Michael Smyth reckons he is the Irish Cup captain that time forgot.
Thirty three years and a lifetime of football memories have passed since Smyth skippered Ballymena United to their last blue riband success at a sun-kissed Oval in 1989.
Paul Hardy’s backheel in front of a sea of Sky Blue, ebbing and flowing its way across the Sydenham End embankment, lives on in the memories of those who were there.
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But while Smyth led the team out, at the tender age of 22, the former left-back suspects his role as captain has morphed into a quiz question in the intervening years.
“I led the team out and lifted the cup in 1989 but I’m missing from most of the celebration photographs because I was doing a live radio interview in the stand,” he smiled.
“It’s almost like a trivia question now: ‘Who captained Ballymena to their last Irish Cup success in 1989?’ A lot of people have probably forgotten that it was me.
“I was only 22 at the time and I’d say if you check through the record books, I’m probably one of the youngest captains to lift the cup. I’d be surprised if there was a younger captain.
“It’s hard to believe that 33 years later I’m still the last Ballymena United captain to lift the Irish Cup, but it’s a magical memory.”
Ballymena, managed by the late Alex McKee who passed away in 2020, won the 1989 final when Hardy flicked John McKee’s shot past Larne keeper Vincent Magee.
“I was in line with Paul’s goal when it went in,” said Smyth. “I remember that moment well and the fact it was a really sunny day, but other than that the final was over in a flash.
"It's all a bit of a blur and to be honest the next thing I can recall is getting on an open top bus at Ballee roundabout on the outskirts of Ballymena and driving into town with the trophy.
“The crowds that welcomed us on Queen Street and outside the likes of the Raglan Bar and Fountain Bar were unbelievable. You could see what it meant to everyone.”
Smyth, who was born and raised in Cullybackey, a village located just a handful of miles outside Ballymena, was one of five local lads in the 1989 side.
John Garrett, who was also McKee’s assistant, John Heron, Stephen ‘Goosey’ Young and the creative Lindsay Curry were also in Ballymena’s starting line-up.
But it was Smyth, who was stunned to be handed the captaincy earlier that campaign, who stepped up to lift the trophy in the centre of the Oval pitch.
“It probably only registered with me as I got older but looking back, it was a real honour captaining my hometown club in an Irish Cup final,” said Smyth.
“Alex had taken me into his office at the start of that season and I thought he was maybe going to tell me that I wasn’t guaranteed my place or whatever.
“Remember, I was only 22 at the time, but all of a sudden I heard him saying ‘I want a local lad to be captain and I think you’re ready for it’. I was totally gobsmacked.
“It told me the faith Alex had in me. I remember thinking it was such a compliment at the time, but that was Alex. He was quiet, but he was a really good man manager.
“He was clever and really good at motivating players and he got the best out of us. He knew how to blend us into a team and there was a fantastic bond in that 1989 side.
“We had strong characters and some physical players but we also had the likes of Dermot Doherty, Lindsay Curry and John McKee who were ball players.
“It was a nice mix and on our day we believed we could beat anyone in a one-off game.”
That mantra came to the fore in the semi-finals when United beat strong favourites Linfield, thanks to a late Hardy volley in a pulsating 2-1 replay win at the Oval.
“Linfield were massive favourites so when we beat them, there was a real confidence and belief that we would go on and win the final,” said Smyth.
“It wasn’t over confidence. There was just a real determination there that we wouldn’t let ourselves or the Ballymena support down by falling short.”
Smyth would go on to spend six years with Glentoran after joining the Big Two giants for £27,500 in 1992 before ending his career at Coleraine, eventually retiring at the age of 34.
“I made two Irish Cup finals with the Glens, which we won, but I was suspended for the 1996 final and I was an unused substitute in 1998,” he said.
“1989 was the only Irish Cup final I actually played in and it’s a really special memory all these years later. It meant a lot winning it with my hometown club.
“I’ve a lot of fond memories of my time playing in the Irish League and I played over 650 games across my career, but that day remains a real highlight.”
- Ballymena United posted interviews with members of the 1989 team on the club's YouTube channel - it can be found HERE.
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