Jeff Smith (footballer, born 1980)

For the Lincoln City full back, see Jeff Smith (footballer born 1935).
Jeff Smith
Personal information
Full name Jeffrey Smith
Date of birth (1980-06-28) 28 June 1980
Place of birth Middlesbrough, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position Defender / Midfielder
Youth career
Hartlepool United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1998–1999 Hartlepool United 3 (0)
1999 Barrow 1 (0)
1999–2001 Bishop Auckland 41 (5)
2001–2004 Bolton Wanderers 2 (0)
2001–2002 → Macclesfield Town (loan) 8 (2)
2004 → Scunthorpe United (loan) 1 (0)
2004 → Rochdale (loan) 1 (0)
2004 → Preston North End (loan) 5 (0)
2004–2007 Port Vale 88 (5)
2007–2009 Carlisle United 50 (2)
2009–2010 Darlington 24 (0)
2010–2011 R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne 12 (1)
2011–2012 Whitby Town 22 (2)
2012–201? Celtic Nation
Total 221 (12)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Smith (born 28 June 1980) is an English former football midfielder.

He started his career with Hartlepool United in 1998, but a year he later moved on to Barrow, and shortly after Bishop Auckland. After two years at Bishop Auckland, he was signed by Bolton Wanderers. Rarely used by Bolton, he was instead loaned out to Macclesfield Town, Scunthorpe United, Rochdale, and Preston North End, before he signed permanently with Port Vale in 2004. A regular in the first team at Vale, he left after three years to sign with Carlisle United. In 2009 he joined Darlington, but only spent one season at the club. In August 2010 he moved to Belgium to play one season with R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne, before he returned to England with Whitby Town a year later. In July 2012, he joined Celtic Nation.

Playing career

Smith started his footballing career at Hartlepool United in 1998, but was released a year later in 1999 following a long-term injury. After his release, Smith joined non-League team Barrow, but played only one game before moving on to Bishop Auckland.

Smith's performances at Bishop Auckland were much improved and he was hailed as one of the best crossers in non-league football.[1] In March 2001, Smith joined Football League First Division club Bolton Wanderers on a short contract deal after impressing during a week-long trial. Smith wanted to show Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce that he could make the grade in the Football League.[1] Smith played in the final league match of the 2000–01 season, a 1–1 draw against Sheffield United.

He signed a new contract following Bolton's promotion to the Premier League, but struggled to get into the first team, playing a few League Cup matches. Smith was loaned to Macclesfield Town for two months to gain some experience in December 2001, and scored two goals in eight league games. He still struggled to get into the first team, playing in one Premier League match away to West Ham United, again the last game of the season.

In the two following seasons Smith played only a handful of League Cup and FA Cup matches and was loaned out to Scunthorpe United, Rochdale and Preston North End for brief periods at the back end of the 2003–04 season.[2] During the three loan spells he made a combined total of just two starts and five substitute appearances, with injury also plaguing him.[3] He was released by Wanderers in the summer.

In June 2004, Smith joined Port Vale on a one-year contract.[4] He was a first team regular during his first season at the club and Vale offered Smith a new contract, which he accepted.[5] Smith was again in and around the first team throughout the 2005–06 season, and signed a new one-year deal at the end of the campaign.[6] Smith started the first half of the 2006–07 season very strongly, attracting interest from other clubs.

In January 2007, Smith joined Carlisle United for a fee of £60,000 on a 2½ year contract.[7] Smith made his Carlisle début in a goalless draw at Brentford,[8] scoring his first goal at Doncaster Rovers a week later.[9] He was injured in a 2–1 win over Luton Town after coming on as a substitute, causing him to be replaced himself.[10] This was his last game of the campaign. Smith was released from Carlisle at the end of 2008–09 after having played just twenty games all season, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation out of League One. He was signed by League Two's Darlington manager Colin Todd in June 2009. Darlington had a poor season, relegated out of the Football League, eighteen points from safety, losing 32 of their 46 games, the team managed to score just 33 goals.

In July 2010 he went on trial at Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen,[11] but was not offered a contract.[12] The following month he signed a two-year contract with Olympic Charleroi of the Belgian Third Division B. After one season of football in Belgium he returned to England, and spent July 2011 on trial at Rotherham United.[13] In November he joined up with Whitby Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.[14] Darren Williams' "Seasiders" finished the 2011–12 season in 17th place, six points above the relegation zone.

In July 2012, he signed with Celtic Nation of the Northern League Division One.

Statistics

Season Club Division League FA Cup League Cup Other[15] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1998–99[16]Hartlepool UnitedThird Division3000001040
Total 3000001040
2000–01[17]Bolton WanderersFirst Division1000000010
2001–02[18]Premier League1000100020
2001–02[18]Macclesfield Town (loan)Third Division8200000082
2002–03[19]Bolton WanderersPremier League0020100030
2003–04[20]0020000020
2003–04[20]Scunthorpe United (loan)Third Division1000000010
2003–04[20]Rochdale (loan)1000000010
2003–04[20]Preston North End (loan)First Division5000000050
Total 2040200080
2004–05[21]Port ValeLeague One341201020391
2005–06[22]271200011302
2006–07[23]273204110344
Total 8856051411037
2006–07[23]Carlisle UnitedLeague One171000000171
2007–08[24]221202020281
2008–09[25]160301000200
Total 552503020652
2009–10[26]DarlingtonLeague Two240101020280
Total 240101020280
2010–11Olympic CharleroiThird Division B121000000121
Total 121000000121
2011–12[27]Whitby TownNorthern Premier222000010232
Total 222000010232
Career total 2211216011010225814
Notes

Honours

with Bishop Auckland
with Bolton Wanderers

References

  1. 1 2 "Jeff Smith". ESPNsoccernet. 14 August 2002. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
  2. ↑ "Smith signs for Preston". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Rochdale snap up Smith". BBC Sport. 18 February 2004. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  4. ↑ "Port Vale snap up Smith". BBC Sport. 22 June 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
  5. ↑ "Pair pen new deals at Vale Park". BBC Sport. 23 May 2005. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
  6. ↑ "Winger Smith stays with Port Vale". BBC Sport. 23 June 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  7. ↑ "Carlisle snap up Vale midfielder". BBC Sport. 25 January 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
  8. ↑ "Brentford 0–0 Carlisle". BBC Sport. 27 January 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2007.
  9. ↑ "Doncaster 1–2 Carlisle". BBC Sport. 3 February 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2007.
  10. ↑ "Ward fury at ref over Smith knock". BBC Sport. 12 March 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  11. ↑ "Winger Smith keen on Aberdeen FC move". Evening Express. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  12. ↑ "Latest news". afc.co.uk. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  13. ↑ "Smith to stay on with Millers". rotherhamunited-mad.co.uk. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  14. ↑ "Experienced Smith Joins Seasiders". nonleague.pitchero.com. 14 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  15. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the Football League Trophy.
  16. ↑ "Games played by Jeff Smith in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  17. ↑ "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  18. 1 2 "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  19. ↑ "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  20. 1 2 3 4 "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  21. ↑ "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  22. ↑ "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  23. 1 2 "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  24. ↑ "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  25. ↑ "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  26. ↑ "Games played by Jeff Smith in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  27. ↑ "Whitby Town FC Playing Squad 2011–12".

External links

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