Bootham Crescent door not shut on ‘desperate’ Smith says York City boss

10:24am Saturday 8th December 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

JONATHAN Smith could still return to York City despite being quoted claiming he is “desperate” to stay at Luton Town.

The 26-year-old midfielder has started five matches for Luton having joined the non-League club on loan at the beginning of November after falling out of favour at Bootham Crescent.

City boss Gary Mills will reconsider next week whether to recall Smith or Lee Bullock, who has also been farmed out to Gateshead, with Danny Kearns’ return to Peterborough having left the squad short on midfield numbers.

Smith, though, has suggested to the Luton News that he would prefer to stay at Kenilworth Road.

Minstermen chief Mills is reserving judgement on those comments until he speaks to Smith himself, when a decision will be made on whether his future lies in North Yorkshire or Bedfordshire.

Mills said: “Players are what they are. He’s playing for them every week, which he wasn’t doing here, but I’m sure Jonathan did not mean his comments to be disrespectful to York.

“Sometimes players can be naive when a mic is put in front of them and sometimes people can construe things the wrong way. If he’s happy at Luton, he’s happy at Luton.

“There’s nothing wrong with saying you’re enjoying your football. But if he’s saying he wants to stay there and doesn’t want to come back here then that’s different.

“He’s not told me that and I’m sure he would have done because that’s the kind of relationship we have. I like Jonathan and we get on well, but I sent him there so maybe he was put out a bit by that, but football’s football.

“If he decides it’s not right for him to come back and he wants to stay at Luton then that might happen and we’d have to move on.” As well as expressing his desire to remain at Luton, Smith also praised the Hatters’ attendances and Blue Square Bet Premier title ambitions in the Luton News, saying: “I’m desperate to stay here as I’m really enjoying working under the gaffer and playing in front of a big crowd every week.

“Playing for a club with ambition of this size, that’s what I want. A team that’s challenging at the top, I think it brings out the best in me.

“Everyone wants to win the league here and I want to be a part of that, because I can see we can win the league.”

Comments(15)

goreds says...
10:32am Sat 8 Dec 12

The old adage 'Never go back' rings true.
Hope it works out for him and for City.

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redbluelion says...
11:01am Sat 8 Dec 12

we don't want him back after what he said..thinks hes a big time charlie playing for luton let him.hope luton fail again.

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TerryYork says...
11:23am Sat 8 Dec 12

I don't want him back as he's not a patch on the player we sold to Swindon. I absolutely don't want him back after his comments, comments that make no sense.

It might be impressing Luton at the lower level, but it just doesn't cut the mustard in the league.

Although from a quick look at their comedy site Outlaws, they all seem to be struggling with their new boss, calling him "Chuckle Buckle" and also angry with their ownership (2020?), so that's probably why he's doing well there, given the rest seem seem a bit crap.

So sure, let him stay with the coin-throwers. Let him live in a town that is the opposite end of the spectrum compared to our city. Let him enjoy a club that takes notoriously small away crowds. Let him enjoy getting beaten by Dartford.

I do miss them though. Nailed on win when they were next in the fixture list.

PS Hi Outlaws :D

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ian923 says...
11:54am Sat 8 Dec 12

Gary Mills can't tell me Jonathan Smith is naive. Smith knows exactly what he said and I'm suprised Millsy is making excuses for him.We only need and want players who want to play for City and Smith clearly doesn't. Sell him to Luton in January. League 2 is obviously too hard for him.Best of luck this afternoon to City at Plymouth.

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YoRkIe59 says...
12:16pm Sat 8 Dec 12

how can he make comments like that and it be taken or intended as anything but disrespectfull let them keep him but make sure we get some cash after all they are such a big wealthy club eh,perhaps that sort of attitude is the reason he wasnt doing the bussiness for us when he had the chance.give it 6 months and those unhappy little hatters will be giving him grief if its not all rosy see how much he loves it when that BIG crowd are on his back.

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ycfcfooker says...
1:21pm Sat 8 Dec 12

Only joking right off we go

Glad I saved a packet on my car insurance

Give it some pasty

Red army red army

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OLD - HEAD says...
1:52pm Sat 8 Dec 12

I honestly can not see what all the fuss is about. Jonathan Smith knows that if he comes back to York City he could finish up like Henderson, Bullock, McGurk, Blanchet, and of course until last week, Michael Potts. So he is obviously going to say that he wants to stop at Luton, for they seem to rate him. I certainly wouldnt expect him to come out and say that his loyalties lie at Bootham Crescent, but perhaps he could have chosen his words better.

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bill bailey says...
2:11pm Sat 8 Dec 12

If the lad thinks the grass is greener then for him it must be.it might be his level,be fair he is getting games there,would you want to sit on the bench
90% of the time. just get him off the books .move on see whats on the market in january.

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long distance depressive says...
2:22pm Sat 8 Dec 12

Must be great playing in front of big crowds every week..he's at Alfreton today!

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GreenshawGrinder says...
1:38am Sun 9 Dec 12

Does he know that there is only one automatic promotion place from the Conference? Possibly not! If his loyalties lie down sarf, get rid.

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YcfcKeepingTheFaith says...
9:48pm Sun 9 Dec 12

Personally, I was very excited when J.Smith came back to the crescent and didn't think his performances warranted a bench position at all. I was gutted that he went to Luton, and I am still gutted. I can see why some of the fans were hurt by the supposed comments but we're only seeing it out of context, and he needs to speak positively about the club he's at (regardless of the fact it's Luton) it would be stupid not to. I doubt he means any disrespect to York and I'd still love to see him back. That's just my personal opinion.

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nigthepig says...
12:22pm Mon 10 Dec 12

Same here, I would love to see J Smith back. Just look at the mess we are in at the minute - that's not suggesting we can't turn it round. Smith is a quality player at this level.

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nigthepig says...
12:23pm Mon 10 Dec 12

Same here, I would love to see J Smith back. Just look at the mess we are in at the minute - that's not suggesting we can't turn it round. Smith is a quality player at this level.

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nigthepig says...
12:29pm Mon 10 Dec 12

Same here, I would love to see J Smith back. Just look at the mess we are in at the minute - that's not suggesting we can't turn it round. Smith is a quality player at this level.

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old_school_minsterman says...
4:59pm Mon 10 Dec 12

For all those saying Smith isn't up to League 2 standard, just remind me how many matches he played in a Swindon team that walked promotion? 38 matches. Playing for a manager that is ruthless and would not select a player unless he was performing week in, week out.

Would York fans prefer to see Smith in midfield or donkey Parslow?

He was treated poorly by Mills and should be one of the first names on the team sheet.

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