This cringeworthy policy of trying to sign other local clubs' players and managers is nothing new, Roly, and it goes right back to Brian Dean and Jimmy Hagan. On both occasions United agreed to sell to Wednesday, but neither player would move across the city on the grounds that they wouldn't be able to walk the streets any more. But they were different times, and in fairness to TS he has in the past attempted to thwart the Owls' advances but this time could do nothing.
In my opinion Bannan, who's been referenced several times on the site, is far worse than Smith. Baz has been on £2 million a year for the past 7 years, is an international, yet he would rather languish in the Third than take a pay cut and play at a higher level. I just cannot imagine doing that, had I made all that money. Smith's situation is quite different, as this is his first (and probably last) big pay day. His wage of circa £1.5 million a year is that of a decent Championship striker, one who scores perhaps 10-12 goals a season. Winnall came in on £17K a week a few years ago, and although a different sort of player to Smith was that sort of striker (he got eleven for the Reds). It's fair to say that his career didn't improve after leaving Oakwell, even if his bank balance did.