Roger Smee Explained

Roger Smee
MBE
Fullname:Roger Guy Smee
Birth Date:1948 8, df=y
Birth Place:Reading, England
Position:Forward
Youthclubs1:Chelsea
Years1:1966–1967
Clubs1:Chelsea
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1967–1970
Clubs2:Reading
Caps2:50
Goals2:16
Years3:1970
Clubs3:Chelmsford City (loan)
Years4:1970
Clubs4:Hillingdon Borough
Years5:1970–1972
Clubs5:Hereford United
Years6:1972–1973
Clubs6:VG Oostende
Years7:1973–1974
Clubs7:Reading
Caps7:9
Goals7:1

Roger Guy Smee (born 14 August 1948) is an English former footballer who played as a forward.

Career

In January 1967, Reading signed Smee from Chelsea, where he had played in the youth set-up. On 3 March 1967, Smee scored on his Reading debut in a 2–0 win against Shrewsbury Town. Smee scored nine goals in 15 appearances in the 1966–67 season following his transfer. Following suffering a broken leg, Smee was deemed surplus to requirements by manager Jack Mansell and dropped down to non-League football, firstly being loaned to Chelmsford City, before signing for Hillingdon Borough and Hereford United.[1] [2]

In 1972, Smee signed for Belgian club VG Oostende, before moving back to Reading, where he made nine further Football League appearances, scoring once.

Post-playing career

Following his playing career, Smee moved into business. In May 1983, Oxford United chairman Robert Maxwell announced his intention to acquire a majority shareholding in Reading and merge Reading and Oxford into a club named Thames Valley Royals. Smee and Reading director Roy Tranter opposed such a merger and stopped Maxwell's plans following a boardroom vote at Reading between the Maxwell merger offer and a rival bid headed by Smee. In July 1983, Smee became chairman of Reading. During Smee's time as chairman, Reading reached Wembley for the first time, winning the 1988 Full Members' Cup Final as well as gaining promotion from the Fourth Division in 1983–84, winning the Third Division in 1985–86 and achieving the club's highest finish in 1987. In 1990, Smee was replaced as Reading chairman by John Madejski, as a result of the early 1990s recession.[2] [3]

In 2013, Smee was awarded an MBE for his work with young people in Berkshire.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Player search . English National Player Archive . 21 April 2019.
  2. Web site: Roger Smee. Reading FC Former Players Association. 21 April 2019.
  3. Web site: STAR's Reading FC Hall of Fame. STAR Reading. 21 April 2019.
  4. Web site: Roger Smee. Get Reading. 8 June 2013. 21 April 2019.