ORIGIN
MISSION
VISION
ORIGIN
I grew up on the south coast of England, and football was my first love. Legend has it that my first word was nutmeg - not the spice, but the act of kicking a ball between someone’s legs. My dad ran a Sunday morning football team and whilst they definitely weren’t the best players, they were a great team. I was their mascot the day they ‘we’ won the cup. Epic bowl cut, I’m sure you’ll agree.
If Sunday mornings were boggy pitches, orange slices, and freezing toes, Saturday afternoons were the real deal: a trip to the Goldstone Ground to watch my beloved Brighton play. I can still smell the cigar smoke and hear the crackle of the old P.A. playing “Sussex by the Sea.” Luckily, that’s about all I remember - the football itself was largely forgettable.
Until 1983. Against all odds, Brighton made it to the FA Cup Final against Manchester United. With seconds remaining in extra time and the game tied at 2–2, Gordon Smith found himself with the chance to pull off one of the greatest upsets in F.A cup history. With only the goalkeeper to beat, the commentator exclaimed, “...and Smith must score!”
Except, he didn’t. Brighton lost the replay 4–0, were relegated, and wouldn't return to the top flight for over 30 years.
While Brighton fought their way back from oblivion, my own journey took me to Amsterdam and across the globe- building high-performing teams and leading major business transformations at Cisco and Tommy Hilfiger, as well as consulting for Nike.
After 20 years in senior leadership roles, I made a deliberate choice to leave the comfort of corporate life behind. Looking ahead at my next chapter, I returned to university to earn a Master’s in Sport & Exercise Psychology.
Fusing evidence-based academic research with two decades of lived leadership experience, I founded Smith Must Score: a performance psychology practice dedicated to helping leaders, athletes and teams master theirinner world, build psychological adaptability, and execute when it matters most.
MISSION
My mission is simple: To be a beacon for better.
VISION
Enabling athletes, leaders, and teams to master their inner world, build psychological flexibility, and unleash their full potential.
Smith not scoring…the commentary that inspired the name.
CREDENTIALS
I am an ISSP-Registered Sport Psychologist.
I am also an accredited Spotlight practitioner.
I have a masters in Sport psychology, from the University of Staffordshire, graduating with distinction. My thesis supervisor was Prof. Matt Slater who has published multiple research papers on the social identity approach to leadership and group dynamics.
My Motivational Interviewing level 1, 2 & 3 training was delivered by Hugh Gilmore, performance psychologist for multiple medal winning Paralympic athletes
My REBT primary practitioner training was completed with the Albert Ellis institute in New York.
My Acceptance Commitment Coaching certification was delivered by IAPD
Prior to founding Smith Must Score I held a range of leadership roles at Cisco and Tommy Hilfiger. Since establishing my private practice, I have consulted for numerous clients including Nike, SEG, EPIC and Spargle.
