Like a lot of fans, I never like to hear a player wearing black and white – or silver for that matter – heckled by his own supporters.

And I felt for Smith – a transfer target of Everton – as he trotted on for Obafemi Martins in the second half against Valencia at St James's Park, as I don't think he deserved it.

In my book, he's always given his all for the club he joined a year ago.

Hours before the game, as I killed time before the delayed kick off, I bought a second-hand DVD for £1.99 from a shop in town.

It is titled simply 'Alan Smith'.

Documenting his first few seasons with hometown club Leeds United, the DVD charts Smith's meteoric rise at Elland Road.

I watched it yesterday, and the highlights include a debut goal against Liverpool in front of Anfield's Kop, a strike against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, a belter against Newcastle at St James's Park, and a superb Cruyff-turn and strike against Southampton.

Smith, quite clearly, can score goals.

So what's gone wrong for him at United?

As a couple of the contributors to the DVD pointed out, part of his problem is being such a team player, Smith's often too unselfish in front of goal.

Also, he spent a large part of last season playing in midfield, which isn't his best position.

There's also the career-threatening injury he suffered two-and-a-half years ago. A horrific leg break like that takes any player a long time to recover from.

On the surface, Newcastle should suit Smith down to the ground. Like Leeds, it's a one-club city, and one thing fans demand is that players give 100 per cent.

Smith never gives anything less.

I saw a few Leeds games during the second-half of their relegation season as a friend was in Eddie Gray's side.

And while one or two of his team-mates may have thrown in the towel as the club lurched towards disaster, Smith never stopped trying.

In the Elland Road players' bar after a 1-1 draw against Everton, which had seen Tyneside-bound James Milner cancel out a Wayne Rooney opener, he was being consoled by Leeds-born Radio One DJ Chris Moyles.

He knew they needed wins, not draws, to escape the drop.

That summer Smith left for Manchester United, and he went on to make close to 100 appearances and score 12 goals for the club.

Sir Alex Ferguson has only signed a handful of bad players in his 21-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, and I honestly don't think Alan Smith is one of them.

I'm giving the DVD away to the first postcard I get at the Gazette office with the correct answer to this question: Alan Smith has scored one goal for Newcastle United – who were the opposition? Answers to: Miles Starforth, Shields Gazette, Chapter Row, South Shields NE33 1BL.