A FOOTBALLER from Derby has been celebrating after leading his team to double Wembley glory in consecutive weekends.
York City captain Chris Smith helped the Ministermen regain their place in the Football League courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Luton Town in the Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final at England's national stadium on Sunday, watched by a crowd of 39,265.
The previous Saturday, Smith was also a Wembley winner as York beat Newport County 2-0, in front of just under 20,000, to lift the FA Trophy.
"Football-wise, it doesn't get much better than this," said the 30-year-old defender, who lives in Chaddesden with fiancée Chantelle and one-year-old son Elliott.
"It has always been my dream to play at Wembley. I think it's every footballer's dream.
"But to do it twice in successive weekends and get the results we got was unbelievable.
"I'd never come close to play in a final at Wembley before.
"It's probably the best stadium in England and maybe even the world, so just to play there is very special.
"To be captain of any side is an honour but to lead the team up the steps at Wembley twice was a very proud moment for me, personally.
"Even if I played for 10 more years, I probably couldn't top that.
"It's still not sunk in. I keep looking at the programmes and my medals and I can't believe it.
"I know it's a lower level than a team like Derby County but it's still a great achievement and nobody can take that away from us now."
Promotion is especially poignant for Smith as he was part of the York side that were relegated from the League in 2004 during his first spell at the club.
"The foundations weren't right last time I was at York and the club nearly folded at one point," he said.
"They've been out of the League for eight years but now the club is financially safe and stable.
"Also, I believe we have a much better team now than we did back then.
"I was in the side that was relegated and left the club on a bit of a sour note, because I had been offered a contract a couple of months before but it was taken off me when we went down.
"I can't make up for the eight years they have been out of the League but I've done my best over the past 18 months to repay the fans.
"I'm told these are the club's first trophies for more than 50 years and the first time a team has ever won the FA Trophy and then gone up by winning the play-offs."
Smith has lived in Derby all his life, except for four years as a teenager when he played for Reading.
He attended Cherry Tree Hill Primary School in Chaddesden and West Park School in Spondon, while playing football for Chesapeake Juniors – a side that also featured former Derby County defender Chris Riggott.
Smith was briefly on the Rams' books as a junior before he was scouted by Leeds United. After a couple of years with the Elland Road club, he moved to Reading, which was where he signed his first professional contract in 1999.
He never made a senior appearance for the Royals and joined York in 2001.
Spells with Stafford Rangers, Worcester City, Tamworth and Mansfield Town followed before he went back to York in October 2010, where he was reunited with his manager at Tamworth, former Alfreton Town boss Gary Mills.
Derby, though, has remained his home city.
"When I rejoined York from Mansfield, I was close to moving up there but I felt it would be unfair to uproot my family," said Smith.
"So I commute, which isn't as bad as it sounds, and stay over a few nights a week at a mate's house.
"Anyway, Derby is that nice, why would I want to move away?!"
The triumphant York squad, which also includes former Derby defender James Meredith, were treated to an open-top bus tour on Monday evening.
And club chairman Jason McGill is taking all the players and management staff on a four-day break to Benidorm as a reward for their efforts.
"It was hard to celebrate winning the Trophy as we knew we still had the play-off final to come but I'm sure we'll make up for that now," said Smith, who had a large contingent of friends and family from Derby cheering him on at both Wembley games.
"The chairman has been great and promised to take all the players away for a few days if we won, so we're all off to Benidorm."
When the celebrations have calmed down, Smith will turn his attention to next season, when he hopes to get another taste of League football.
"I'm very happy at York and, hopefully, we can do well in League Two next season," he said.
"I think the League has changed a lot since I last played in it but I can't wait."
Source: www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk
Morrisons ponders feedback ahead of application (From This Is Local London) - This is london Calling
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Supermarket chain Morrisons is considering feedback from a series of public consultations ahead of a formal planning application. The company wants to develop the former Focus DIY site in Weybridge into a new food store. Plans at the public exhibitions on ...Source: www.thisislocallondon.co.uk
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