Nigel Smith (footballer, born 1958)

Nigel Smith
Personal information
Full name Nigel Paul Smith[1]
Date of birth (1958-01-03) 3 January 1958
Place of birth Banstead, England
Playing position Central defender
Youth career
Banstead Athletic
Queens Park Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1978 Brentford 85 (0)
1978–1979 Cambridge United 1 (0)
Woking
Metropolitan Police
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Nigel Paul Smith (born 3 January 1958) is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender in the Football League for Brentford and Cambridge United.[2]

Club career

Early years

Smith began his career with hometown club Banstead Athletic, before moving to the reserve team at Division Two side Queens Park Rangers, making 20 appearances.[3]

Brentford

When former Queens Park Rangers coach John Docherty became manager of Division Four side Brentford in January 1975,[3] he signed Smith for the Griffin Park club four months later.[4] He went straight into the starting lineup and was a regular during the 1975–76 and 1976–77 seasons.[3] After the appointment of Bill Dodgin, he fell out of favour and made just a handful of appearances during the 1977–78 promotion-clinching season.[3] Smith had his contract cancelled and departed the Bees in October 1978,[4] having made 96 appearances for the club.[3]

Cambridge United

Smith up to Division Two to sign for Cambridge United in November 1978, but made just one substitute appearance for the club.[1]

Non-league football

Smith saw out his career with spells at Isthmian League sides Woking and Metropolitan Police.[1]

International career

During the 1975–76 season, Smith was called up to train with the England U18 squad, but failed to appear in a match.[3] He later represented the England Police team.[4]

Personal life

After quitting professional football, Smith joined the Metropolitan Police.[4]

Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1974–75[5] Fourth Division 2 0 2 0
1975–76[5] 37 0 4 0 3 0 44 0
1976–77[5] 34 0 0 0 2 0 36 0
1977–78[5] 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
1978–79[5] Third Division 3 0 0 0 3 0
Career total 85 0 4 0 5 0 94 0

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Barry Hugman's Footballers – Nigel Smith". hugmansfootballers.com. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  2. "Nigel Smith". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. p. 149. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 275. ISBN 978-1906796709.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 393–395. ISBN 0951526200.
  • Nigel Smith at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database


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