Smith wants to remain a Red Devil

THE last time Manchester United collected a trophy, they did so wearing ‘This is for you Smudger’ T-shirts.

Alan Smith is determined the next cup United win, he will be playing a full part in the celebrations.

Smith was only just out of hospital after suffering a broken leg and dislocated ankle in an horrific freak accident during an FA Cup tie at Liverpool when Gary Neville held the Carling Cup aloft at the Millennium Stadium last February.

Since then, the 26-year-old has been forced to abort two comeback bids and reject Alex Ferguson’s offer of a period away from Old Trafford on loan.

The latter move in particular seemed somewhat foolhardy given what Ferguson wants at United, he usually gets.

Little did Ferguson know Smith would return to full fitness just when he needed him most.

So, with Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer injured and Henrik Larsson back in Sweden, Smith will be asked to take some of the striking burden off Wayne Rooney as United’s Treble drive hits full speed.

“There is a big month coming up now and I want to be involved,” said Smith.

“It is what I have worked so hard for.’’

Cardiff and Smith’s former club Leeds were among the clubs believed to be interested in offering the Wakefield-born player a refuge for the remainder of the campaign.

Despite Ferguson’s persuasive powers, Smith was determined to stick it out at Old Trafford and while speculation persists he will be the odd man out when United finalise their striking options for next season, he remains convinced he is good enough to hold down a place in such exalted company.

“I am not leaving, it is as simple as that,” he said.

“There has been a lot of speculation but I am going nowhere.’’

It has been a long road back for Smith though.

He initially turned out in a pre-season game at Preston, only to realise he was not quite as fit as he thought.

Two Carling Cup starts at Crewe and Preston a couple of months later only brought fresh concerns, with Smith eventually agreeing to go on a personal fitness programme which is now starting to pay dividends.

After enjoying a relatively injury-free first half of the campaign, suddenly fitness problems are starting to bite for United.

Apart from Solskjaer, Saha, Darren Fletcher, and the suspended Paul Scholes, Edwin van der Sar is also a definite absentee from both Saturday’s Premiership clash with Bolton and the FA Cup quarter-final replay with Middlesbrough 48 hours later.

At least that quintet will be back by the end of the month. Unfortunately for Mikael Silvestre, his season is now over after United confirmed the French defender required surgery to stabilise the joint in the right shoulder he dislocated against Lille last week.