“He give us a bit of stick!” The story of how Sheffield Wednesday man Michael Smith came to visit a Rotherham United fan in hospital

The then 72-year-old had spent the evening watching television with his wife Eileen. It had been New Year’s Eve so the telly offering had been decent. They’d had a nice meal and sung Auld Lang Syne together before looking at one another and calling it a night half an hour or so after the countdown.

A few steps later, his life had changed forever.

Dave, a retired production worker, lost his footing and tumbled down the stairs. Though an initial once-over saw him laughing and joking with emergency response staff, a few hours later the severity of the situation was made clear.

He’d broken enough bones for a doctor to describe to his son Kevin that his injuries were akin to him being hit by a car and by the time Dave is scheduled to head home on December 14 he will have been in hospital for nearly a year.

“It’s a sad thing to have happened but we’re getting on with it,” said Kevin, who has spent his life watching Rotherham United thanks to Dave’s influence and lifelong support of the club.

“He has gone from being a fit and active 70-odd who went to play snooker every week with his mates, he went to the pub, he went to watch Rotherham every week.

“His life has been completely changed. When he gets home he’ll need 24-hour care, he’ll need a carer in the same room for the rest of his life.

“He’s had really dark days where he’s wanted to give up, where he tells us he’s a burden on us and that he can’t do that.

“My mum and him won’t be able to jump up and go to see friends, go on holiday, do all the things they did before. He’s a positive person but it gets him down.”

This week Kevin’s phone rang to show a familiar name; that of Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith, of course a former Rotherham United man.

The pair made headlines last summer after ‘Smudge’ had fallen one goal short of the target set by Millers assistant manager Richie Barker – a tally that would have seen Barker hand over his prized signed shirt of Smith’s boyhood hero Alan Shearer.

Rotherham fans, led by Kevin, clubbed together in thanks of Smith’s 24-goal effort to raise the cash to buy a fresh one and a £2,200 surplus was donated to Rotherham Hospice.

After a controversial free transfer switch across the Parkway to Hillsborough this summer – one that many Millers fans were vocal in their displeasure with – Smith this week got back in touch to visit Dave in hospital and spent two hours talking with the football-mad retiree before chatting with other patients.

It should be stressed that this was no act of publicity-chasing or an attempt to regain favour with the Rotherham faithful; the act of kindness would have never seen the public gaze had Kevin not decided to post a photo of the pair on social media.

Smith, who went as far as to offer to pay back the money for his Shearer shirt amid the backlash surrounding his move, thought nothing of the visit.

He said: “I’ve kept in touch and I always said I’d nip in and see his dad. It was nice to see him and Kev, he’s a top lad.

“It’s a privilege as footballers, you get to have a little bit of spare time on your hands, so to go and see someone is nice. Hopefully it’s a bit of a change for him because I bet he gets sick of seeing the same faces.

“It was nice to talk football as well. He gave us a bit of stick, but it was all good fun.”

It’s not the first act of kindness shown by Sheffield Wednesday players in recent months, with many going out of their way to support charity efforts and visit charitable causes.

Will Vaulks is a regular at Bluebell Wood and last week Josh Windass visited the home of a Sheffield schoolboy who had suffered at the hands of bullies, bringing along his boxing champ friend Kell Brook.

Liam Palmer’s charity efforts are well-known, along with those of Callum Paterson. Barry Bannan is a regular when it comes to charity and community efforts. Assistant manager Wayne Jacobs runs a charity for disadvantaged children in Bradford.

The Owls squad is full of family men and those committed to supporting their community and Smith’s quiet effort is one of the latest additions on that front.

While an afternoon spent beside Dave won’t be enough to evangelise Smith in the eyes of many disgruntled Millers fans, Kevin hopes it goes some way to easing frosty relations.

“It epitomises what kind of man he is,” Kevin said. “He’s a very grounded and humble person. Even the way he was speaking, he didn’t have a bad word to say about the club, the fans.

“There were fans that gave his dog’s abuse and sent videos of them burning his shirt, he didn’t have a bad word to say about them.

“He said he still has Rotherham photos and memorabilia on his wall, things that fans gave him.

“He’s just a man who cares about others, he’s grateful for the opportunity he has got. He’s not a multi-millionaire footballer who doesn’t care, he’s a family guy, he hasn’t forgotten his roots and he’s a lovely person.”

All being well, Dave will leave hospital before Christmas and dependant on logistics hopes to be able to watch his beloved Millers once more.

A visit to Hillsborough to watch his new pal Michael Smith do his thing? Let’s not go too far..

MORE: Sheffield Wednesday bring in new face as former West Bromwich Albion man comes on board

MORE: Why Leeds-born Mallik Wilks’ boyhood club was a closely-guarded secret – and the ex-Sheffield Wednesday pair he owes plenty to

MORE: Sheffield Wednesday fan favourite, former Chelsea and Fulham man on trial with Championship club