Dave Smith (footballer born 1947)
Encyclopedia
David "Dave" Smith is an English former professional footballer who scored 55 goals from 406 games in the Football League
playing as an outside left or left-sided midfielder
for Middlesbrough
, Lincoln City
and Rotherham United
.
, Yorkshire
. An England schoolboy international, he began his career on Manchester United
's books, but signed for Middlesbrough
as an apprentice and then as a professional. He played only three times for that club in four seasons, and joined Lincoln City
in 1968. He went straight into the first team, finished the 1968–69 season as the club's top scorer with 11 goals, and remained a first-choice player for ten years. He missed only one game as Lincoln won the Fourth Division
title in the 1975–76 season, and scored their 100th goal of that season. Released in 1978 after playing more than 400 games for the club, a total which placed him third behind only Grant Brown
and Tony Emery in the club's all-time appearance list, he finished his professional career with 43 appearances for Rotherham United
, then played and coached in Sunday league football
for many years.
After retiring as a footballer, Smith had several different jobs, including running a pub, working on an oil rig
, factory work and selling insurance.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing as an outside left or left-sided midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
and Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
.
Career
Smith was born in Thornaby-on-TeesThornaby-on-Tees
Thornaby-on-Tees is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees, three miles southeast of Stockton-on-Tees, and four miles southwest of Middlesbrough town centre and has a...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. An England schoolboy international, he began his career on Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
's books, but signed for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
as an apprentice and then as a professional. He played only three times for that club in four seasons, and joined Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
in 1968. He went straight into the first team, finished the 1968–69 season as the club's top scorer with 11 goals, and remained a first-choice player for ten years. He missed only one game as Lincoln won the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
title in the 1975–76 season, and scored their 100th goal of that season. Released in 1978 after playing more than 400 games for the club, a total which placed him third behind only Grant Brown
Grant Brown
Grant Ashley Brown is an English former footballer. He is Head of Youth at Lincoln City.-Playing career:After beginning his professional career with Leicester City in 1988, he made 14 appearances for the Foxes before then Lincoln City manager Colin Murphy persuaded him to join the team at Sincil...
and Tony Emery in the club's all-time appearance list, he finished his professional career with 43 appearances for Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
, then played and coached in Sunday league football
Sunday league football
Sunday league football is a term used in the United Kingdom to describe those association football leagues which play on Sunday, as opposed to the more usual Saturday. These leagues tend to be lower standard amateur competitions, whose players may have less ability, or less time to devote to...
for many years.
After retiring as a footballer, Smith had several different jobs, including running a pub, working on an oil rig
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
, factory work and selling insurance.