Johann Smith

Football player infobox
playername = Johann Smith
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1987|4|25
cityofbirth = Hartford, Connecticut
countryofbirth = United States
height = height|ft=5|in=11
currentclub = Toronto FC
clubnumber = 28
position = Striker
years = 2006-2008
2007
2007
2008
2008—
clubs = Bolton Wanderers
→ Carlisle United "(loan)"
→ Darlington "(loan)"
→ Stockport County "(loan)"
Toronto FC
caps(goals) = 01 0(0)
14 0(1)
03 0(0)
02 0(0)
07 0(0)
nationalyears = 2006-2007
nationalteam = United States U-20
nationalcaps(goals) = 05 0(4)
pcupdate = 5 October 2008
ntupdate = 19:06, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

Johann Smith (born April 25, 1987 in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.) is an American footballer, who plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Hailing from Bloomfield, Connecticut, Smith attended the Watkinson School; he played varsity soccer all four years, garnering All-State honors during his junior and senior campaigns. In addition, as a testament to his immense speed and athleticism, Johann Smith had many exploits on the school's Track and Field team. Smith, a keen sprinter, once ran the 100 metres in 10.5 seconds.

Smith was previously on the books of the Oakwood Soccer Club playing along side of David Spatcher until a tip off from former Bolton youth player Luke Magill brought the Wanderers' scouts to the States.

They were impressed by what they saw, immediately offering Smith a three year Scholarship contract with the Bolton Academy.

Also of note, Smith, In his Senior Year at Watkinson School, Earned All-America honors.

At the start of the 2006-07 season Smith was on the Bolton substitutes bench for their games against Tottenham Hotspur and Charlton Athletic.

He finally made his first team debut for Bolton in their Carling Cup defeat at Charlton Athletic in October 2006 when impressing as a second half substitute.

Johann made his Premier League debut against Manchester United, on October 282006 as an eighty-fifth minute substitute, replacing Kevin Davies.

Smith joined Carlisle United on loan starting January 312007, [ [http://yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=news&id=2697 :: Yanks Abroad - European Soccer, Made in America :: ] ] making his debut against Doncaster Rovers as a sixty-third minute substitute, replacing Kevin Gall. He scored his first professional goal on April 292007 against Swansea City.

Smith was originally named to the U.S. squad for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada but a pre-tournament injury forced his removal from the team and he subsequently missed all of Bolton's pre-season tournament, including the Peace Cup in South Korea. When he regained his fitness, he was loaned out to League Two side Darlington in mid-October and followed this up with a loan spell at Stockport County.

In May 2008 he was one a number of young players released by Bolton manager Gary Megson, and in June 2008 he joined Swedish side GIF Sundsvall on trial. On 15 August 2008 he signed with Toronto FC of the MLS. [ [http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080815&content_id=180379&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280 Reds acquire forward Johann Smith] ] .

On August 17th, 2008, Smith made his Major League Soccer debut, coming on to start the second half in a 2-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls. [ [http://web.mlsnet.com/scoreboard/game.jsp?match=08172008_TORNY Match Tracker: Toronto F.C. @ New York Red Bulls] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.boltonwanderers.us/squad/johann-smith/ Profile] at Boltonwanderers.us
*soccerbase|id=44377|name=Johann Smith's