Bert Smith (footballer, born 1892)

Bertram "Bert" Smith (6 March 1892 – 12 September 1969) was a professional footballer, who played for Huddersfield Town, Tottenham Hotspur and played international football for England.

Bert Smith
Personal information
Full name Bertram Smith
Date of birth (1892-03-06)6 March 1892[1]
Place of birth Higham, Kent, England
Date of death 12 September 1969(1969-09-12) (aged 77)
Height 5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.71 m)[2]
Position(s) Right half
Youth career
Vanbrugh Park
Crawford United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
19??–1913 Metrogas
1913–1915 Huddersfield Town 16 (5)
1919–1930 Tottenham Hotspur 291 (9)
International career
1921–1922 England 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Smith was born in Higham, Kent and initially played for a number of lower league sides (Vanbrugh Park, Crawford United, Metrogas)[3] as well as playing for an Army side, before making it into the top flight of football with Huddersfield Town. He played at right half and transferred to Spurs on 19 August 1919. During his time at the club he made 319 appearances and scored ten goals in all competitions.[4] The highlight of his Spurs career was collecting a winners' medal in the 1921 FA Cup Final. He also took part in a number of fiercely fought matches with local rivals Arsenal. In the match in September 1922 a major fracas broke out after a Spurs goal.

The reporter from The Sunday Evening Telegram recorded that:

"After the Spurs goal came the most disgraceful scene I have witnessed on any ground at any time. Players pulled the referee, blows with fists were exchanged, and all the dignity that appertains in the referee was rudely trampled on." In the aftermath, following a Commission of Inquiry, Tottenham's Bert Smith was found to have used "filthy language" and suspended for a month. Arsenal's Alex Graham was censured for retaliating instead of reporting matters to the ref, and Stephen Dunn (Arsenal's goalkeeper) for his conduct after Tottenham's goal was allowed to stand."[5]

Smith's international career comprised two games for England. He debuted on 9 April 1921 against Scotland and played his second match against Wales on 13 March 1922.

Smith finished his career at Spurs in May 1931 when he joined Northfleet United F.C. a club affiliated with Tottenham, as a coach. In later years he went on to be coach/trainer at Young Boys in Switzerland,[3] Harwich and Parkeston, Hitchin and Stevenage Borough.[6]

Career statistics

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 192110
192210
Total20

References
  1. "England Players - Bert Smith". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  2. "The coming of the big ball: the Second Division: Huddersfield Town". Athletic News. Manchester. 18 August 1913. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. Betts, Graham (2006). England: Player by player. Green Umbrella Publishing. p. 221. ISBN 1-905009-63-1.
  4. A-Z of Tottenham Hotspur players Archived 15 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 12 February 2009
  5. "Bert Smith on Goal.com site".
  6. "Bert Smith on Englandfc site". Archived from the original on 14 May 2008.
  • Ian Thomas, Owen Thomas, Alan Hodgson, John Ward (2007). 99 Years and Counting: Stats and Stories. Huddersfield Town A.F.C. ISBN 978-0955728105.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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