" ... AND SMITH MUST SCORE!" How a Scotsman almost won the FA Cup for the Seagulls plus other Brighton - Scotland connections

Brighton and Hove Albion’s history will be indelibly linked with a Scotsman who scored 22 goals for them in the 1980s. Unfortunately for Ayrshire born Gordon Smith he will be forever remembered for the goal he did not score. The commentary from the 1983 FA Cup Final “ .. and Smith must score” is an iconic quote for Seagulls supporters. Many other Scotsman have also played for Brighton over the last few decades and they have also been guided by Scots managers in recent times.

Brighton and Hove Albion have never won a major trophy. In 1983 they came within the width of a ciagarette paper to getting their hands on the FA Cup. In the dying minutes of extra time in the final against Manchester United with the score tied at 2-2 Gordon Smith missed a sitter. The Seagulls centre forward Robinson had raced clear of the United defence and found himself with only keeper Bailey to beat. Robinson, showing generosity of spirit, decided not to shoot but to lay the winning goal on a plate for his team mate Smith. In fact, he did not just lay it on a plate he gave him a knife and fork and a napkin. Somehow Smith dallied, allowed Bailey to get into a position to possibly make a stop, and then he meekly trundled the ball towards goal and Bailey saved. As this was all happening the BBC radio commentator Peter Jones excitedly spluttered the now famous words “ … and Smith must score!”

 

Bailey saves Smith's weak effort in the 1983 FA Cup Final at Wembley

Manchester United won the replay 4-0 and to this day there are rumours that Lord Lucan is alive and hiding in the Brighton and Hove Albion trophy cabinet. The Seagulls have still never won a major trophy. In ironic acknowledgement of how close their favourites had come to lifting the cup, a popular Seagulls fanzine was named ‘And Smith must score’. Gordon Smith left Brighton shortly after the final and joined Manchester City. After he hung up his boots he became firstly a football agent and then later, between 2007 and 2011, the Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association. He is credited with working with other British FAs to introduce the rule that allows players born outwith the UK to play for the country where they were schooled. It is a rule that enables Jamaican Raheem Stirling to play for England and Englishman Jordan Rhodes to play for Scotland. Twenty two years after his famous miss Smith published his autobiography in 2005 entitled “and Smith did score” where he reminds readers on the front cover that he scored one of Brighton’s two goals in the 1983 FA Cup Final.

Other Scots who have played for Brighton in recent years include Scottish internationals Gordon Greer, Craig Mackail-Smith and Liam Bridcutt. The latter two ‘Scots’ were actually born in England.

Glaswegian Gordon Greer is 36 years old and is currently playing for Blackburn Rovers having joined them in the summer. Prior to the move north centre back Gordon had played for six seasons for the Seagulls, making 209 appearances and scoring 5 goals.

 

 Glaswegian Gordon Greer - served the Seagulls with distinction

He has played 11 times for Scotland, all appearances made while he was a Brighton player. Very unusually he was well into his thirties before winning his first cap. Soon after Gordon Strachan had become Scotland manager he appointed his old Aberdeen team mate Mark McGhee as his assistant and detailed McGhee to find him some players. McGhee was living in Brighton at the time and there was speculation up here that it was lazy scouting that caused Greer to be included in the Scotland squad. When his name was first announced in a squad there was amazement as not many of us devoted Scotland fans had even heard of him. However, he has proven to be a reliable player and has been worth his international selections.

Watford born Craig Mackail-Smith played 122 times for the Seagulls between 2011 and 2015 and scored 24 goals. He qualified to play for Scotland through his Edinburgh born grandmother Margaret.

 

English born Scot Mackail-Smith in action at The Amex

 Craig played for Scotland 7 times and scored a single goal in a Euro qualifier against Lichtenstein. Now 32 years old, Craig’s best years are behind him and he is currently seeing out his playing days at Luton Town.

Defensive midfielder Liam Bridcutt was born in Reading and played for the Seagulls 132 times between 2010 and 2014 scoring 7 goals. He qualifies to play for Scotland thanks to an Edinburgh born grandfather. Bridcutt has won 2 caps for Scotland, making his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Serbia.

Liam Bridcutt pictured making his Scotland debut against Serbia

 Like Greer, Bridcutt’s selection also raised a few eyebrows north of the border. Another surprise pick, playing his football close to Mark McGhee’s home, who not many people had heard of. Still only 27 the versatile Bridcutt is now playing for Leeds United – and playing well by all accounts.

The Seagulls were managed by Scotsman Archie Macaulay in the sixties. In more recent times their fortunes have been guided by the aforementioned Mark McGhee who hails from Cumbernauld. McGhee was the Brighton boss from 2003-2006 and, has been described above, settled in the area.

Lantern Jawed Mark McGhee pictured while manager of Brighton

 McGhee was a fine player and helped Aberdeen to win the Cup Winners Cup in the Alex Ferguson era and also represented Scotland with distinction. As a manager he has had a curate’s egg of a career – good in parts. In his first season of his three year tenure on the south coast he guided the Seagulls to promotion to the Championship. Unfortunately two years later they were relegated under his stewardship and it was time for the lantern jawed McGhee to move on.Stints in the hot seat at Motherwell, Aberdeen and Bristol Rovers have followed and in 2013 he was appointed as Scotland Assistant manager. He currently continues assist with the national team and combines this role with his ‘day job’ as manager of Motherwell in a second spell with the Fir Park team.

The current Scots connection at the Amex is Jamie Murphy. Winger Murphy, now 27, began his career at Motherwell where he made his name as a goal-scoring wide man. His good form for the Lanarkshire side earned him a move south and he joined Sheffield United in 2013. In two seasons at Bramall Lane Murphy played 94 times scoring 17 goals. In 2015 he joined the Seagulls and is now considered to be a valuable member of their squad.

 

A youthful Jamie Murphy pictured a few years ago when representing Scotland U-21s

 Murphy has not yet been capped for Scotland at full international level but if Mark McGhee still has a house in Brighton then you never know! He was capped 14 times for Scotland at under 21 level scoring 4 goals. At present he is out of the Brighton side but, who knows, he may be back in the starting line up in time for the FA Cup tie against MK Dons at the Amex on the 7^th January.

I am very grateful to Grant Ross, Robert Holmes and Carl Jukes on the Brighton and Hove Albion Fans facebook page for signposting me in the direction of the Scots listed above who have strutted their funky stuff on the south coast. They also noted many other Scots not included in this post who have represented the Seagulls – going back many years. It is clear that Brighton and Hove Albion have an affinity with Bella Caledonia.

The next stop on The Road to Wembley from Scotland in Brighton is now just over two weeks away. The Seagulls v The Dons from Milton Keynes could be a classic and I am looking forward to it with great anticipation. On Boxing Day the Dons play host to Charlton Athletic in a League One fixture and on Tuesday the 27^th Brighton will host QPR. Come back here next Wednesday to find out how they are shaping up for the big match on January the 7^th.

As they used to say in The Beano at this time of the year – A Merry Xmas to all our readers!