Tommy Smith (footballer, born 1990)

Tommy Smith
Smith in 2009
Personal information
Full name Thomas Jefferson Smith[1]
Date of birth (1990-03-31) 31 March 1990
Place of birth Macclesfield, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Colorado Rapids
Number 5
Youth career
Crewe Alexandra
North Shore United
Ipswich Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2018 Ipswich Town 248 (21)
2008 → Stevenage Borough (loan) 15 (0)
2010 → Brentford (loan) 8 (0)
2011 → Colchester United (loan) 6 (0)
2018– Colorado Rapids 25 (3)
National team‡
2007 England U17 1 (0)
2008 England U18 3 (0)
2010– New Zealand 36 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 August 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2017

Thomas Jefferson Smith (born 31 March 1990) is a New Zealand international footballer who plays for Colorado Rapids in MLS. A graduate of the Ipswich academy, he is a left-sided defensive player, most adept at centre back or left back. He spent the second half of the 2007–08 season on loan at Stevenage in the Conference National before making his Ipswich debut in August 2008.

Club career

Ipswich Town

Academy

Born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, Smith is a product of the Ipswich Town academy and signed a three-year professional contract in August 2007.[2] He was on the shortlist for the Wickes Young Apprentice Trophy, given to the best youth player in the Championship,[3][4] but Mark Beevers won the award.[5]

Loan to Stevenage

In February 2008, Smith joined Stevenage Borough in the Conference National on a one-month emergency loan.[6][7] Later the loan was extended until the end of the season.[8] He played 15 games for the club before returning to Ipswich.[9]

Return to Ipswich

Smith's form for Stevenage led to him getting his opportunity in the Ipswich first team on the first day of the 2008–09 season. Ipswich went on to lose the game 2–1 to Preston North End.

That season, Smith broke his ankle in training, and missed the majority of the season. However, by the time he made his return to first team action, manager Jim Magilton had left the club and been replaced by Roy Keane. Smith featured heavily in Keane's early games as Ipswich manager, with the former Manchester United midfielder opting to give some of the club's younger talent – such as Connor Wickham and Smith – a chance to prove themselves.

However, injury stalled Smith's progress once again, when he suffered another training ground injury – this time to his hand. In his absence Gareth McAuley and Damien Delaney formed a solid defensive partnership ahead of deputising goalkeeper Arran Lee-Barrett. Smith was unable to force his way back into the first team in the short-term.

Loan to Brentford

On 7 January 2010, Smith joined Brentford on a temporary basis. In doing so, Smith replaced Pim Balkestein at Griffin Park, who had been on loan at the club from Ipswich too. Smith played eight games during his brief spell at Brentford, before being recalled by Ipswich on 15 March.[10]

Return to Ipswich

Smith scored his first professional goal for Ipswich away against Middlesbrough in the first game of the 2010–11 Championship, which Ipswich won 3–1. After playing 11 games and scoring 1 goal during the 2011–12 season Smith signed a two-year contract extension in May 2012.[11]

Loan to Colchester United

On 17 March 2011, Smith signed for Colchester United on loan for the rest of the 2010–11 season.

Colorado Rapids

On 22 January 2018, Smith signed with Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids.[12]

International career

Born in England, Smith resided in New Zealand during his youth and as a result holds dual nationality. This gave him the opportunity to declare himself eligible for the New Zealand national football team ("All Whites"), though he has also represented England at U-17 and U-18 level. Smith played in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea during September 2007 despite not playing a part in England's qualification for the tournament.[13]

In December 2009, after the New Zealand national football team had qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Smith declared that he wanted to play for New Zealand and made himself available for All Whites selection,[14] having been offered the opportunity by the Kiwi's boss, Ricki Herbert. He made his full international debut on 3 March 2010, starting in a 2–0 friendly defeat to Mexico in Los Angeles, USA on 3 March 2010.[15][16] Smith was named in New Zealand's final 23-man squad to compete at the 2010 FIFA World Cup[17] and made his first World Cup Finals appearance in New Zealand's opening game, a 1–1 draw against Slovakia.[18] He also went on play every minute of New Zealand's World Cup campaign, which achieved a historic three points at the tournament.

Smith became the youngest captain in All Whites history after leading the team in a 2–2 draw versus El Salvador on 23 May 2012.[19] On 2 June 2012, Smith scored his first goal for his country in 1–0 win versus Fiji in a 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier.[20] In May 2016, coach Anthony Hudson suggested Smith would not be called up for the national team in the future, citing a perceived lack of commitment.[21]

International career statistics

New Zealand national team[22]
YearAppsGoals
201070
201110
2012131
201361
201420
Total292

Career statistics

Club

As of matches played 22 April 2017.
All-time club performance
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ipswich Town 2007–08[23] Championship 000000—00
2008–09[24] 200000—20
2009–10[25] 1400010—150
2010–11[26] 2230040—263
2011–12[27] 2631010—283
2012–13[28] 3831021—414
2013–14[29] 4561010—476
2014–15[30] 42520002[lower-alpha 1]0465
2015–16[31] 4522010—482
2016–17[32] 1000010—110
Ipswich total 2462270111—26423
Stevenage Borough (loan) 2007–08[23] Conference National 150———150
Brentford (loan) 2009–10[25] League One 80———80
Colchester United (loan) 2010–11[26] League One 60———60
Career totals 27522701110029323
  1. ↑ Appearances in the Championship play-offs

See also

References

  1. ↑ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 1 January 2010 and 31 January 2010" (PDF). The Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. ↑ Tommy signs up, Ipswich Town F.C..
  3. ↑ Wickes Young Apprentice Trophy 2008 Shortlist Announced
  4. ↑ Tommy up for Award, Ipswich Town F.C..
  5. ↑ Sheffield Wednesday's Mark Beevers nets Wickes Young Apprentice of the Year Award, The Football League.
  6. ↑ Central defender joins Boro, Stevenage F.C..
  7. ↑ Tommy to join Stevenage, Ipswich Town F.C..
  8. ↑ Tommy Loan Extended, Ipswich Town F.C..
  9. ↑ BOROUGH RELEASE 5, Stevenage F.C..
  10. ↑ "Tommy back with Town". Ispwich Town F.C. official website. 15 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  11. ↑ "All White Smith to stay at Ipswich". The New Zealand Herald. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  12. ↑ https://www.coloradorapids.com/post/2018/01/22/colorado-rapids-acquire-defender-tommy-smith-ipswich-town
  13. ↑ Tommy in England Squad, Ipswich Town F.C..
  14. ↑ Rattue, Chris (23 December 2009). "Soccer: Smith's switch major boost for All Whites". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  15. ↑ "All Whites team for Cup warm-up named". Stuff.co.nz. NZPA. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  16. ↑ New Zealand 0 – 2 Mexico
  17. ↑ "All Whites World Cup squad named". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  18. ↑ "New Zealand 1–1 Slovakia". BBC Sport. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  19. ↑ "All Whites battle to draw with El Salvador". Stuff.co.nz. 24 May 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  20. ↑ "All Whites kick off World Cup campaign with a win". The New Zealand Herald. 2 June 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  21. ↑ "Tommy Smith won't be selected for All Whites going forward – Hudson". Stuff.co.nz. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  22. ↑ "Tommy Smith". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
  23. 1 2 "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  24. ↑ "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  25. 1 2 "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  26. 1 2 "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  27. ↑ "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  28. ↑ "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  29. ↑ "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  30. ↑ "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  31. ↑ "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  32. ↑ "Games played by Tommy Smith in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
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