Fans favourite Tommy Smith said it would be “tough” to leave Watford if the club decide to sell him in the January transfer window.

Smith and John-Joe O’Toole are two players being linked with moves away from Vicarage Road in recent weeks.

The 28-year-old wide man, who grew up in Hemel Hempstead, said he “loves” playing for the Hornets but that he would have to “wait and see” if he is sold when the transfer window opens on January 1.

In the summer, a number of big name stars left Watford and chairman Graham Simpson admitted last month that if he feels it is “the right thing to do to make the club sustainable”, then he would consider selling more players.

Smith, who re-signed for the club in 2006, said: “It is a long way away at the moment. To be honest I am just focusing on the short term future and trying to get ourselves out of the mess that we are in.

“If anything happens in January, then that is something I will have to look at then.

“I am very happy. I am a local lad so I love being at the club. I am by my family so it would be tough for me to leave but that is a decision I am going to have to make if the club want to try and sell me in January, so we will just have to wait and see.”

Smith has been one of Watford’s most consistent performers this season and is his side’s joint top goal scorer in the league, with he and O’Toole both bagging six.

The former Sunderland and Derby man played in yesterday’s 3-1 defeat at Swansea, which kept Watford in the relegation zone.

The two sides square up again at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow night in the fourth round of the Carling Cup.

Watford have taken an enlarged squad to Swansea but Smith hopes he will not be rested for the cup tie.

He said: “You want to play in every game. We are enjoying having Malky (Mackay) in charge and we all want to play for him, that is without question.

“We are staying down (in Swansea) and we are looking forward to hopefully getting one back on them on Tuesday.

“Obviously the league is the most important thing for us but it would be great to get a little cup run going and see how far we can go in this.

“It will be important for us to put in another good performance and see how far we can go.”