Latest news with #Smallman
Leader Live
09-08-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Smallman and Lloyd the heroes when Wrexham beat Southampton!
Back in 1974, the young Wrexham striker rose to the occasion to head home the only goal in a fifth round FA Cup upset at The Dell. 'They absolutely battered us that day,' said Smallman, reminiscing on his Reds days that saw him score 38 goals in 101 games before a cut-price £76,000 move to Everton. Smallman was in fine scoring form in the FA Cup, netting against Rotherham, Crystal Palace, the winner against Jack Charlton's Middlesbrough, before firing the Reds to glory in front of 2,000 travelling Wrexham supporters down on the south coast. While Smallman was the goal-den boy in that epic cup run that ended in a quarter-final exit at First Division Burnley, goalkeeper Brian Lloyd was Wrexham's star man. 'Lloydie probably had his best ever game for Wrexham,' added Smallman. 'I remember him making a save from Mick Channon and he made many more.' As for his match-winning goal, Smallman said: 'Brian Tinnion took the corner and their keeper came and I just managed to nip in in front of him. 'It was a bullet header. I was a bit under-rated in the air but I had a decent leap and it flew into the net.' Wrexham's cup run that year was getting plenty of publicity. 'We beat Middlesbrough in the fourth round and Charles Roberts, who was a director at the club, got us all dressed up as undertakers with a Bury The Boro headline,' recalled Smallman. Peter Adamson - aka Len Fairclough in Coronation Street - was Wrexham's star fan in those days and was pictured celebrating with the players in The Dell's dressing room after the game. 'They were great days,' said Smallman. 'We had a great team with lads that had all come through the ranks - Billy Ashcroft, Michael Thomas, Joey Jones, Graham Whittle, Bob Scott and me.' Arfon Griffiths was also in the Reds team back in 1974 and was manager the last time Wrexham ventured to Southampton where they suffered a 5-0 League Cup hammering in 1979. They also lost the home leg 3-0. As for Wrexham's chances this season as they return to the Championship for the first time in 43 years, Smallman added: 'I think if they finish halfway will be a good result. 'It's a big step up and the first six or seven games will be crucial for them. 'You can't argue with what Phil Parkinson's done at the club and it will be interesting to see how they get on.'
Leader Live
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Wrexham legend Smallman can tell you all about Melbourne!
The former Wrexham striker, whose goals famously took Wrexham to the FA Cup quarter-finals in 1974, emigrated to Australia in 1982, and played for Melbourne-based Green Gully. The Reds kick off their Down Under tour against Melbourne Victory this morning in what should be a packed Marvel Stadium. And that's such a contrast to what it was like for goal-getter Smallman more than 40 years ago. 'It wasn't exactly coats for goalposts but it wasn't far off!' said Smallman, recalling his move from North Wales to Victoria. He convinced wife, Barbara, to make the big move and Australia was home for six years with his two children, David and Jennifer, both born in Melbourne. 'It was my uncle who first gave me the idea,' added Smallman, whose return to Wrexham on a two-year contract was ruined by another freak injury that dogged his career. 'He'd gone out to Melbourne on a £10-assisted package. He was an engineer and went on to become head mechanic at Qantas.' Smallman's top flight days at Everton, who paid Wrexham £76,000 for the Flintshire-born striker in 1975, had been thwarted by injury. 'I was at Everton for five years and I was injured for four years and three months of that time,' said Smallman. 'Arfon Griffiths wanted to sign me back and I was playing in the reserves. We had a game at Port Vale one Saturday morning and I'd tried to put the goalkeeper off by standing in front of him - like you used to be able to do - when he took a kick out of his hands. 'I turned round and he belted the ball right into my back. It almost ballooned back over him and went just over the bar. 'I carried on playing but my back was really hurting - it turned out I'd broken a rib. 'So the Wrexham return didn't come off so Charles Roberts - the former Wrexham director - was chairman at Bangor City and invited me to play there where Graham Whittle and Peter Williams were playing. 'It was alright but then the Australia opportunity came up and I ended up playing for a team called Green Gully. 'They were a Maltese team - and that's what it was like over there at the time. You had Yugoslavian teams, there was an Italian team called Juventus and another Maltese side called Green Cross. They were bitter rivals and it always kicked off against them!' Smallman's injury jinx struck again and an ankle ligament injury ruled him out for the first five weeks. 'It was unbelievable and obviously they weren't impressed,' added Smallman, now aged 72 and living in Minera. 'When I returned I went in for a diving header; the keeper caught me with his shin and I had 26 stitches in my lip with my nostril hanging off!' There was no national league in Australia back in the Eighties but there was success for Green Gully in the Victoria State League. 'We won the league and in my last season there, I was player-manager,' said Smallman. 'We won the treble and I scored a last minute goal in the final game of the season to win the league. 'The highlight was playing a cup final in front of 25,000 at the Olympic Stadium. We beat a German team called Heidelberg and I scored twice and set up the other three in a 5-0 win. 'Obviously I was working out there as well as playing - we'd get about 50 dollars a game - and ended up at Monsanto - the same group that had a factory in Acrefair - but my days ended at Green Gully when Jimmy Rooney, who'd play 100 times for Australia, came in as manager. 'We didn't get on and I played for a Greek team called Western Suburbs and then for the team where I lived in Melton. ' I remember my mum and dad coming out while I was playing and it was great for my dad to see me score in one of the games.' But by 1988 and after Smallman had come back home after having a beer following training, the conversation turned to: 'Do you want to go home?' And that's exactly what the Smallman family did as they boomeranged back for a new adventure back home in north Wales. Smallman did play a few games for Colwyn Bay but at 36, he knew it was time to finally hang up those boots!
