Midfielder Jonathan Smith joins Town as one of Paolo Di Canio’s first signings. Smith made 44 appearances, scoring 5 goals for the Minstermen in the Blue Square Premier last season.

The Preston born player knows this area well, having played for Gloucestershire neighbours Forest Green before his move to York last summer on a two year contract.

York City fans believe they’ve lost their most important player, so I’ve asked York supporter David Nichols to provide the lowdown on Jon Smith.

There has always been the feeling at York that Jon wouldn’t be around for long, although not quite what you’d expect by that when I say it.

Not long after he “signed” (in July 2010) there where stories going round saying he changed his mind and signed for Rotherham instead. Although this turned out not to be true, or at least its not as far as we know. The story seemed to come from a good source and most fans where very verbal in attacking the management, not long before we had “signed” a player only to have him stay with his current team (Charles, now at Aldershot).

When he arrived people looked at his stats from his time at Forest Green where he scored 8 league goals and it was thought he could help solve our reliance on Richard Brodie as our only goal getter. However he had a problem in the shape of Neil Barrett. The two of them are very similar players and Neil has the advantage of experience. So Jon struggled to get into the team at first, however when he did he was quick to make the wrong impression on the fans.

An all action combative box-to-box player he may be, but a tackler he is not. His first few games where marred with miss-timed tackles and bookings. However Barrett had some unfortunate off field problems that allowed Jon to claim a place with the arrival of Gary Mills as manager in October. It didn’t happen over night, but Jon quietly went about becoming a first XI player. I would suggest that this time taken was more to do with him trying to settle so far from home than a lack of ability.

Jon is a non stop runner. Even in the 90th+ minute he will be busting a gut to get into the box. His tackling is very much a weak point, its not great but is improving.

Towards the end of the season, some older York fans where comparing Jon to a young Nigel Pepper, if he can learn to time his tackles better he will be a good player for any League 1 or 2 team.

He isn’t wasteful with the ball, but he will never be a playmaker. He is the player making the late run into the box. He will cope with League 2 fine, so long as he does not make a name for bad tackles early on.

It’s the right move for him in that he will be closer to home. His agent also happens to be the business partner of the guy who represents Di Canio (hence stories of a minimum fee clause). The reported fee of £30K doesn’t represent his value now, but if he develops as I think he may £30K could be quite cheap in the long run.

What are your thoughts on our signing of Jon Smith?