David Smith Interview #2

By: Nigel Winn
Date: 08/08/2000

David Smith Interview Part Two

David Smith (above) interviewed by Nigel Winn

Click here to hear the David Smith interview in Real Audio

Nigel:
What about the long trips, like the away games into London or further afield? When you're travelling do you have a set routine like the card schools and things? Are you one of these that gets in the group or do you just have a sleep on the way back. What's your routine?

David:
I tend to play cards to pass the time. Sometimes we'll think of other things like maybe we'll take the odd board game on or have a quiz between the lads. Normally everybody does whatever they want to do. There's maybe a couple of tables with easy card games going on. It's just to pass the time really. Sometimes there's a video on. Tony Gallimore tends to be the one who brings the videos from the rental shop. It's a case of we know it's a long drive and you just pass the time as best you can.

Nigel:
I know I've said to the mailing list a few times that I've been aware that the management have been after players and it's not been widely known by the general public that these searches have been made and perhaps failed. How much do the players know? How much are you aware that there may be a new player coming in, or is it as much a surprise to you as it is to the rest of us?

David:
Sometimes you pick up the rumours that the manager's after maybe a striker or something like that, but generally the first you ever really realise is when they walk in the dressing room. Obviously it has nothing to do with us who the manager decides he wants to bring in. Like I said you pick up the rumours but more often than not it's when they're in the dressing room that you first meet them.

Nigel:
Who is your best friend in football, whether at Grimsby or elsewhere?

David:
Best friend in football? Probably Kevin Gallagher who plays for Newcastle now. We played together at Coventry. We still keep in touch. The families spend some time together a few times through the year. Funnily enough I was on the phone to him the other day and he was talking about his pre-season trip. I mentioned ours and there was a slight difference!

Nigel:
You've got this image of being the family man. If you ring David Smith up on a night he's bound to be there with the wife and the kids. Is that a true image or is it you that's carrying Galli back from the pub every night?

David:
No I'm afraid it's a true image. My family's very important to me. probably the most important thing. We don't go out much especially now with the two girls. We spend a lot of time together. I enjoy it I have to say. It's very rewarding at times with the children. I'm afraid that I have to hold my hand up I am that family man.

Nigel:
What about (hopefully a long way off) when the career finishes? Have you got any aspirations to go into coaching or management.

David:
Not sure! I'm generally a quieter person among the players so whether I'd actually be good enough to put over the coaching knowledge that I'll have picked up through my career, put it over very well, and become a good coach, I don't know. I'm thinking about doing some courses. But possibly my future may lay outside of football.

Nigel:
Finally for the forthcoming season I suppose everyone hopes to win every game and finish top of the table, How do you see Grimsby doing for the forthcoming season?

David:
I think if the squad can stay free of injury, then I'm hoping that we'll do as well as we did the season before last. Obviously last season with the injuries at the end of the day it was a good effort by everybody to stay up. This year is going to be probably harder again but hopefully if we can get people like Richard Smith back and they stay fit then we'll have the basis of a solid back four and we sort of build from there.

Nigel:
Do you sense the mood amongst the players is optimistic then?

David:
I sense determination. I think we're pretty realistic amongst us to know that this season's going to be very difficult. There is a good team spirit between the boys, so we know what's required having done it for a couple of years. Most of us have played at this level all our careers so we know what we have to do and we will shall be going all out to make sure we stay in this division.

Nigel:
Well thank you very much and I hope the season fulfills all your wishes and all the best for the rest of the pre-season games.

David:
Thank you very much.

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