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Yahoo
Met apology 'slap in face' after PCs shared photos
The mother of two murdered sisters said an apology from the Metropolitan Police "felt like a slap in the face", after two officers were jailed for sharing photos of her daughters' bodies. Mina Smallman told Desert Island Discs she was "celebrated" when the constables were jailed, adding that "hidden pockets of filth" had been "allowed to blossom" in the force. Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were stabbed to death while celebrating Ms Henry's birthday in a park in Wembley, north-west London, in June 2020. Danyal Hussein was jailed for a minimum of 35 years for murdering them as part of a so-called Satanic blood pact. Bibaa and Nicole: The life after death of two sisters 'I can't forgive PCs for photos of my dead girls' Met apologises on anniversary of sisters' murders Former Met constables Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis were jailed for two years and nine months for sharing photographs of the sisters on WhatsApp. They described them as "dead birds" in the messaging groups. Former Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick issued a public apology in 2021 on behalf of the force to the family. Asked what her response to that apology was, Ms Smallman told the BBC Radio 4 programme: "It felt like a slap in the face, really. "You say sorry when you bump into someone at the supermarket. Another issue with huge institutions is the arrogance." Ms Smallman, a former teacher and priest, said a police call handler never got back to her after she reported her daughters missing. She added she thought a search was not initially launched by police because of their ethnicity. The 68-year-old said: "Sometimes racism doesn't have language. It's not verbalised. It's what you fail to do and what you communicate within the structures." On being told that police had shared pictures of her daughters, Ms Smallman said she "completely lost it". Listen to Mina Smallman's Desert Island Discs Discussing the police, she said: "Do not do this job to lord it over people. "Do the job because you want to be part of good. So many more of our police - that's who they are. They stand in the gap for us, and we've seen the worst and the best, and you'll never hear me bash the police. "I bash the ones who have managed to squeeze in through poor vetting, lack of funding, hidden pockets of filth that's been allowed to blossom. "I have no words for them and I will take them down. "And I was celebrating when those two were sent to prison." In 2013, Ms Smallman became the first black woman to become an archdeacon in the Church of England, serving Southend in the Diocese of Chelmsford. The retired Anglican priest said she had been able to forgive the killer of her daughters, adding: "We call it the grace of God. "I don't even think about him, and when I'm talking to you now, I have no emotional connection. It's as though he doesn't exist. "And that is a gift because I am a typical mother bear, everything in me would want to do him a damage, and I don't need that in my head space - that would be too much." Ms Smallman said she had not been able to forgive the jailed police officers, saying: "No, that hasn't happened. "And I think the issue is it's to keep the fire alive that makes me want to continue to challenge institutions to do better." London needs more black police - victims' mum Jailed ex-Met PC committed gross misconduct - IOPC Ex-Met chief gaslighted me, says killed sisters' mum The Old Bailey heard that Jaffer and Lewis, neither of whom was wearing forensic protection, were tasked with protecting the scene in June 2020. While at the scene Jaffer took four pictures of the bodies in situ and Lewis took two, and superimposed his face on a third to create a "selfie-style" picture. The court heard that the behaviour of the officers allowed Hussein to put forward the false defence that incriminating DNA evidence could have been contaminated. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to
BBC News
16-02-2025
- BBC News
Mina Smallman: Met apology 'slap in face' after PCs shared photos
The mother of two murdered sisters said an apology from the Metropolitan Police "felt like a slap in the face", after two officers were jailed for sharing photos of her daughters' Smallman told Desert Island Discs she was "celebrated" when the constables were jailed, adding that "hidden pockets of filth" had been "allowed to blossom" in the Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were stabbed to death while celebrating Ms Henry's birthday in a park in Wembley, north-west London, in June Hussein was jailed for a minimum of 35 years for murdering them as part of a so-called Satanic blood pact. Former Met constables Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis were jailed for two years and nine months for sharing photographs of the sisters on described them as "dead birds" in the messaging Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick issued a public apology in 2021 on behalf of the force to the what her response to that apology was, Ms Smallman told the BBC Radio 4 programme: "It felt like a slap in the face, really. "You say sorry when you bump into someone at the supermarket. Another issue with huge institutions is the arrogance." Ms Smallman, a former teacher and priest, said a police call handler never got back to her after she reported her daughters added she thought a search was not initially launched by police because of their 68-year-old said: "Sometimes racism doesn't have language. It's not verbalised. It's what you fail to do and what you communicate within the structures."On being told that police had shared pictures of her daughters, Ms Smallman said she "completely lost it". Listen to Mina Smallman's Desert Island Discs Discussing the police, she said: "Do not do this job to lord it over people."Do the job because you want to be part of good. So many more of our police - that's who they are. They stand in the gap for us, and we've seen the worst and the best, and you'll never hear me bash the police."I bash the ones who have managed to squeeze in through poor vetting, lack of funding, hidden pockets of filth that's been allowed to blossom."I have no words for them and I will take them down. "And I was celebrating when those two were sent to prison." 