| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Walter Ernest Smith | ||
| Date of birth | 25 March 1884 | ||
| Place of birth | Leicester, England | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Leicester Imperial | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| Leicester Fosse | |||
| 1906–1915 | Manchester City | ||
| 1920–1922 | Port Vale | 41 | (0) |
| Plymouth Argyle | |||
| Grimsby Town | |||
| Total | 41+ | (0+) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Walter Ernest Smith (25 March 1884 – unknown) was an English footballer.
Smith played for Leicester Imperial, Leicester Fosse and Manchester City, also guesting for Fulham and Leicester Fosse during the war. He joined Port Vale in October 1920 for a 'modest' fee. However, the morning of his debut game on South Shields on 23 October 1920 he was arrested on assault charges against a chambermaid at the hotel where the team had spent the night. After being released on bail he played the game with a detective standing in the crowd, possibly distracting the team as they went on to lose 6–1. He was found not guilty at his trial in November 1920 and went on to have a successful career with the club. However, in a 4–1 defeat at Coventry City on 31 December 1921 he seriously injured a leg and failed to regain his place upon his recovery. He was released at the end of the season, but despite being 38 did not hang up his boots, he moved on to Plymouth Argyle and later turned out for Grimsby Town.[1]