George Smith (footballer born 1919)

Infobox Football biography
playername = George Smith


fullname = George Clarence Bassett Smith
height = height|ft=5|in=8
dateofbirth = birth date|1919|3|24
cityofbirth = Portsmouth
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = death date and age|2001|12|21|1919|3|24|df=y
cityofdeath = Albury, New South Wales
countryofdeath = Australia
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Half back
youthyears = 1936-1937
1937-1938
youthclubs = Huddersfield Town
Southampton
years = 1938-1949
1950
clubs = Southampton
Crystal Palace
caps(goals) = 095 00(1)
007 00(0)
manageryears =
managerclubs =
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

George Clarence Bassett Smith (born Portsmouth 24 March 1919, died Albury, New South Wales 21 December 2001) is a former footballer who played most of his professional career for Southampton F.C.

Although he was born in Portsmouth and christened "George Clarence Bassett", he was brought up in Guernsey by adoptive parents, who gave him the surname "Smith". He played junior football in the Channel Islands for Guernsey Schools and Guernsey Rangers.

After a brief spell as an amateur with Huddersfield Town he joined Southampton as an amateur in October 1937, signing as a professional in July 1938. His tenacious diplays for the reserves earned him the nickname "Guernsey Terrier" from his team-mates. His hard-working style of play eventually earned him a place in the first team and he made his debut on 4 February 1939 (away to West Bromwich Albion), replacing the injured Frank Hill. He had a run of 9 appearances before Hill returned. His career was then interrupted by the suspension of football following the outbreak of World War II.

During the war he saw active service with the R.A.F. as a rear gunner and then as an instructor, before returning to The Dell after he was de-mobbed.

He then enjoyed a couple of seasons as a regular, either at right-half or left-half, before losing his place in October 1948 to the young Len Wilkins. He never made another first-team appearance and was released at the end of the 1948-49 season.

He joined Crystal Palace in May 1950 where he played only 7 games. He then retired from professional football and played non-league football for Dartford and King's Lynn, before joining the latter club as a coach in 1955.

In 1958, he and his family emigrated to Australia where he settled in Albury, New South Wales, finding employment as an ambulance driver and then working for a gas company, while helping to establish the "Albury, Wodonga and Lavington Soccer Association".

He was also a trainer and physiotherapist with Albury Football Club (Australian Rules).

He died in December 2001, aged 82.

References

*cite book
author=Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk
title=The Alphabet of the Saints
publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing
year=1992
id=ISBN 0-9514862-3-3