Bert Smith

When Fife Flyers played their inaugural match at Kirkcaldy Ice Rink on 1 October 1938, a young 13-year-old was their mascot. That mascot was Bert Smith, who went on to become a Flyers legend, and 1948 Olympian. An outstanding player at either centre-ice or left-wing, Smith also left a legacy as he coached many Fife Flyers greats over the years.

The War years interrupted the start of Smith’s playing career, and as a 19-year-old he joined the RAF, serving as a flight engineer on Lancaster bombers. After the war he joined the family firm of butchers, so he could get time off work to play ice hockey. He scored over 100 goals for Fife, but it could have been many more, as the record books for those days are far from complete.

Smith competed at the 1948 Olympics, playing in three of Great Britain’s five matches. After the Games he played professionally in the Western European League with the Amsterdam Ijsvogels (Ice Birds). This appointment saw Smith playing across Europe in Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, France and Belgium. Upon returning to Scotland, he regained his amateur status and played for Murrayfield Royals and the English club Altrincham Aces, before returning to Fife Flyers, with whom he ended his 20-year career at the end of the 1966/67 season. He also represented Great Britain at the 1951 World Championship in Paris.

Whilst playing in the European League, Smith took up skiing and became a fine exponent of the sport. In his retirement years, he played a lot of golf at St. Michael’s Golf Club, Leuchars, eventually becoming the club secretary.