Alan Smith (manager)

Alan Smith was an English football manager who began his coaching career as Steve Coppell's assistant at Crystal Palace. When Palace suffered relegation from the Premiership in 1993, Coppell resigned and Smith moved up to the manager's seat. Smith achieved instant success at Selhurst Park, as his side won the Division One championship, but 1994-95 was a difficult season in which the club's survival chances were sabotaged by a shortage of goals. There was some hope in the cup competitions which lasted until Palace lost in the semi finals of both domestic cup competitions, but their relegation battle was lost on the final day of the season and Smith was sacked a few days later.

Smith was not out of work for long. He accepted an offer from Wycombe Wanderers to succeed Martin O'Neill as manager, but was sacked in September 1996 after a terrible start to the 1996-97 Division Two campaign, alienating himself from the Chairboys' fanbase in the process with what were perceived to be negative long-ball tactics.

From 1997 to 2000, Smith was employed by Fulham as Academy Director, but he quit this role in the summer of 2000 to again replace Steve Coppell as Palace manager, under new chairman Simon Jordan.

Palace reached the 2000-01 Worthington semi finals, but Smith was sacked in April with relegation looking imminent. Survival was achieved against all odds by caretaker manager Steve Kember.

Alan Smith has not been employed in football since his dismissal from Palace in April 2001, but is now an agent with one of his clients manager Chris Coleman

External links

* [http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=30 Managerial record] at soccerbase.com