Wally Meets... Mike Walters talks to Gary Smith, the manager who conquered America and is now in charge at little Stevenage

By Mike Walters in Mirror Football Blog

Published 08:00 28/01/12

The English missionary’s expedition across the Big Pond was an unqualified success.

Drafted from one of Europe’s top clubs to bring his expertise and know-how to an increasingly ­receptive audience in the United States, the boy Limey did great.

After a lifetime in the game, it was his crowning glory when he lifted the MLS Cup. And it wasn’t David Beckham.

Amid the derisory plodding of Fabio Capello’s bankrupt campaign and Robert Green’s crass fumbling, English football’s reputation had taken a hit in America’s bible belt at the World Cup in South Africa.

But then along came Gary Smith to lead unfancied Colorado Rapids to the title, and at a stroke our credibility was restored.

Gary who?

Many Stevenage supporters will never have heard of the man appointed this week to take over from Graham Westley, and whose first assignment today comes with the carrot of a place in the last 16 of the FA Cup.

But Smith, 43, lifted the holy grail of United States soccer 12 months before Becks won it with Los Angeles Galaxy last year.

“Who would have thought it? ­Especially as we were one of the less-fancied franchises in the competition,” said Smith, who will lead the Stevey wonders into uncharted territory in the Cup if they see off fellow League One club Notts County this afternoon.

“If you had asked 100 people two or three years ago to name the next Englishman who would win the MLS Cup, 99 of them would have said Beckham and the other one wouldn’t have heard of me.

“But I was chuffed to fly the flag in a league where there are still a few connections with English ­football – like Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan – but not that many English players or coaches plying their trade.

“When we won the MLS Cup, we beat Dallas, who had knocked out the Galaxy in their conference final, 2-1 after extra time.

“For an Englishman to get his hands on the top prize in an ­overseas competition was a fantastic experience – and to start a new job at Stevenage with an FA Cup tie is an exciting and enjoyable way to begin a new chapter.”

To describe Smith as a ­journeyman in his playing career would be a mild insult to journeys, but he was part of the Wycombe side ushered into the Football League mainstream by ­ Martin O’Neill.

But it was as an Arsenal scout, working under chief talent-spotter Steve Rowley, that he earned his ticket to Denver, joining ­Colorado in 2008 originally to run their academy and foster ties between the Gunners and the Rapids, now both owned by Stan Kroenke.

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with some fantastic people – not always high-profile connections, like Steve Rowley, but who are essential cogs in the machine – and I’ve worked with a few c*** ones,” added Smith.

“Stevenage is a great little club, and if we are going to reach the play-offs again I don’t have to change an awful lot.”

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