Gillingham defender Andy Smith says watching his old team win promotion and seeing friends at the World Cup has given him extra motivation to succeed.
Smith’s former club Hull City secured their top-flight return through the Championship play-offs last month and Smith, who left them permanently for Gillingham last summer after a successful loan spell, was among those celebrating from afar.
Smith said: “Good friends of mine are still at the club and watching them succeed at Wembley and get promotion to the Premier League has really given me a bit of motivation to try and produce something similar next year.
“Obviously, nothing’s ever going to be certain in football, but it gave me a big spurt of motivation.”
The 24-year-old was unable to make it to Wembley because he was away on holiday, but made sure he watched the game.
“I was a bit gutted about [missing the game], but I had it on the telly,” he said.
“I made sure I watched it, and I was obviously buzzing for the club and for the city. I’ve got a lot of time for a lot of people there.
“I was born down south, but I moved to Hull when I was two. It’s all I’ve ever really known. I had a season ticket growing up, so it was a nice day.”
Although a year has passed since his permanent departure, Smith still has strong connections with the club.
“It feels like a while ago since I left, but there’s still a few players from when I was there,” he said.
“The skipper, Lewis Coyle, and a few of the other players were all there when I was there, so I was rooting for them more than anything.
“I was around the city when I got back [from holiday]. Everyone was celebrating, so it’s been good.”
Smith experienced being around a promotion-winning team at Hull when they won the League 1 title in the 2020-21 season.
“It was my first season,” he said. “I had come up from the academy. That was a big season for me under [manager] Grant McCann. They brought me up with the first team when I was still quite young.
“That season taught me a lot about being around a winning environment. I take bits from what I learned that season and try and bring that to Gillingham.”
The defender also knows what promotion feels like from a playing perspective, having helped Grimsby Town win promotion from the National League in 2022 while on loan from Hull.
“I played every game when I went in,” he said. “If there’s any way you’d be guaranteed to get a promotion, that’s it, it was just brilliant.
“We went on a great run leading up to the play-offs, it was just brilliant.”
Smith played the full match at the London Stadium as Grimsby beat Solihull Moors after extra-time in the play-off final.
Smith’s hunger to achieve similar success with the Gills will also be fuelled by this summer’s World Cup, which kicks off today (Thursday), with former team-mates involved on the international stage.
Alfie Jones, who spent a year at Gillingham during the 2019-20 season, is part of Canada’s squad.
“I love watching England,” said Smith. “There’s always a buzz around the World Cup and I feel like I am one of the most passionate fans ever.
“Like when I was watching the play-offs, I’m sure watching the World Cup will give me even more motivation to make something happen for myself.
“A couple of mates are out there. I spent a lot of time with Alf at Hull, off the pitch as well.
“So, as long as they’re not playing England, I’ll want Canada to go as far as they can as well.
“I know he was here [at Gillingham before] and he told me where to go to get a haircut – but I ignored that advice as his trim’s rubbish!”
After a disappointing campaign for Gillingham last season, Smith is optimistic ahead of the new campaign.
“I’m looking at some of the signings they’re bringing in,” he said. “It’s filling me with a lot of confidence going into the season.”
Smith is also determined to continue developing his own game and plans to draw on the experience around him, including senior defender Omar Beckles.
“I’ve still got loads to learn, in terms of a lot more games,” he said.
“I feel like as each season goes on, as each game goes on, I try and learn something from every game and try to pick something up that I can take into the next game.
“Becks coming in was really good for me, having that leader next to me, and I think that was needed at the time.
“We were going through a tough patch, and he brought some stability to us.
“I’m never, ever going to be the finished article, but as every game and every day progresses, I want to just try and keep pushing myself to the best I can.
“Whoever is playing this year, we just want the best for everyone to try and push forward and put ourselves in a better position than we did last year.”
