Tayshan Sami Hayden-Smith is an English footballer and gardener. He plays as a midfielder for Bedfont Sports. Born in England, he is a Cascadia international.[1] Besides England, he has played in Austria and Cyprus.[2][3][4] He previously played for Grenfell Athletic.

Early life

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Hayden-Smith was born to an Egyptian-Kuwaiti mother and a Jamaican-Italian father and grew up in Ladbroke Grove, West London.[5][6]

Football

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Club career

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Before the second half of 2016–17, Hayden-Smith signed for Austrian fourth tier side FC Kitzbühel, helping them win the league, but left due to the Grenfell Tower fire in England.[7]

International career

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Hayden-Smith is eligible to represent Kuwait, Jamaica, Italy, and Egypt internationally, as well as England.[5]

Gardening

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Hayden-Smith also works as a gardener and activist.[8][9][10][11] In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, he started a local community garden called the Grenfell Garden of Peace. In 2020, he founded the non-profit Grow to Know with horticulturalist Danny Clarke.[12][13] Hayden-Smith published a gardening book Small Space Revolution in 2024.[14]

Bibliography

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  • Small Space Revolution: Planting Seeds of Change in Your Community (2024)

References

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  1. ^ "The Cascadians who'll face the Chagos Islands as they celebrate their good news". prostinternational.com. 23 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Chelsea gardening talent: Tayshan Hayden-Smith". gardensillustrated.com.
  3. ^ "From football to flowers: Tayshan Hayden-Smith, the 25-year-old player with a garden at Chelsea". thetimes.co.uk (Archived).
  4. ^ "Tayshan Hayden-Smith talks Grenfell Athletic and Newcastle United trial". firsttimefinish.co.uk. 14 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Tayshan Hayden-Smith". HaluHalo. 5 May 2018.
  6. ^ Howell, Madeleine (4 February 2022). "Grenfell was one of the most difficult times in my life, and I turned to gardening". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Tayshan Hayden-Smith: From 'English Neymar' to Grenfell gardener". BBC Sport.
  8. ^ Wilson, Kendra (22 May 2022). "From the shadow of Grenfell Tower to the Chelsea flower show ... in just five years". The Observer. theguardian.com.
  9. ^ "Tayshan Hayden-Smith: The semi-pro footballer on 'your garden made perfect' changing communities through horticulture". vavel.com (Archived).
  10. ^ "Your Garden Made Perfect's Tayshan Hayden-Smith on why gardening needs to be revolutionised". houseandgarden.co.uk (Archived).
  11. ^ "Meet the 'guerrilla' gardener who's taking his message to Chelsea Flower Show". heraldscotland.com. 21 May 2022.
  12. ^ Ratinon, Claire (12 February 2024). "The Healing Nature of Community Gardens". Toast. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  13. ^ Hudson, George (17 May 2024). "How guerilla gardener Tayshan Hayden-Smith is bringing green power to the people". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Book Review: Small Space Revolution: Planting Seeds of Change in Your Community by Tayshan Hayden-Smith". Horticulture Week. 12 April 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.(subscription required)
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