Jelani Smith

Smith began playing football at the youth level with the Ontario U-16 Provincial team, and at the National Training Center. In 2007, he became one of the youngest players to play in the Canadian Soccer League with the Canadian Lions.[1] The following season he was transferred to the Italia Shooters, where he clinched the International Division title.[2] In 2009, he pursued College soccer by enrolling with Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, and during the off season he played in the USL Premier Development League with the Toronto Lynx for two seasons.[3]

In 2013, he went abroad to sign with Sturm Graz, where he mostly featured in the Regionalliga Mitte.[4][5] In 2016, he played in the Niedersachsenliga with SSV Jeddeloh, and returned to Canada to play with Sigma FC in League1 Ontario.[6][7]

On May 25, 2010, he was called to a Canada U-20 camp in Netherlands by head coach Valerio Gazzola.[8][9] Smith made his international debut for the Guyana national football team on November 14, 2017 in a friendly match against Trinidad and Tobago.[10][11][12]

Initially brought on as a player for Canadian Premier League side Forge FC, Smith was instead signed as the club's manager of soccer soccer operations.[13][14] In May 2023, he was promoted as the club's new Director Of Soccer Operations.[15][16]

He is the younger brother of Jamaal Smith, who was also a soccer player for Guyana.[17]

• Brown, Desmond (March 1, 2023). "Former pro soccer player, now Forge FC manager: 'Don't be discouraged being the only Black person in the room'". CBC News. Retrieved April 12, 2023.