Oh Dear - Plenty Of Room At The Riverside
Last updated : 04 August 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor
Confirmation of Alan Smith's arrival at Newcastle United has left Middlesbrough short of options, as he must be the 649th player to turn them down this summer.
So much so, Southgate says he is determined to retain the services of Ayegbeni Yakubu, even though the ex-Portsmouth player cannot wait to get on his bike.
Had Smith concluded a £6m switch to the Riverside Stadium rather than St James' Park, the Boro boss is likely to have seriously considered fresh offers from Portsmouth for Yakubu.
However, having missed the boat with Smith and having not come up with an adequate alternative, Southgate looks unlikely to sell the Nigerian for less than the £12m valuation.
With Middlesbrough finding it difficult to further strengthen their squad, many of the club's supporters have shown a reluctance to renew their season tickets for the coming season.
Sales are well down on the 22,000 figure that is normally achieved, with a suggestion that there were fewer than 16,000 sold last weekend.
The club report: "It had been hoped the capture of Smith would have brought many back but the 27-year-old opted for Newcastle. However chief executive Keith Lamb is not overly worried by the drop in season tickets."