Why? God only knows.
But the sooner the penny drops and he realises he is doing no-one (the club or himself) any favours ... the better player he will be.
Former Aston Villa and Boro midfielder Andy Townsend made an amazing comment on TV recently, saying some players pick up cards because they want a rest from the game ... and I spoke to one pro footballer who (off the record) told me he planned the bookings he would get to miss playing at Christmas!
I'm not suggesting Smith does this ... but I'd love to know why he picks up so many needless bookings the way he does.
Chris Hughton admits he is resigned to losing more players through suspension.
Smith will sit out Saturday's home game against Doncaster Rovers after picking up his fifth booking of the season in Tuesday's 2-1 defeat to Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park.
It will be Smith's second suspension of the season, with Smith having sat out last month's defeat at Blackpool after being hit with a ban for his dismissal at Cardiff City.
Hughton: "You have to be aware of how many bookings they have, and which games they could miss.
"But I think experience tells you if you worry too much about which players could get booked, you can't pick the team you want to pick.
"It's always a concern, but it comes part and parcel with the game, and using your squad.
"We've missed Alan Smith for one game already through suspension, and it's something we have to cope with, and work around."