The daughter of Huddersfield Town legend Steve Smith has praised the PFA for supporting her dad who is now living with dementia.
Lisa Smith has been making sure her 72-year-old dad, who played 381 times for his hometown club, has been getting out and about and accompanied her dad to Town’s last Premier League home game with Tottenham.
But as well as enabling her dad to cheer on the Terriers, Lisa has also worked with the PFA to provide her dad with other forms of support which she insists is helping him live well with the condition.
The long-serving former Terriers player, whose goal secured Town promotion to the old First Division in 1970 - manager, reserves boss, coach and chief scout – who also played for Halifax Town and coached Bradford City - was diagnosed with dementia five years ago.
But his two children – Lisa and Gary - have rallied around him to make sure that he continues to live life to the full despite the condition – with the help of the PFA and Town chiefs.
“It’s weird because to look at dad, you’d think he is perfectly normal but under the surface it’s very different,” Lisa said,
“His appearance is great - he looks a picture of health and he’s still ever so sprightly and happy
“But unfortunately, when you talk to him you realise something is wrong because dementia has entered his life and it’s so cruel.
“It’s robbing him of his memory and his independence and causing confusion and it just doesn’t seem fair.”
Lisa, who has swapped Austria for Huddersfield to be close to her dad, accompanied him to a Town match, which put his dementia into perspective.
“We went to the Town versus Everton game last season to celebrate his birthday and he was completely on the ball, so to speak, while the game was on,” Lisa said.
“I looked at him at one point when the whistle had been blown and he said ‘off-side’ because he knew.
“He’s still got it. He was transfixed by the game, by the ebb and flow of the football.
“The look of disappointment on his face when Everton scored and when our passes went astray said it all.
“But afterwards, I said ‘what do you think?’ and he said, ‘I don’t know the result.’ That was heartbreaking.
“Yet soon after he was bounding up the steps to the car park with all the energy of a kid going out to play football with his mates.
“It all goes to show that dementia just doesn’t make sense.”
Lisa with her father Steve Smith and his sister Janet.
Steve is now living in a care home but Lisa and Gary are both doing her best to ensure that he remains active.
“The PFA have been very supportive with helping us maintain a well-being programme for dad,” said Lisa.
“He is having regular massage, yoga classes, counselling and sound therapy thanks to the PFA so I really appreciate the way they have stood by dad as little things like this really matter.
“He was proud to be a PFA member because he always believed in togetherness and strength in numbers and when I tell him is union is helping and that always brings a smile to his face.
“But of course nothing beats playing the beautiful game and we use the footie ball to kick against the wall to let off steam and his left foot is still spot-on.”
“I’m really grateful to the PFA for doing their bit but I should also say a big ‘thank-you’ to Town owner Dean Hoyle and chief executive Julian Winter, who dad used to coach, for supplying tickets to home matches - nothing else can make Dad smile like going to a live match.”
Now Lisa is hoping Town fans will follow the PFA’s lead and rally around her dad and give him the support he needs to live well with dementia.
Steve will be taking part in an Alzheimer’s Society Memory Walk fundraising walk in Beaumont Park, Huddersfield, on Sunday, October 21 (11am) to raise money for research and improve awareness of the condition.
“He’s been a hero to Huddersfield and now I'd like Huddersfield to be a hero to him by taking part in the Memory Walk which should be a great event,” Lisa said.
“It’s important that people around Huddersfield know that dad has developed dementia but that shouldn’t put them off chatting to him. He needs the support of the community.
“I don’t want people to be scared of dementia because it’s not something to fear and it’s not the end of the world.
“The more we can understand the way these things work, the better we can adopt around them for the best welfare for everyone involved.
“A little bit more understanding about dementia, patience and kindness will go a long way to ensuring my dad lives well with the condition.
Huddersfield Memory Walk
For further information about the Huddersfield Memory Walk, email organiser Rob Stewart rob.stewart@alzheimers.org.uk.
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