Jack Smith (footballer born 1983)

Football player infobox
playername = Jack Smith


fullname = Jack David Smith
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|df=yes|1983|10|14
cityofbirth = Hemel Hempstead
countryofbirth = England
height = height|meters=1.8
currentclub = Swindon Town
clubnumber = 2
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2000-2005
2005-
clubs = Watford
Swindon Town
caps(goals) = 25 (2)
109 (5)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 12:00, 7 October 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Jack David Smith (born 14 October 1983 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire) is an English footballer, currently playing for Swindon Town.

Football career

Smith began his career as a trainee at Watford, where his father had been head of the academy, and went on to make 25 first team league appearances for the Hornets. Jack's older brother Tommy, had also graduated from the club's youth system a few years earlier.

After originally being offered as a makeweight in a rejected bid to take Sam Parkin to Watford, defender Smith signed on Swindon Town a free transfer in July 2005, signing a one year deal. Despite being right-footed, Smith made his debut on the left side of defence on the opening day of the season, in a 2-0 defeat at Barnsley. Doing a steady job without being outstanding, he remained the first choice in this position until retiring with a groin strain during a 0-0 draw at Brentford in October - a result that brought to an end a club record run of eight successive defeats, but an injury that kept Smith out of action for almost a month.

When he returned to fitness, he at first struggled to regain his place - starting at right-back for a 2-1 derby victory over Bristol City and appearing in an unfamiliar central midfield role in a terrible 4-1 defeat at Boston United in the FA Cup - before being relegated to the bench for the next three games. A series of suspensions for key defensive players saw Smith drafted back into the side for an important relegation battle at Rotherham United, again on the right side - and when Swindon won 1-0, Smith kept this position until the end of the year, until another injury led to him hobbling off the field in the New Year's Eve clash with Swansea City.

Once fit, Smith soon slotted back into his right back position, and then, when manager Iffy Onuora began to experiment with a five man defence, Smith was utilised as a wing back. Onuora soon offered Smith an extension to his deal, and he signed a new year's contract in March.

Smith was an integral part of Swindon's 2006/2007 promotion winning squad, making more appearances than any other player and scoring three goals. Smith signed a one-year contract extension with Swindon in June 2007.cite news
title = Smith signs extension at Swindon
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swindon_town/6716899.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-06-03
accessdate = 2007-06-03]

Notes

External links

*soccerbase|id=33174|name=Jack Smith