Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
He was the angriest manager Paul Hall encountered during a 21-year playing history - yet Jim Smith was also a ‘great man’.
It was the Bald Eagle who brought the winger to Fratton Park in March 1993 as a 20-year-old from Division Three Torquay.
Under the Pompey boss’ tutelage, the promising Hall flourished and remained long after Smith’s departure, spending five-and-a-half years on the south coast.
According to Hall in new book Played Up Pompey Four, he is ‘eternally grateful’ for the late ex-Oxford United, Derby and Newcastle manager recruiting him for the Blues.
Paul Hall was signed for Pompey in March 1993 by Jim Smith - a 'great man'. Picture: EMPICS Sports Photo AgencyPaul Hall was signed for Pompey in March 1993 by Jim Smith - a 'great man'. Picture: EMPICS Sports Photo Agency
Paul Hall was signed for Pompey in March 1993 by Jim Smith - a 'great man'. Picture: EMPICS Sports Photo Agency | EMPICS Sports Photo Agency
And he has fond memories of that infamous fiery temper.
‘If Paul Walsh was the best footballer I played alongside, Jim Smith was the angriest manager I ever experienced,’ Hall told Played Up Pompey Four.
‘The Bald Eagle was an eccentric, a great man who wore his heart on his sleeve - and the person responsible for bringing me to Pompey as a 20-year-old, for which I’m eternally grateful.
‘My first full season was 1993/94 and, being pretty early into my first-team involvement, I was often a substitute, watching with fascination at Jim’s explosive half-time rants at my team-mates.
‘You’d always know when he was angry because he’d come in, take off his jacket and then head to the toilet, with everyone thinking: “Oh no”. Well, his bladder must have been a massive balloon because he’d take ages in there, creating an uncomfortable wait for the lads ahead of the inevitable ticking off.
‘Now there was a bench in the Fratton Park dressing room which the physio Neil Sillett used to rub down injured players - and there was also a space beside it. I had wondered why nobody sat there, and also why my playing colleagues always covered their shirt and trousers with a towel for some reason.
‘Anyhow, being new to the dressing room, I needed a spot, so I grabbed the only vacant one I could find - next to the bench. On one occasion, Jim exploded: “You lot are a waste of space. I’m telling you now, you are a waste of space. When are you going to start learning?”.
‘His head went beetroot red and then, with one fell swoop, he swept aside these paper cups full of hot tea. A couple of cups flew into my face, my clothes were drenched, and I could see the lads sniggering - they knew precisely what would happen to the person in that seat!
‘Alan McLoughlin came up to me afterwards: “I don’t think you’ll sit there in the future, will you?”.
Jim Smith managed Paul Hall at Pompey. Picture: Mike Egerton/EMPICSJim Smith managed Paul Hall at Pompey. Picture: Mike Egerton/EMPICS
Jim Smith managed Paul Hall at Pompey. Picture: Mike Egerton/EMPICS
‘Jim Smith could be brutal and at times I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel. He wanted to get the best out of you, and that was usually delivered by shouting, yet he taught me so much.’
Hall would be capped by Jamaica during his Pompey days, featuring for them in the 1998 World Cup finals in France.
He eventually left in August 1998 for Coventry - yet revealed Ajax boss Louis van Gaal had enquired about signing him months into his time at Fratton Park.
He added: ‘July 1993 marked my first pre-season and we travelled to Finland for the Mypa Tournament, where we faced an Ajax team consisting of Jari Litmanen in the opening match.
‘We lost 2-0, yet I came on at half-time for John Durnin and ripped their full-back to shreds, I murdered him, to the point where their manager, Louis van Gaal, afterwards asked Jim if they could buy me.
‘His response was “I’ll tell you what, we’ll do a swap. I’ll take Litmanen and you take Paul Hall,” he was quite cheeky like that!’
Played Up Pompey Four is priced £18.99 and available from the Pompey Store and Waterstone’s in Portsmouth, Fareham, Chichester, Petersfield and Whiteley.
It can also be ordered online from Amazon. For player-autographed copies, email neil.allen@thenews.co.uk
The paperback version of Played Up Pompey (£5.99) and Played Up Pompey Three (£13.99) are also still available - email neil.allen@thenews.co.uk