Smith hoping for leniency at FA disciplinary hearing
Although West Yorkshire Police chose not to prosecute Smith for throwing a bottle into the crowd during Leeds' Carling Cup defeat to Manchester United at the end of October despite being arrested and questioned the FA still charged the 23-year-old with improper conduct.
Smith was seen picking up a plastic bottle which had landed on the Elland Road pitch late in extra time of Leeds' 3-2 third-round exit and hurling it back into the stands where it ironically hit the sister of one of his best friends.
Although no complaint was made against Smith by the girl or her family, the matter was still pursued by the police who were later advised by the Crown Prosecution Service not to charge the England international with any criminal offence.
Smith's arrest, though, caused a furore as it came hours after he had been selected for the England squad to face Denmark in a friendly international at Old Trafford in November.
Smith was immediately dropped from the squad once the FA learned of his arrest, in line with policy of not selecting players for the national team who are under police investigation.
As the Rio Ferdinand saga was ongoing at the time, it led to England captain David Beckham demanding the FA revise their disciplinary procedures, which are currently under review.
The fact Smith faces an improper conduct charge, though, means the FA can hand out any punishment they see fit, although a three-match suspension would appear to be most likely.
Liverpool's Jamie Carragher was handed a three-day ban when he hit an Arsenal supporter with a coin after throwing it into the crowd during an FA Cup tie at Highbury two years ago.
However, the incident was spotted by referee Mike Riley who sent him off for violent conduct which carries with it an automatic three-match penalty.
Any suspension would start with the match at home to Middlesbrough on January 31, pending a potential appeal and there is the prospect of Smith facing up to two months on the sidelines.
Having picked up his ninth yellow card of the season, in Sunday's FA Cup third-round defeat at home to Arsenal, one more would see him hit with an automatic two-match ban.
Should that occur in any of Leeds' next three games, it will be added onto the suspension he faces today and should that be three matches he would not return until the visit to Fulham on March 13.
Leeds defender Gary Kelly could return to action in a week after x-rays yesterday confirmed a foot injury was not as bad as first feared.
Kelly missed Sunday's 4-1 FA Cup third-round defeat at home to Arsenal amid concerns he had sustained a stress fracture to his left foot.
But the right-back merely has soft-tissue damage to the underside of his foot, and although he will miss Wednesday's trip to Newcastle and Saturday's Elland Road clash with Tottenham, he may be available for the game at Southampton on January 17.
Head coach Kevin Blackwell confirmed: "Thankfully, it's not a stress fracture. The initial pain caused a problem and was in an area renowned for stress fractures, but he's had x-rays and the MRI scans have come back negative."
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