ALAN Smith will return to the scene of his most painful moment in football on Saturday.
Smith's last visit to the Reebok Stadium ended with him leaving the pitch in tears as Leeds United crashed out of the Premiership.
Few who saw the match will forget the image of Leeds-born Smith, having swapped shirts with Jay-Jay Okocha, crying after a 4-1 defeat confirmed his hometown club's relegation.
It was the moment when the 23-year-old realised that he would have to leave the club he had joined at the age of 10 if he was to stay in the Premiership and keep alive his international career.
"I never thought I would ever leave Leeds," he said at the time. "I thought I would spend my whole career there.
"I am not a First Division player and I have got an international career to think about, and hopefully the Leeds fans understand that."
But the Leeds fans were less understanding when they learned that he was joining their deadliest rivals for £7m, having initially insisted that he was more interested in a move to Italy or Spain.
Now Smith is aiming for a more successful visit to the Reebok than he endured on that balmy afternoon back in May.
He has made an impressive start at Old Trafford, scoring four goals in his first seven competitive matches for Manchester United.
And Smith has made it clear that he has joined United for one reason -- to win trophies.
"Growing up, I wanted to be the best I could be," he said, shortly after signing.
"I want to win everything I can. That was the biggest reason for coming here.
"Manchester United are a team of winners. They play in every tournament going, and I want to become a winner too."
He added: "I have never changed clubs before and I didn't really know what to expect but it is strange how quickly I have settled in.
"I am a young player coming to a big club and I want to learn off players who are already here.
"If you can take information off good players, that will stand you in good stead for the future. I've joined a team where people have won championship after championship and trophies, and yet they still want more; that's a credit to them.
"But they want to win the Premiership title so badly this year and I want to win it too."
Smith has been given time to build up an understanding with Louis Saha up front for United, as Ruud van Nistelrooy has missed the first month of the season with a hernia problem.
But with van Nistelrooy on the verge of a return after recovering from a hernia operation, Smith is aware that the competition for places is about to increase.
The former Leeds striker has maintained from the moment he joined United that he can cope with the pressure.
"I know I am good enough to play in this team. At a club like this, self-confidence is the most important thing. If you ask Ruud, Louis and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, I'm sure they would say exactly the same thing.
"If you are going to be a successful club, that is what you need from the players. You need everybody who wants to play to do well and win things."
Smith is driven to succeed. He wanted success enough to make a move that has incurred the wrath of his hometown club's supporters, and he will be just as determined to erase some of the memories of his last Reebok Stadium visit this Saturday.
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