Beers, birthday surprises, face masks and scoring for fun ... what a season Michael Smith is having with Rotherham United

The Rotherham United striker was due to turn 30 the following week and was under the impression he and partner Hannah were having a night out by themselves in his home city of Newcastle during the international break.

What he didn’t know was that his better half had organised a birthday bash for him and that loads of family and friends, who’d all donned face masks bearing his image, were gathered together waiting to shout ‘Surprise’.

One or two beers were consumed but Smith had recovered sufficiently by the time of the next game, at home to Portsmouth, to score two more goals and take his tally to ten in 11 matches.

He moved up to 11 this week when the Millers’ second in the 3-0 win at MK Dons last Saturday was officially credited to him.

The player known to everyone as ‘Smudge’ is on course to hit the 20-plus target he has set himself as the fifth-placed Millers push for a third successive League One promotion.

Pompey boss Danny Cowley was moved to describe him as the best centre-forward in the division after he’d taken apart the visitors at AESSEAL New York Stadium with a performance of deft footwork, opportunism, strength in the air and ceaseless running.

“Yeah, definitely,” said Smith when he was asked if he was in the best form of his career. “I had a bit of a purple patch when I was at Swindon a few years ago but this is better.

“Scoring regularly is always nice for a striker, and we’re winning as well. We turning out very good performances.”

He appreciated Cowley’s sentiments but was far too modest to echo them.

“There’s a fine line between arrogance and confidence,” he said. “I’m confident in my own ability. I would never compare myself to another striker in League One.

“I’m my own player, my own person. I know what I can do and I just need to keep doing it for the team.”

For Smudge, it’s always about the team. “Scoring means nothing to me if we lose,” he said.

The Geordie’s contribution to Rotherham’s cause since his free-transfer switch from Bury in 2018 has been immense and regular goals have been the only thing lacking from his game.

His improved eye has come at a price, specifically the increased glazing costs at the club’s Roundwood base where the six-foot-four-inch frontman is spending more time on his finishing than ever before.

“He’s taking the opportunities that are coming his way,” said coach Matt Hamshaw. “It’s just confidence. He’s not afraid now to get that half a yard and pull the trigger.

“He’s done a lot of work on it on the training ground. We’ve got a couple of smashed windows to prove that!

“He’s working extremely hard. He’s the first one in and the last one away every day. How he trains, how he looks after himself, is a credit to him.”

The Newcastle party was rare respite from the demanding regime that the player puts himself through.

Manager Paul Warne had given his squad a few days off and a gang of Smudge’s teammates made the journey up the A1 to be part of the celebrations.

“Hannah kept it quiet really well,” the player said. “I had no idea. I thought we were just going out for a few drinks, me and her.

“It was nice. I turned up and everyone had face masks of me on. It was mad seeing all of my mates from home and the Millers lads together.”

The majority of his goals have come since Will Grigg arrived on loan from Sunderland at the end of August and the two were paired up front.

“We seem to have an understanding,” Smith said. “He’s fitted in with the group straightaway and I get on with him really well.

“I chat with him at training but it’s not one of those things we’ve had to speak about really. It’s just happened for us on the pitch. The best kind of partnerships are the ones that happen naturally.”

Grigg has been among the goals himself and Smith added: “I’m enjoying playing with him. We’ve got four good strikers at the club and it just happens to be me and Griggy in the team at the minute.

 “You can see what he’s about. He’s a fox in the box and his record over the years speaks for itself. You know what you’re going to get from him. If you stick the ball in there, he’s going to score.”

The duo share similarities in that Smith was struggling at Gigg Lane and Grigg was unwanted at the Stadium of Light until finding a new spark at New York.

“Since day one here, Smudge has felt at home, he’s felt loved,” said Hamshaw. “Sometimes a player just fits at a certain club.

“We’ve had strikers here over the previous years who it hasn’t worked for and then we’ve have a number who it has worked for. It’s not an exact science. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.

“Smudge has always felt like this is a place where he can develop. He’s reaping the rewards. He’s played particularly well this year but there hasn’t been a single season here where he hasn’t done well.”

Smith hasn’t hit the 20 mark before — 18 shared between AFC Wimbledon and Swindon in 2013/14 and 18 all for Swindon the following year being his best previous efforts — and will never have a better opportunity than this season as the Millers top the third-tier rankings for chances created.

He has already achieved a ‘first’ with a moment of second-half cheekiness in front of the North Stand in the 4-1 drubbing of Portsmouth.

“I’ve never seen a Smudge back-heel before” I told him. “I’ve never seen a Smudge back-heel before either,” he smiled in reply. “I’ve never even attempted one. It’s mad. When you’re scoring goals, maybe you try things you normally wouldn’t.”

The only person in the Rotherham camp less than delighted at the prospect of the Newcastle-United-supporting targetman continuing to register at the same rate is Richie Barker.

Before the campaign began, the assistant manager offered Smith his framed, signed shirt once worn by Toon legend Alan Shearer in return for a 25-goal haul.

“It’s my most prized possession,” said the number two, working out that he might be handing it over before the winter is out.

“I shouldn’t have said he could have it for scoring 25. I should have put a promotion clause in there as well.”

Barker knows as well as anyone that, regardless of mask-wearing pals at parties, an undeniable Millers truth exists:

There’s only one Michael Smith.

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EYEING THE TREBLE

HE’S been there, done that ... and now he believes Rotherham United can do it again.

Michael Smith has played his part in two previous League One promotions under manager Paul Warne and is convinced he and teammates are capable of making it a hat-trick this season.

“The quality of this squad is up there with the two others that went up,” he said.

“We have strength in depth in every position. If someone is injured someone else can step in and we don’t drop in quality.

“Everyone knows their roles and responsibilities. A lot of that is down to the staff and the way they coach us.”

Rotherham are unbeaten since early September. However, the division is packed with strong sides and Smith says Warne’s men will have to show character when an inevitable dip in results comes.

“It’s a tough league,” he said. “There are going to be ups and downs. We’ll have to deal with that.

“We’re not going to go through the full season as we are and I think everyone is experienced enough to know that, but hopefully we can continue it as long as possible.”

The Millers have established themselves in the top six despite being wasteful in front of goal at times and Smith pinpointed that as the main area in which they must improve.

“We need to be more clinical and finish off teams by taking more of the many chances we’re creating,” he said.

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BOSS PAUL WARNE ON SUPER SMITH

“THE one thing I knew about Michael Smith after the transfer window was that he would continue to give everything to Rotherham United.

“A move to a big Championship club didn’t happen for our striker but there was never the remotest possibility that he would sulk.

“His record since then says everything about him: he’s one of the top scorers in League One and there isn’t a defender in the division who looks forward to coming up against him.

“There aren’t many players we recruit who fall through the cracks on character. That’s why I go on about signing good people.

“I never questioned the fact that Smudge would remain hugely dedicated to playing for us. He’s been brilliant. He trains hard and really looks after himself.

“The chairman loves him like a son and so do I. I believe he can score 20-plus goals and a player that prolific doesn’t half help with a promotion push.”