Steven Smith (footballer)

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This article is about the male Scottish footballer. For the female British poet, see Stevie Smith.
Stevie Smith
Personal information
Full name Steven Smith
Date of birth August 30, 1985 (1985-08-30) (age 22)
Place of birth    Bellshill, Scotland
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Left-back
Club information
Current club Rangers
Number 26
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
2004– Rangers 39 (1)   

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of May 25, 2008.
* Appearances (Goals)

Steven "Stevie" Smith (born 30 August 1985 in Bellshill) is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Scottish Premier League club Rangers.

Smith, a left sided defender, made his Rangers debut against Hearts in October 2003 but had to wait until the winter of 2005-06 to establish himself in the team. He made his Champions League debut against Villarreal CF on 22 February 2006. Smith signed a two-year contract extension on the 27th February 2006.[1] He went on to win the Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League young player of the month for April 2006 and by then had cemented his place as first choice left back at the club.[2]

Smith was in line for his first Scotland appearances in the double header of 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying matches against France and Ukraine in October 2006 but he was ruled out with a thigh injury.[3]

Despite Rangers' poor results and performances, Smith started the 2006-07 season impressively and scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Dunfermline Athletic on 11 November 2006, as well as being named Man of the Match.[4]

During the winter of 2006, Smith was again troubled by a recurring pelvic injury which has sidelined him since. He has not played for Rangers boss Walter Smith yet, his last game was against Celtic on the 17 December 2006.[5]

On the 20 November 2007 it was reported that Smith was finally on the injury comeback and that, after a successful hernia operation, he was soon to be fit again.[6]

Smith returned to the first team, appearing as an unused subsitute in a Scottish Cup match against Partick Thistle in March 2008, over fifteen months after his last appearance [7] and he made his first start back in the replay of that match the following month.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Rangers give Smith new deal", Sky Sports website, 27 February 2006. 
  2. ^ "Top youth Smith praises McLeish", BBC Sport website, 5 May 2006. 
  3. ^ "Smith denied chance for Scotland", BBC Sport website, 5 October 2006. 
  4. ^ "Rangers 2-0 Dunfermline Athletic", BBC Sport website, 11 November 2006. 
  5. ^ "Smith focused on Rangers return", BBC Sport website, 17 October 2007. 
  6. ^ "Smith's targeting Rangers return", BBC Sport website, 20 November 2007. 
  7. ^ Rangers 1-1 Partick Thistle BBC Sport website, 19 March 2008

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Rangers F.C. – current squad

1 McGregor • 3 Weir • 4 Buffel • 5 Papac • 6 Ferguson • 7 Hemdani • 8 Thomson • 9 Boyd • 10 Novo • 11 Adam • 15 Gow • 16 G. Smith • 17 Burke • 18 Naismith • 19 Darcheville • 20 Beasley • 21 Broadfoot • 22 Webster • 23 Dailly • 24 Cuéllar • 25 Alexander • 26 S. Smith • 27 McCulloch • 28 Whittaker • 29 Cousin • Manager: W. Smith
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