Back in the day, ambitious Pionierspark outfit Ramblers Football Club took the lead in importing high-profile players from across the Orange River to bolster an already star-studded squad. One of the most recognisable imports was none other than box-to-box midfielder Michael Mike Smyth.
New Era Sport caught up with the calculated midfield kingpin to talk about his amazing football career and his experience in his adopted land of the Brave.
When Mike was a young boy growing up in Cape Town, South Africa where his parents had relocated from Scotland, United Kingdom, during the 50s, he was like any other boy at the time – football crazy. He would play football on his way to school and at lunchtime with his mates.
Mike started his football career at Bellville City and played for the Western Cape club throughout his playing career. And though, he started out as goalkeeper at junior level, he later graduated as an outfield fullback, and then later became a renowned midfielder at senior level.
He also played for Scotland in the popular International Football Associations (IFA) Sunday League, mostly made up of Western Cape players.
He played an instrumental role when Scotland won the first-ever cup triple in 1977. The teams were made up of South African-born players of foreign descent, mimicking the respective countries of their forefathers. Germany, England and many other nations all strode the pitch.
Interestingly, Mike played alongside four of his equally highly gifted brothers in the same teams, but sometimes on opposite ends, because of army commitments.
Born in the Peninsula Maternity Home, near Bellville on 30 August 1953, Mike was the third of nine siblings.
How he ended up in South West Africa (Windhoek)
Mike arrived in Windhoek in 1978, a year after South West Africa’s (SWA) transformation of multi-racial football that saw all races – whites, blacks and coloureds/Basters play the beautiful game under one unified umbrella body, the South West Africa Football Association (SWAFA) during the height of racial segregation under the South African Apartheid regime.
“I came to South West Africa (SWA) Namibia in 1978 to work for Hydrodyne, a subsidiary arm of M&R. I knew Bobby Craddock from his days at Bellville City. He asked me to join Ramblers and as they say, the rest is history. Mike’s arrival at Rammies coincided with the team’s transformation in the area of playing personnel as the Pionierspark outfit made its mark in the competitive Central Football League (CFA) division one.
Mike formed the spine of the team alongside old-time campaigners Werner Saxy Sasse, Jeff Marting, Immo Stephens, Bobby Craddock, Andy Martin, Bennie Volgraaf and a few others. He made an immediate impression and any Ramblers’ team sheet without his name scripted in the starting line-up, would be considered incomplete.
As it turned out, his near faultless display week in and week out for the Tunschell street boys caught the attention of national selectors. Mike was duly called up for the South West Africa Provincial football team in 1981. The star-studded team is up to this day considered by many football pundits as the finest South West Africa (SWA) side ever to represent Namibia in the prestigious South African Inter-Provincial Currie Cup Tournament.
He was also called up for the 1979 and 1980 editions, but missed out as a result of pressing army commitments. Though he was sparingly used during the Currie Cup tournament in East London, the left-sided hard-galloping midfield kingpin made his mark with some eye-catching performances.
“To be honest, I really enjoyed my time in Namibia and also playing with Ramblers. We had a great bunch of committed players in the squad, and competed fairly well in a tough league with strong teams from the townships. The likes of African Stars, Black Africa, Orlando Pirates and Tigers were formidable opponents.
Apart from chasing an inflated piece of leather (football), the multi-talented Mike also excelled in baseball and played for Sanlam in the Western Cape Provincial second-tier division.
Brothers Brian, Kevin and Sean Smyth were also noted baseball players. Kevin represented the Free State and Western Cape senior teams at different intervals and also played for Bellville.
Upon his retirement from playing competitive football, Mike retreated to the Mother City, and was reunited with Bellville City where he was immediately elected club chairman.
“I must confess, the South West Africa experience was fantastic. It was without an iota of doubt one of the best highlights of my life. I made good friends with lots of people and I remain very thankful for their unconditional generosity. Our third child and last-born son was birthed in Windhoek.”
Mike rates former Hellenic ace Paul McKenzie as the greatest player he has ever encountered during his illustrious playing career.
“Very sad that Paul could not reach his full potential after he suffered a career-ending injury whist still at the pinnacle of his blossoming football career.”
He also cites Peter Milne as his toughest opponent.