Cup cracker left Junior up in the Ayr
Bang on head made Smith a goal star
ST MIRREN .................................. 0 AYR UNITED ................................ 1
Mike Wilson talks to Chris Smith about THAT header
Chris Smith scored the goal of his life to earn Ayr a Hampden semi-final – but then didn’t know what to do next.
The big defender, nicknamed Junior, headed home an Eddie Malone free-kick to sink St Mirren and book a tasty derby against Kilmarnock.
The 1-0 win in the League Cup quarter-finals on October 25, 2011, sparked wild scenes among the 1254 Ayr fans who made the trip to Paisley. But it left Smith in a quandary.
Chris, 31, recalls: “I didn’t know what to do when the ball hit the back of the net. I wasn’t used to scoring – it was usually own goals I scored but this one is certainly the most memorable of my career because it took us to Hampden.
“Should I run to the crowd and then possibly get booked and miss the semi-final? All sorts were going through my mind but I ended up celebrating in front of our fans and won’t forget the moment.
“I remember Jim Goodwin fouling Ross Robertson to give away a stupid free-kick. Eddie and Mikey McGowan stood over the ball and when Eddie flighted it in I stole between Goodwin and Lee Mair to nod the ball past Craig
Samson. There was no better feeling.
“Ironically, I scored again only four days later with a 92nd minute winner to beat Hamilton 3-2 at New Douglas Park after being 2-0 down at half-time.
“I had suffered concussion against Livingston two weeks earlier which left me doubtful for the cup tie right up to the last minute. Maybe the bang on the head woke me up and made me a goal scorer.
“We had a good cup team that season. We beat Inverness and Hearts at Somerset before St Mirren became our third Premier League scalp.
“We didn’t pose much of a threat against Kilmarnock in the semis. We took it to extra-time where Dene Shiels got the break of the ball to beat us. That was curtains.”
Furious Buddies boss Danny Lennon slated Brian Reid for his tactics. He hit out: “It’s difficult when your opponents park the bus and also have 11 traffic wardens.”
Reid, now in charge at Albion Rovers, quipped: “I had to ask for Paracetamol – I’ve been shouting so much I’ve given myself a headache. It was written in the script for big Chris to score the winner after he missed Saturday’s game with a head knock.”
Reid couldn’t fathom why Ayr were unable to translate their cup form into the league. Relegation followed and the manager was replaced by Mark Roberts.
Smith recalls: “We should never have been relegated with the players we had but we threw it away at the end.”
Smith began his career with Partick U17s before helping Rangers youths to a league and cup double over Celtic. He had agreed to sign for Dean Saunders’ Wrexham before the collapse of the Setanta TV deal scuppered the move at the last minute.
Instead he joined Morton and then Dumbarton before he had two seasons at Ayr followed by an unhappy spell at Falkirk where he made only six appearances. Roberts then brought him back to Ayr on loan.
Smith’s career continued with Stirling Albion and Clyde where he was voted fans’ player of the season in 2015-16. Despite boss Jim Chapman wanting to keep him at Broadwood, Chris stepped down to the juniors, firstly joining Cambuslang and then Shotts where he played last season.
Outside of football, Smith works with former Hamilton and Clyde player Mark McLaughlin’s renovations company.
I had suffered concussion two weeks earlier. Maybe the bang on the head woke me up