Smallwood Has Left The Building

Probably to clear the air with fans speculation - he didnt want to leave and wasnt demanding unreasonable terms - in his mind anyway.

 

Kinda. Wasn't that one more around Yorks handling of the deal? Rather than player and manager? Didn't they announce it far too early before things were agreed or something on those lines? I remember Sparks saying it's put him off dealing with York again or something on those lines.

 

I cant remember. I remember Donaldson been vocal about Sparks and City though.

 

I have no idea, I was just thinking why has Simon Parker gone with this story, normally he doesn’t say a word unless the club have agreed it?

 

They didn’t pull any rug on any deal, one year or two. One was never offered . He told the club what “ he” wanted…that frankly appears to be it? ( 2 years) . The only comment RS indicates where a negotiation took place was about his existing” deal way back in Jan 2025 and it appears the club said no discussions before the season end?





It’s all in the words

 

It seems Smallwood wanted to get a “ defence” in early.. ? Like you say we won’t know but there are glaring holes in that piece that don’t hold any water for me. ie an awful lot of assumptions on the players / agents part.

 

Biggest decision Alexander has made during his tenure, don't think any one saw it coming whether that be fans or fellow players. Football management is all about making those big calls, only hindsight could tell you if they turn out right or wrong. As much as there is two sides to every coin Smallwood seems aggrieved that he was led to believe there would be a contract offer then some two and fro between the club and agent which never materialised.
As fans we have to go with GA and his thought process to next season, of which he didn't have Smallwood in his plans. But as a player who has been pretty much an ever present during Alexanders tenure, the club are gonna have to get his replacement right, more so for his influence in the dressing room. The team starting the season is gonna look a lot different to the one that started the last game, and arguably thats a good thing.

 

Bantams unhappy at way York have handled Donaldson signing | Bradford Telegraph and Argus

They started using him before his City deal ended and had him modelling that seasons new kit, whilst he was contracted to us still.

Anyway, with all these things it's just a he said she said and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. I reckon most of what Richie said is probably bob on in his version. City will have slight contradictions in their version and they will be bob on too in their beliefs. As long as it ends and doesn't cause any discontent in the playing squad then that's the main thing.

 

Agreed.

 

100%

My main thing is making sure it doesn't piss off his good mates in the squad. Probably with hiring anyone who has been a Boro youth at any point, a lot of the core in our team have probably been mates since they were early teens. Hopefully they know football is just a business and everything moves on.

 

Sorry but the whole thing defies logic. The manager who had so much faith in him that he picked him as captain and played him every time he was fit and available, and now we know the length of contract wasn’t a deal breaker. I hope GA knows what he is doing

 

Simon is away must be his understudy

 

That’s a big danger

 

Whose logic? It’s not what he has done in the last three years, that’s history, it’s all about what he can do in the next two years against faster , better opponents. The club thinks he will only go backwards so do I . On that basis why reward regression ?

 

If he was rotting on the bench, injury prone or absolutely shit then yeh, its just business.

But their promotion winning captain, a mainstay in the team and player of the season........thats gunna take some convincing IMO.

 

I dont think Smallwood showed any sign of regression last term. Never injured, his best performances in a City shirt and POTS and L2 TOTS. Smallwood has got better imo and on that basis you would think he earnt a new deal.

Im on the fence, I see it from both sides btw. I doubt many of us would have been shocked or upset he got a new deal....

 

This is an exact mirror image of McGoldricks departure from County, the comments are the same from those pro or anti the decision… . He also wanted two years the club said no. Clubs have to be ruthless if they want to progress.

There is no room for sentimentality yet many are doing exactly that and not looking at the big picture two years hence in a better division.