Smith concentrating on making his mark with Quakers (From The Northern Echo)

Smith concentrating on making his mark with Quakers

9:19am Friday 10th July 2009 in

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GARY Smith will begin to put the past behind him when he makes his first appearance in a Darlington shirt during this evening’s opening pre-season friendly with Billingham Town.

Former Middlesbrough trainee Smith achieved notoriety last year when he was the subject of a £4.5m compensation case brought by former Manchester United midfielder Ben Collett.

Collett’s right leg was broken in two places as the result of a tackle from Smith during a reserve game in 2003, and a judge in Manchester High Court ruled that both Boro and Smith were responsible for the Mancunian’s inability to forge a footballing career.

The case, and a subsequent unsuccessful appeal, made national headlines, but having joined Darlington from Brentford, Smith is determined to look to the future rather than dwell on the past.

“The tackle? To be honest, I’m a little bit sick of talking about it,” said the Middlesbrough- born midfielder. “It’s not anything to do with me now, it’s to do with Middlesbrough’s insurers. I don’t have to go to court or anything.

“At the end of the day, I didn’t think it was a bad tackle. I didn’t even get a yellow card.

He has made some money out of it, but I just want to forget about it now.

“I played quite a few (reserve games) after that. It was mid season of the reserve league so I finished that season.

“At the time, I didn’t think anything was too bad. I went to see him and things like that. But then three years later, I got a letter through the door telling me what was happening. It was out of the blue and I was shocked.

“I have moved on completely.

I need to forget about my injuries, the court thing and just concentrate on doing well.”

That process begins this evening as Darlington kick off a pre-season programme that will also include matches against Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland.

Smith has played for MK Dons and Brentford since leaving Boro in July 2004, but spent almost all of last season on the sidelines after suffering a serious ankle injury.

He made just four appearances for the Bees, but is determined to get his career back on track after returning to his native North-East.

“I was going to start last season with Brentford, but then I got injured just two days before,” said Smith. “It was ongoing with my ankle for five months and, when I got back, we were top of the league. You can’t knock on the manager’s door when the team is winning the league.

“I’d also had problems with my knees before that, but I completed a strict rehabilitation process and I’m fine now.

“It’s exciting knowing I’m coming back home to one of my local clubs. I was in London last year and things were not too good because of the injury, but hopefully this is a fresh start and I’ll thrive this year.”

■ Admission tonight (ko 7pm) is £5 for adults and £2.50 for children and OAPs.

Under-16s are free accompanied by an adult. Free parking is available on land adjacent to the ground.