Smyth and McGovern target more success with Cliftonville

Centre-backs Marc Smyth and Jamie McGovern (below) have forged a no-nonsense partnership at the heart of the Reds’ defence since they were snapped up by Solitude boss Tommy Breslin last summer. As one half of a solid back four, they were instrumental in helping the club lift the Irn-Bru League Cup last month and week in, week out, they have been keeping frustrated Irish League strikers at bay, as the north Belfast club’s title pursuit intensifies.

Smyth, son of Larne FC chairman Archie Smyth, made the move back to the Irish League after more than a decade in Scotland where he played for Partick Thistle and Airdrie United among others. And he’s thriving on life in the Premiership.

“Since I have made the move it’s has been fantastic,” he said. “When you come over and you’re playing well and winning, you’re going to enjoy it regardless of what else happens. Everything else is good as well at the club, but, I think the fact that we are winning makes it doubly enjoyable.”

The 30-year-old defender has struck up a formidable alliance with McGovern, who, he says, has adapted well to a more central role.

“Jamie came into the club as a right-back and, through injuries, was thrown in at the deep end to play centre-half in the European games. To be fair, at the start, he did really well, but you could see it wasn’t really his natural position. Now, I think, he looks every bit the cenrtre-half. Bar a couple of matches I’ve missed through suspension, the two of us have played in most of our games this year. As I said to him: he looks a good player because he’s playing beside me!”

Under Breslin, the club has gone from strength to strength and they remain on course for an historic treble. Smyth says, crucially, his boss has earned the trust of the entire squad.

“The bottom line for me is that Tommy’s a gentleman and I think that rubs off on the players because, straight away, he gains trust from players. When he drops people and explains how hard it is to pick the team, I actually think people accept it more because he’s doing it. They realise there is an honesty with him and just think people trust him. As a manager, that’s a great attribute to have.”

With the League Cup already in the bag, Smyth is hungry for more and believes the team has the talent to deliver.

“If you are looking at performances and how we are as a team at the minute, everyone would say we can go on and win more trophies this season,” he said. “But, as players, we are not stupid either. All it takes for us is drop points along the way and for Crusaders to beat us in the league and the gap closes.

“In all honesty, we all believe we can win everything and we believe we can win every game, but that’s not to say we are complacent. Also, in the back of our minds we know it just takes one result to throw us off course. One bad day at the office in the cup puts you out.

“I just hope there’s not a reaction after the [League] cup final. I’ve seen it happen when a club wins something and then, all of a sudden, you kind of expect to win rather than make things happen.”

It’s clichéd, but goals win games and the Reds have them in abundance with the talismanic duo of Boyce and Gormley leading the way.

“Liam is very, very good and I’m not just saying that because he’s a team-mate,” said Smyth. “I actually think Joe Gormley is the best finisher at the club. For me, he’s probably one of the best finishers I’ve played with. But Boyce’s all-round game is just phenomenal; he’s excellent.”

After a 14 years of playing across the water, Smyth points to one obvious difference in the game here.

“I spent three years in England and then 11 years in Scotland and the big difference is the full-time, part-time thing. When I look around the squad at Cliftonville, if the players were full-time they’d be as good as anyone in the [Scottish] First Division.

“Here, the top four teams could hold their own in the First Division. In Scottish football, every team is fit and strong and every game is hard. Over here you do get games which are slightly easier. But I’m really enjoying the Irish League and I know I’ll enjoy it even more if we win the treble,” he added.