'Keep fire alive' In 2013, Ms Smallman became the first black woman to become an archdeacon in the Church of England, serving Southend in the Diocese of retired Anglican priest said she had been able to forgive the killer of her daughters, adding: "We call it the grace of God. "I don't even think about him, and when I'm talking to you now, I have no emotional connection. It's as though he doesn't exist."And that is a gift because I am a typical mother bear, everything in me would want to do him a damage, and I don't need that in my head space - that would be too much."Ms Smallman said she had not been able to forgive the jailed police officers, saying: "No, that hasn't happened."And I think the issue is it's to keep the fire alive that makes me want to continue to challenge institutions to do better." The Old Bailey heard that Jaffer and Lewis, neither of whom was wearing forensic protection, were tasked with protecting the scene in June at the scene Jaffer took four pictures of the bodies in situ and Lewis took two, and superimposed his face on a third to create a "selfie-style" court heard that the behaviour of the officers allowed Hussein to put forward the false defence that incriminating DNA evidence could have been contaminated.
Telegraph
16-02-2025
- Telegraph
Met apology ‘felt like slap in the face', says mother of murdered sisters
The mother of two murdered sisters said an apology from the Metropolitan Police 'felt like a slap in the face', after two officers were jailed for sharing photos of their bodies. Mina Smallman, 68, told the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs that she was 'celebrating' when the constables were jailed, adding that 'hidden pockets of filth' had been 'allowed to blossom' in the force. Ms Smallman's daughters, Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were stabbed to death while celebrating a birthday in a park in Wembley, north-west London, in June 2020. Danyal Hussein was jailed for a minimum of 35 years for murdering them as part of a Satanic blood pact. Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis, former Met constables, were jailed for two years and nine months for sharing photographs of the sisters on WhatsApp. They described them as 'dead birds' in the messaging groups. Dame Cressida Dick, a former Met Commissioner, issued a public apology in 2021 on behalf of the force to the family. Asked what her response to that apology was, Ms Smallman told the programme: 'It felt like a slap in the face, really. You say sorry when you bump into someone at the supermarket. 'Another issue with huge institutions is the arrogance.' Ms Smallman, a former teacher and priest, said a police call handler never got back to her after she reported her daughters as missing. She added that she thought a search was not initially launched by police because of their ethnicity. Ms Smallman said: 'Sometimes racism doesn't have language. It's not verbalised. It's what you fail to do and what you communicate within the structures.' On being told that police had shared pictures of her daughters, Ms Smallman said she 'completely lost it'. Discussing the police, she said: 'Do not do this job to lord it over people. 'Do the job because you want to be part of good. So many more of our police – that's who they are. They stand in the gap for us, and we've seen the worst and the best, and you'll never hear me bash the police. 'I bash the ones who have managed to squeeze in through poor lack of vetting, lack of funding, hidden pockets of filth that's been allowed to blossom. 'I have no words for them and I will take them down. And I was celebrating when those two were sent to prison.' In 2013, Ms Smallman became the first black woman to become an archdeacon in the Church of England, serving Southend in the Diocese of Chelmsford. The retired Anglican priest said she had been able to forgive the killer of her daughters, adding: 'We call it the grace of God. I don't even think about him, and when I'm talking to you now, I have no emotional connection. It's as though he doesn't exist. 'And that is a gift because I am a typical mother bear, everything in me would want to do him damage, and I don't need that in my headspace – that would be too much.' Ms Smallman said she had not been able to forgive the jailed police officers, saying: 'No, that hasn't happened. 'And I think the issue is it's to keep the fire alive that makes me want to continue to challenge institutions to do better.' The Old Bailey heard that Jaffer and Lewis, neither of whom were wearing forensic protection, were tasked with protecting the scene in June 2020. While at the scene Jaffer took four pictures of the bodies in situ and Lewis took two, and superimposed his face on a third to create a 'selfie-style' picture. The court heard that the behaviour of the officers allowed Hussein to put forward the false defence that incriminating DNA evidence could have been contaminated.
