Alf Smith (footballer, born 1880)
Alfred Smith (1880 – 1957) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alfred Smith[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 1880 | ||
| Place of birth | Longton, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | 1957 (aged 77)[1] | ||
| Playing position(s) | Inside left | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1901–1902 | Dresden Queen's Park | ||
| 1902–1903 | Burton United | 1 | (0) |
| 1903–1906 | Stoke | 3 | (0) |
| 1906–1909 | Wrexham | ||
| 1909–1910 | Crewe Alexandra | ||
| 1910–1915 | Stoke | 138 | (67) |
| Total | 142 | (67) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Career
Smith Initially signed for Stoke from Burton United in 1904, he made his League debut against Nottingham Forest in March 1904 but however he failed to impress the management team and left for Wrexham.[1] Four years later, after serving with Crewe Alexandra he returned to the Victoria Ground, a much wiser and experienced footballer.[1] In the 1910–11 season Smith scored an impressive 35 goals in 44 games for Stoke. Whilst he struggled to reach them highs in the following two seasons and scored 16 goals in 1913–14 and left Stoke after the 1914–15 season.[1] He scored 72 goals for Stoke in all competitions making him one of Stoke most prolific goal scorers. He later took up cricket and became vice captain of Longton Cricket Club.[1]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Burton United | 1903–04 | Second Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Stoke[1] | 1903–04 | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1904–05 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1905–06 | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1910–11 | Birmingham & District League / Southern League Division Two | 41 | 31 | 3 | 4 | 44 | 35 | |
| 1911–12 | Southern League Division One | 23 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 4 | |
| 1912–13 | Southern League Division One | 34 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 36 | 10 | |
| 1913–14 | Southern League Division Two | 22 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 16 | |
| 1914–15 | Southern League Division Two | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 7 | |
| Career Total | 142 | 67 | 9 | 5 | 151 | 72 | ||
References
- Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.