Sam Smith (footballer, born 1909)

Samuel James Smith (7 September 1909 – November 1994) was an English footballer who played as a centre forward. He scored 17 goals in 46 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham, Norwich City and Walsall.[2]

For other footballers of this name, see Sam Smith (disambiguation).

Sam Smith
Personal information
Full name Samuel James Smith
Date of birth (1909-09-07)7 September 1909
Place of birth Pelsall, England
Date of death November 1994 (1994-12) (aged 85)
Place of death England
Height 5 ft 11+3⁄4 in (1.82 m)[1]
Position(s) Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Walsall LMS
1930–1934 Birmingham 31 (13)
1934–1935 Chelsea 0 (0)
1935–1936 Norwich City 1 (0)
1936 Walsall 14 (4)
1936–19?? Stourbridge
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Smith was born in Pelsall, which was then in Staffordshire. He played for Walsall LMS before joining Birmingham in 1930.[3] He scored twice on his debut against local rivals Aston Villa, and finished the 1931–32 season with ten goals from 15 league games, but the following season Bob Gregg regained his place alongside Joe Bradford in attack.[4] Under George Liddell, who took over from Leslie Knighton as manager, Smith played rarely,[5] and in 1934 he followed Knighton to Chelsea.[3] He failed to make the first team at Chelsea, and a year later moved on to Norwich City, but six months produced only one league appearance, so he returned to the Midlands with Walsall in January 1936. At the end of that season he moved into non-league football with Stourbridge.[3]

References
  1. "Bright outlooks at Villa Park and St. Andrew's. Birmingham". Evening Despatch. Birmingham. 17 August 1933. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 244. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  3. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  4. Matthews, pp. 174–75.
  5. Matthews, p. 176.


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