Gary Smith (footballer born 1968)
Encyclopedia
Gary Smith is an English
former football player.
with Fulham
, Colchester United
and Barnet
, and several seasons playing non-League football
for Enfield
, Wycombe Wanderers
and Welling United
, before injuries forced him into a premature retirement in 1995 at the age of just 27.
, before moving to Wycombe Wanderers
in 2004 to become assistant first team coach. Following the resignation of manager Tony Adams
, Smith briefly filled the role of caretaker manager
at Wycombe, and the club was unbeaten under his guidance. He was reserve team coach for Watford in 2005, and in 2007 worked as a scout for Arsenal
.
Smith joined Colorado Rapids
in February 2008, initially as an assistant coach, and assumed an interim head coach position during the latter half of 2008 following the resignation of his predecessor, Fernando Clavijo
. He was formally given the head coach position on 11 November 2008.
On November 13, 2010 Smith and the Colorado Rapids
became MLS Eastern Conference Champions
by defeating the San Jose Earthquakes
1-0. Colorado subsequently won the MLS Cup
on November 21, 2010 with a 2-1 win over FC Dallas
.
Colorado opted against renewing Smith's contract at the end of the 2011 MLS
season.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football player.
Playing career
A midfielder with a "hard man" reputation, Smith spent several years playing professionally in the lower divisions of the English Football LeagueThe 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...
with Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
and Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, and several seasons playing non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
for Enfield
Enfield F.C.
Enfield F.C. is a football club, formed in June 2007 after Enfield F.C. ceased to exist....
, Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
and Welling United
Welling United F.C.
Welling United Football Club are an English football club, based in Welling in the London Borough of Bexley. They currently play in the Conference South. The 2010–11 season was not a good one for them as the club had financial problems, nearly going bankrupt but lots of supporters chipped in and...
, before injuries forced him into a premature retirement in 1995 at the age of just 27.
Coaching career
Smith began his coaching career with WimbledonWimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
, before moving to Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
in 2004 to become assistant first team coach. Following the resignation of manager Tony Adams
Tony Adams (footballer)
Tony Alexander Adams, MBE is an English football manager and former player.Adams spent his entire playing career of 22 years as a defender at Arsenal. He is considered one of the greatest Arsenal players of all time by the club's own fans and was included in the Football League 100 Legends...
, Smith briefly filled the role of caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
at Wycombe, and the club was unbeaten under his guidance. He was reserve team coach for Watford in 2005, and in 2007 worked as a scout for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Smith joined Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
in February 2008, initially as an assistant coach, and assumed an interim head coach position during the latter half of 2008 following the resignation of his predecessor, Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo is a retired American soccer football defender and former head coach of the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. He played three seasons in the American Soccer League, two in the North American Soccer League and ten in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
. He was formally given the head coach position on 11 November 2008.
On November 13, 2010 Smith and the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
became MLS Eastern Conference Champions
MLS Eastern Conference Champions
This is a list of MLS Eastern Conference Champions. The title is given to the top finishing team in the conference.Winning the Eastern Conference Championship does not necessarily mean that the team will represent the Eastern Conference in the MLS Cup. That is determined by a playoff tournament.*...
by defeating the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
1-0. Colorado subsequently won the MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
on November 21, 2010 with a 2-1 win over FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
.
Colorado opted against renewing Smith's contract at the end of the 2011 MLS
MLS
- Organizations :* Major League Soccer, the highest level professional soccer league in the United States and Canada* Michigan Lutheran Seminary, a preparatory high-school in Saginaw, Michigan- Commerce :...
season.