Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
United team-mate admits: ‘We are lucky to have him’
“If he gets a big-money move away then it would be detrimental to the team but it would be great for Lawrence. We will need to see what happens.
“I’m pretty sure the club will do all they can to keep him at the club but his goalscoring record will attract interest from a lot of clubs.”
Despite all the attention, Smith believes his pal Shanks will be just as tempted to stay put at a club on the up in United.
“It is an attractive place from top to bottom,” he said.
“Since the owner has come in, he has steadied the ship and we are definitely club that is going in the right direction.
“It is a good place to play and even more so now we are back in the Premiership.
“The attraction of England is always there but I don’t see Lawrence being in a hurry to leave.”
Smith is backing the 25-year-old striker to grab plenty of goals in the Premiership when the action returns.
“If you are a goalscorer and you get the service then you will score goals,” he commented.
“If we provide the service for Lawrence in the Premiership then he will score.
“You don’t get as many chances in the Premiership but if we get the ball to him then he will keep his scoring record up.
“He has scored goals internationally and against Premiership teams in the cup.
“People will say he hasn’t done it i n the Premiership but his record speaks for itself.
“He hasn’t done it week in week out but he has proved himself against Premiership teams in a one off and will do it again over the course of the season. I have no doubts.”