Gordon Smith (footballer, born September 1954)

Gordon Smith
Personal information
Full nameGordon Duffield Smith
Date of birth29 September 1954
Place of birthKilwinning, Scotland
Playing positionForward / Midfielder
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1972–1977Kilmarnock161(36)
1977–1980Rangers98(35)
1980–1983Brighton & Hove Albion109(22)
1982→ Rangers (loan)2(0)
1983–1985Manchester City42(13)
1985–1986Oldham Athletic5(0)
1986–1987Admira Wacker
1987–1988FC Basel25(3)
1988Stirling Albion3(0)
National team
1978Scotland U21[1]1(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Gordon Duffield Smith (born 29 September 1954 in Kilwinning[2]) is a former football player who played for Rangers and Brighton & Hove Albion. After retiring as a player, he worked as a football agent and BBC football pundit before being appointed chief executive of the Scottish Football Association in 2007, a post he held until his resignation on 19 April 2010.[3] Smith then worked as the director of football of Rangers during the 2011–12 season.

Smith was also responsible for the introduction of an agreement between the Home Nations' football associations which allowed players educated in a home nation for five years before the age of eighteen to represent that nation at international level, as a result of the change in policy several players have gone on to represent a country they were previously ineligible for.

Playing career

Smith started his career with Kilmarnock. He was known as Casper (after the ghost) for the way he 'ghosted ' past defenders in his path. He was sold to Rangers in 1977 for £65,000. In his first season with Rangers, Smith won the domestic treble, scoring 27 goals from midfield. He also scored the winning goal in the League Cup Final against Celtic FC.

He was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion in 1980 for a record transfer fee of £440,000. He returned to Rangers on loan in December 1982, playing in the 1982 Scottish League Cup Final defeat by Celtic. Smith made three appearances during his loan spell, without scoring.

Smith played for Brighton in the 1983 FA Cup Final, which they drew 2–2 with Manchester United. Smith scored the 1st goal but had a chance to win the cup for Brighton in extra time but his shot was saved by United goalkeeper Gary Bailey.[4]

After Brighton he joined Manchester City. He was top scorer for City in the 1984/85 season. He then had a short spell with Oldham Athletic. Smith then went to play in Austria with Admira Wacker, and in Switzerland with FC Basel, and he then finished his career back in Scotland with Stirling Albion.[2]

After playing

Smith had a spell as assistant manager of St. Mirren between 1990 and 1993 before beginning careers in the media and as a football agent. He represented many players, including Scotland players Paul Lambert and Kenny Miller. Smith published an autobiography in 2005, entitled "And Smith Did Score", the royalties from which he donated to children's charities.[5]

Scottish Football Association CEO

Smith relinquished his career as an agent to take up the position of Scottish Football Association chief executive, which had been vacated by David Taylor moving to UEFA, in June 2007.[6] Soon after being appointed SFA chief executive, he suggested in a book that there was "an agenda against Rangers", the team he formerly played for.[7] Smith's controversial and somewhat chequered spell[8] as CEO of the Scottish FA ended when he resigned in April 2010 due to personal reasons.[9] After leaving the SFA, Smith wrote a weekly column in the Scottish edition of the Daily Express newspaper and featured on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.

However he did make his mark in international football, Smith was the driver behind the 2009 Home nations agreement, which allowed players being educated for five years under the age of 18 in a Home nation to become eligible for that nation at full international level. Due to this policy change, several players who were otherwise ineligible could play international football for the nation they were educated and raised in. Somalia-born Islam Feruz became eligible for Scotland, Chester-born Andy Dorman represented Wales and Jamaican-born Raheem Sterling went on to play for England.

Rangers

In June 2011, Smith was appointed Director of football at Rangers by their new owner Craig Whyte, tasked with assisting new manager Ally McCoist.[10] He left this role in February 2012, soon after the club entered administration.[11][12]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandu21/player.php?playerid=47
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Football League Career Stats at Neil Brown
  3. ↑ "Smith quits as SFA chief executive". STV Sport. 19 April 2010.
  4. ↑ Tim Hodges (21 May 2010). "Gordon Smith lets examine the myth!". The Argus. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  5. ↑ "That Miss Just History Now". Daily Mail. 10 December 2005.
  6. ↑ "Smith all set for SFA's top job". BBC Sport (BBC). 1 June 2007.
  7. ↑ Spiers, Graham (10 October 2007). "'There is an agenda against Rangers over sectarianism’ says SFA chief". The Times (London).
  8. ↑ Wilson, Mark (19 April 2010). "Family first for Gordon Smith: SFA stunned as chief executive walks out". Daily Mail (London).
  9. ↑ "SFA chief executive Gordon Smith steps down from role". BBC Sport (BBC). 19 April 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  10. ↑ "Gordon Smith to become Rangers' director of football". BBC Sport. 18 June 2011.
  11. ↑ "Gordon Smith: 'I wasn't allowed to do my job at Rangers'". STV (STV Group). 23 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  12. ↑ "Gordon Smith and Ali Russell made redundant by Rangers". STV (STV Group). 23 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.

External links