Paul Smyth reveals inspiration behind acrobatic celebration following Bristol City wondergoal
Smyth scored a spectacular equaliser in Rangers’ 1-1 draw at Bristol City on Saturday, rounding goalkeeper Max O’Leary and finding the net from distance after an opposition corner had been cleared.
The Northern Ireland international’s goal means that QPR are unbeaten in their last six games.
When asked why he celebrates his goals with a summersault, Smyth replied: “Trampolining. When I did my GCSE PE, I chose trampolining over football.
“I enjoyed it more, I had fun. It was dangerous, that’s why I enjoyed it!”
The eye-catching strike at the weekend was the fifth goal that Smyth has scored since returning to Loftus Road in the summer of 2023.
His only previous goal this season came in the first round of the EFL Cup against Cambridge United.
However, he does have a number of impressive strikes for previous club Leyton Orient and at international level to compare his latest one to.
“I’ve scored a couple of nice ones,” Smyth assessed. “I scored an overhead kick at Leyton Orient and scored a scissor kick for my country at Windsor Park, but this one would be in the top three.
“I remember getting past the ‘keeper and my first thought was ‘shoot’. Because if I had of been in two minds I don’t know what would have happened. I knew it was going in from the start – I caught it clean and caught it nice – and looked up and thought I’m going to celebrate with the fans…that’s me. See you later!’
Smyth has featured in all of QPR’s games this season across league and cup, with Marti Cifuentes’ side stretched by a series of injuries.
The recent run of results has seen Rangers move from the bottom of the Championship table to five points clear of the relegation zone, and Smyth believes Cifuentes deserves plenty of credit for the upturn in fortunes.
“He’s a brilliant manager,” said the winger. “He gives us freedom and gets us playing football. I love him, as a forward player, because he gives us that license to do whatever we want as long as we’re working hard and doing the right things.
“He gives me the freedom to dribble and do what I want, and if you lose the ball he wants you to win it back. He always talks about ‘zero seconds’ (to win back possession) and it’s ingrained in my head now because he just keeps saying it.
“Any time we get on the ball and we lose it, we get it back and if we can’t get it back we regroup and go again. He’s helped me very much.
“We’re taking it game by game. We did it last year when we were down there and that’s why we stayed up because we’ve got that grit and determination and we know how good we are. We’ve got a good squad and if we get everyone back fit I think we can just keep going and pushing ahead.
“Fans know what I bring to the table. I work hard, I run, I’ve just been unfortunate in front of goal at the minute. I’ve been trying my best so I just hope I can kick on from this.”
PICTURE: ROB AVIS