NEWCASTLE have won the race to sign Manchester United outcast Alan Smith in a deal worth around £3.5million.
Toon boss Sam Allardyce made his move for Smith after the England striker made public his dismay at not being offered a new deal by United.
But Allardyce failed in his bid to make it a United trio at Newcastle after the Old Trafford hierarchy rebuffed his attempts to sign defensive duo Wes Brown and Mikael Silvestre.
AdvertisementSmith revealed his desire to stay at Old Trafford only last week but admitted he had received no assurances about his future from Sir Alex Ferguson, a revelation which sparked a scramble for his signature.
Despite his reluctance to leave United following a £7million move from Leeds in 2004, Smith has been assured of regular football at Newcastle under Allardyce, something Fergie could not give him at Old Trafford.
And Smith is said to be relishing the challenge to prove he can get back to the level he was at before breaking a leg at Liverpool in February 2006, which ruled him out for seven months.
A host of Premiership clubs including Tottenham and Aston Villa made clear their interest in signing Smith but Newcastle have won the race
NUFC.com have a article from a Nigerian website, claiming that Martins is lying about the shooting incident.
www.nufc.comLagos lunacy:
Shot blast
From the Nigerian website This Day, Friday - an alternative version of the recent Obafemi Martins gun drama:
A new vista has emerged in the Obafemi Martins’ assassination attempt saga with the Nigeria Police insisting that the Super Eagles striker lied about the incident alleging that no such thing happened.
The Newcastle United star had told the international media of his lucky escape from an attempted assassination in Lagos, when his vehicle was shot at by gunmen at about 9 pm on Monday.
According to the former Inter Milan star, the incident happened at a petrol station close to his Victoria Garden City (VGC) residence, where he had stopped to buy fuel for his generator along with two of his friends, when three men approached the car and without demanding for the keys suddenly opened fire.
But shedding light on what actually happened on Monday night, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Lagos State Command, Mr. Olubode Ojajuni, said at about 3 am on Tuesday, the police in Ajah, Lagos, got a distress call from one Mr. Remi Onipede on phone that he was receiving treatment at an hospital on the Lagos Island after an attack by some gunmen.
The Superintendent of Police, said on getting to the hospital, Onipede explained to the police that at about 1am that same Tuesday morning, he went out in search of diesel oil with a friend in a Mercedes Benz Jeep with registration number BD 900 BDG.
"Onipede told the police that while trying to enter into a filling station close to Alesh Hotel, Ajah, suddenly, a vehicle hit him from behind.
He (Onipede) claimed to have come down to find out what was happening, when suddenly, some armed men alighted from the other vehicle and pointed their guns at him. One of them shot him on his hand while he was trying to escape. He said he succeeded in escaping with the car keys and went to the hospital."
Ojajuni said VGC police went all out for the criminals and that it was during their hunt, that they recovered the vehicle.
"The driver, Onipede, told the police that the vehicle belonged to Martins. Ajah Divisional Police Officer (DPO) headed straight to the international footballer's house early on Tuesday morning and on getting there he met his mother, who informed the DPO that her son was still sleeping. The DPO gave his telephone number to Martins' mother and left a message that once Martins woke up, he should call him.
"At about 10 on the same Tuesday morning, Martins called the DPO to thank him for recovering his vehicle and also apologised for not seeing him earlier in the morning. Martins even told the DPO that he was travelling that same morning and promised to see the officer when next he came to Nigeria.
“So why then did the footballer tell the international media that he was robbed? If he was involved in the armed robbery attack as he claimed, why did he not inform the police? His driver told the police that Martins was not in the vehicle but one of his friends. Obafemi Martins lied against himself.”
Ojajuni promised the readiness of the police in unravelling the mystery behind the Super Eagles striker's claim.
The original report in the Sun contained the following quotes from Oba:
"They shot indiscriminately and tried to kill all the occupants of the car. They weren’t there to rob me but to finish me off.
“I thought I was going to die. They executed it like professional hired assassins.
"They didn’t say anything to me but just started shooting at the car. It was hell. I was dead in my heart and soul. It all happened like in the movies.”
“I didn’t know their mission but they looked scary and mean. My nerves were completely dead when I saw the guns.”
“If you are attacked by armed robbers, they only threaten you and take whatever they want but these guys were only after my life.
“How I managed to escape is still shocking and unbelievable.
“Maybe someone up there loves me more than I could imagine because only he could explain what happened.
“But my mother is scared they could come back again.
“She almost passed out when she saw the car. She just kept asking who wants me dead.
“I don’t feel safe in Lagos any more and don’t think I want to return so fast.
"I was born in Lagos, I am a Lagosian. But when I don’t feel safe in my hometown then something must be wrong.
“I am not running away from armed robbers but people who want to take the life of Obafemi Martins.
"It’s a great thing to play for your country, put smiles on the faces of people and also feel safe among your family and fans.
“But when the situation gets out of hand, I don’t think coming home is something I can even contemplate.”
PS - it's unconfirmed whether Arsenal have any interest in signing Martins, or if he just wants to play for a team nicknamed the Gunners.....
