Carter claims Smith wanted full control

Wakefield chairman Michael Carter says former head coach Brian Smith wanted to over the running of the Wildcats.

Smith resigned last week in a shock announcement. The coach and Carter had a “frosty” relationship since December according to the chairman, and Carter said that was because Smith wanted complete control of Wakefield as a club.

“He wanted to take over the club, but could not come up with any feasible, written business plan,” Carter told The Yorkshire Evening Post.

“It was all ‘let me take over the club’. When we asked for some business plans and a written formal offer, there was never one forthcoming.

“If you are making an offer to buy a business you’d expect to see that in writing. He did want to take over the whole place. That was featured in a number of arguments around January time.

“He did want to take over the entire club, but never came up with anything formal in writing. A lot of arguments centred around that.”

On Sunday morning Smith posted on Facebook after Wakefield was thrashed by St Helens.

“Disappointed like all Wildcat people to see Friday night result. Be careful tho how U respond and what u read and hear. Many of those people charged with delivering the goods on game day have similar misgivings as I had.

“I had different options and chose not to work in those conditions which are not conducive to the necessary professional standards that have operated every where else I have ever worked since 1984.

“The long term always shows. In this case it may not be too long. Just hope the great old club is not destroyed in the meantime.”