▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁as ▁secretary - general ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Democratic ▁Group , ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁W E U ▁Def ence ▁Committee ▁and ▁finally ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁W E U ▁Assembly ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁D ud ley ▁Smith ▁had ▁been ▁an ▁early ▁adm ir er ▁of ▁Mrs ▁Th atch er , ▁ev iden ced ▁by ▁his ▁ver bal ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Public ▁Bod ies ▁( Ad mission ▁to ▁Me et ings ) ▁Act ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁which ▁she ▁had ▁drawn ▁up ▁and ▁introduced ▁her ▁ma iden ▁speech . ▁During ▁the ▁Th atch er ▁years , ▁Smith ▁showed ▁signs ▁of ▁being ▁an ▁ar dent ▁Th atch er ite , ▁indeed ▁often ▁being ▁to ▁the ▁right ▁of ▁his ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁on ▁many ▁social ▁issues . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁he ▁demonstrated ▁clear ▁diss atisf action ▁with ▁her ▁leadership , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁dam aged ▁by ▁the ▁res ignation ▁of ▁N ig el ▁Law son ▁and ▁the ▁Pol l ▁Tax , ▁by ▁using ▁a ▁football ▁anal ogy ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 0 : ▁“ Do ▁you ▁s ack ▁the ▁manager ▁or ▁don ’ t ▁you ? ▁You ▁may ▁have ▁a ▁good ▁manager ▁but ▁what ▁if ▁the ▁team ▁isn ’ t ▁scoring ▁goals ?” . ▁This ▁sentiment ▁was ▁felt ▁by ▁many ▁T ory ▁MP s ▁which ▁ultimately ▁led ▁to ▁her ▁down fall . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁kn ight ed ▁in ▁ 1