Swindon Town boss Ian Holloway has declared that striker Harry Smith will not be leaving the club, despite reported interest from Cambridge United.
The 30-year-old scored 17 times last season and is believed to have attracted a bid from United, which Holloway has firmly turned down.
Cambridge Move Rebuffed by Determined Holloway
Reports surfaced late last week suggesting that Cambridge United had made an approach for Smith, but their offer was rejected by Swindon. Holloway has now confirmed a bid was made, though he stopped short of identifying the club involved.
The experienced manager, speaking during an interview with BBC Radio Wiltshire, made it clear that Smith is staying at the County Ground.
“I want bid after bid after bid for my players – that means we’re looking good. Whether I take them or whether I don’t is truly down to me, which is brilliant. The message is, whoever that was (that made the bid), he’s not for sale at whatever price they want to throw at me – I’m not taking it,” he said.
Smith joined Swindon last summer and enjoyed a prolific campaign in League Two, netting 17 goals across all competitions. The target man previously turned out for the likes of Northampton Town, Leyton Orient, and Sutton United.
Despite entering the final year of his current contract, Holloway has offered Smith a new deal, although talks have yet to reach an agreement. That uncertainty has not changed the manager’s stance, however.
“I want him, I need him, and he knows that. We’ve already offered him a different deal, that hasn’t come to pass, so I’ve said ‘go on then, earn it’. He’s running out of contract at the end of next year, but you’re not going, you’re mine,” Holloway added.
The Swindon boss suggested that the bidder’s identity was no surprise, hinting they had a previous connection with Smith. That appears to align with Cambridge United’s reported interest, although neither club has officially confirmed any link.
Holloway’s passionate defence of his striker underlines the importance he places on continuity ahead of the new campaign. With Swindon aiming to improve on last season’s mid-table finish, keeping key players like Smith is vital to those ambitions.
Writer’s View
Cambridge United’s push for Harry Smith suggests they are serious about adding firepower ahead of the new season, but Ian Holloway’s response could not be clearer. Whether or not Smith would consider the move is irrelevant at this stage, as his manager is resolute in keeping him.
What’s perhaps most telling is Holloway’s pointed remark about the level of the bidding club. It’s a subtle reminder of Swindon’s own ambitions, as much as it is a dismissal of their rivals. United may well return with a fresh offer, but for now, it seems Holloway has the final word.
