A living legend, Denis Smith
Intervju med Denis Smith del 1
Nu för tiden använder man ordet legend alldeles för ofta. Det behövs inte mycket innan media kallar någon för legend. Men Denis Smith, Stoke Citys kända, tuffa mittback som offrade allt för sitt kära Stoke var en legend. Denis spelade över 400 matcher för Stoke och gjorde 50 mål från 1968 - 1982.
Redaktionen har varit i kontakt med Denis (Stoke född) som nu arbetar på Radio Stoke samtidigt som han promotar sin nya bok "just one of seven". Denis tvekade inte en sekund inte när vi bad honom att svara på frågor för Swedish Stokies. (A real legend and a gentleman)
Kuriosa är att Denis debut mot Arsenal var Nick Hornbys (känd författare av bl.a. Fever Pitch och Arsenal fan) första live match.
Dessa frågor gäller Denis karriär mellan 1968 - 1974.
Dennis, first of all we should ask you as an ex-player, how is your memory of old games, dates etc.? Can you recall many of your old matches/goals? (we met Terry Conroy a couple of years ago and were quite surprised that we knew more about his career/goals than he did, ha ha)
My memory of old games is like most players, you remember the good and forget the bad!
Can you remember your debut, who was it against and who did you mark?
My debut was at Arsenal. We lost 1-0 and I gave away the penalty, which cost us the game. My opponent that day was Bobbie Gould.
You played over 400 games for Stoke and scored almost 50 goals, you suffered some horrendous injuries, can you just tell us a few of them and how is you body coping nowadays?
I have had over 25 broken bones, over 200 stitches in my face, I have no cartilages in my knees, I have a metal plate in my neck and 2 in my arm plus a replacement hip! If I had thought I would live this long I would have looked after myself better.
You along with, Alan Bloor, Mike Pejic, John Marsh and Alan Dodd were the backbone of the Stoke defence for many years. You were all local lads (quite incredible). The question is did Stoke have a very good youth organization in the sixties and why do so few (if any) local players make it today?
In the 60's school football in Stoke was very good with an ex-player called Dennis Wilshaw in charge, which helped to produce so many good local players. It is disappointing that local boys are not coming through at the moment. Hopefully this will improve now that we are back in the Premier League.
Was Gordon Banks a big help in your early days? Was he a big organizer on defensive work?
Gordon was a great help, always talking and helping with our game.
Tony Waddington is obviously a legend of these times, how was he as a manager and was he big on tactics?
Tony Waddington's style of management was to sign good players and let them express themselves. He knew that good players would sort out the tactics themselves.
We had very few Scottish players (only Jimmy Robertson), was this a coincidence or didn’t Waddo like them? (ha ha)
Tony just signed players no matter what their nationality.
Who were the tough opponents (players) around this time? Did anyone give you an extra hard time?
George Best was always a difficult opponent, but all gave you different problems to solve.
How was a typical day of a professional footballer around the late sixties/early seventies?
Arrive at work for 9.00. Start training at 10.00. Finish morning work around 12.00. Afternoon from 2.00 to 3.00 working on individual things. Home by 4.00 to 5.00.
Nowadays players are monitored 24 hours a day with special diets, exercises etc. In those days could you eat and drink whatever and how much you wanted? (I read many years ago that Alan Bloors favourite food was a chip butty ha ha)
You were expected to be careful with your diet and not to drink alcohol after Wednesday when we had a game on Saturday. Not all players followed these rules.
Did many players smoke in those days? (also read that Roy Vernon smoked his last fag before a match in the tunnel)
In our team Jimmy Greenhoff smoked now and then and Peter Dobing smoked a pipe. But only Roy Vernon smoked all the time, even in the shower.
Did the players socialize much together in their spare time and who were your closest friends?
Players did socialise together at different times, mostly after a game. I used to share a room on trips away with Jackie Marsh and then Peter Shilton.
How was the WAG (wives and girlfriends) scene (if any) in those days? (ha ha)
Wags are very much a modern thing. Wives used to stay at home and look after the family.
Before we leave the late sixties, I must ask have you any idea what my first Stoke hero Harry Burrows is doing nowadays?
Harry Burrows was running a Post Office locally when I last spoke to him about 12 months ago.
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