July 18, 1977
Tommy Smith’s future with English and European champions Liverpool will be decided at a vital board meeting to-night. Smith, who announced he was planning to retire at the end of last season, has already had a testimonial match. But the club have asked him to stay on and have offered a new contract.
So far, though, Smith has not yet signed the contract because it does not give him first team squad status. Any player in the squad receives the bonus payments made by the club even if they are not in the first team regularly. The contract Smith has been offered means that he will only receive the bonus payments when he is actually in the team.
Neither the club nor Smith would comment on the situation to-day.
(Source: Liverpool Echo: July 18, 1977; via http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) © 2018 Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited
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"Play Up, Liverpool" 