Jack Smith (footballer, born 1882)

John Smith (1882 – after 1911) was an English professional footballer who scored 39 goals in 110 appearances in First Division of the Football League playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham.[1] He played as a forward.

Jack Smith
Personal information
Full name John Smith
Date of birth 1882
Place of birth Wednesfield, England
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Cannock
Stafford Road
1902–1906 Wolverhampton Wanderers 104 (38)
1906–1907 Birmingham 6 (1)
1907–1908 Bristol Rovers 31 (10)
1908–1909 Norwich City
1909–1911 Luton Town
1911–1912 Millwall
1912–19?? Coventry City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Smith was born in Wednesfield, Staffordshire, and played for Cannock and for Stafford Road before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1906.[2] He scored twice on his debut in the Football League on the opening day of the 1902–03 season, in a 3–0 home win against Derby County.[3] He continued to score at a respectable rate, and two seasons later was Wolves' leading scorer jointly with Billy Wooldridge.[4] In April 1906, with Wolves' relegation from the First Division confirmed,[5] Smith joined fellow First Division club Birmingham; they still had three games left to play, in which he contributed one goal.[6] However, as a short, stocky man he did not fit in with Birmingham's style of play, and less than a year later he moved on, to Southern League club Bristol Rovers.[2] In his only season with Rovers he scored 10 goals in 31 Southern League games,[7] and then embarked on a tour of the Southern League, playing in turn for Norwich City, Luton Town, Millwall and Coventry City.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 243. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. ^ a b c Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  3. ^ "1902–1903". Wolves Stats. Stuart Heathcote. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011.
  4. ^ "1904–1905". Wolves Stats. Stuart Heathcote. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012.
  5. ^ "1905–1906". Wolves Stats. Stuart Heathcote. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011.
  6. ^ Matthews, p. 152.
  7. ^ Byrne, Stephen & Jay, Mike (2003). Bristol Rovers Football Club - The Definitive History 1883-2003. Stroud: Tempus. ISBN 0-7524-2717-2.