Roger Smith (footballer, born 1945) explained

Roger Smith
Fullname:Roger William Smith
Birth Date:19 February 1945
Birth Place:Tamworth, England
Position:Full-back
winger; forward
Years1:1962–1965
Clubs1:Walsall
Caps1:53
Goals1:2
Years2:1965–1966
Clubs2:Port Vale
Caps2:30
Goals2:6
Years3:1966–1967
Clubs3:Walsall
Caps3:9
Goals3:0
Years4:1967–1973
Clubs4:Nuneaton Borough
Caps4:180
Goals4:8
Years5:1973–19??
Clubs5:Atherstone Town
Totalcaps:262
Totalgoals:16
Manageryears1:1986–1987
Managerclubs1:Tamworth

Roger William Smith (born 19 February 1945) is an English former footballer and football manager.

A versatile player, he played 92 league games in a five-year career in the English Football League with Walsall and Port Vale, spending the 1965–66 season with Vale either side of two spells with Walsall. He then went on to make 286 appearances throughout six seasons in the Southern League with Nuneaton Borough. He later played for Atherstone Town, before briefly taking the management reins at Tamworth between April 1986 and February 1987.

Playing career

Walsall and Port Vale

Smith began his career with Walsall after leaving Tamworth Grammar School.[1] Bill Moore's "Saddlers" were relegated out of the Second Division in 1962–63, and struggled to avoid the relegation zone of the Third Division in 1963–64 and 1964–65. He scored twice in 53 appearances for the Fellows Park side. He dropped down to the Fourth Division when he joined Port Vale in July 1965.[2] He was a first-team regular at Vale Park throughout the 1965–66 season until he suffered an ankle injury in March 1966.[2] He was released by manager Jackie Mudie in July 1966, having scored six goals in 33 league and cup games for the "Valiants", and immediately returned to former club to Walsall.[2] Under the stewardship of Ray Shaw, the club posted a 12th-place finish in the Third Division in 1966–67. He then left the club for a second time.

Nuneaton Borough

Nuneaton Borough secretary-manager Dudley Kernick won his signature, having approached the player unsuccessfully the previous year.[1] He settled in well at the club and the goal he scored in a 2–0 home win over Dover on 11 March 1968 was "one of the best seen at Manor Park for a long time" as he took the ball from the half-way line to strike the ball into the net from out.[1] He scored five goals from 50 appearances in the 1967–68 season as "Boro" posted a 15th-place finish in the Southern League Premier Division.[1] A versatile player, able to play full-back, on the wings or as a forward, he scored three goals in 49 games in the 1968–69 campaign as Nuneaton moved up to 11th in the league.[1] However, he missed the last six weeks of the season after being diagnosed with jaundice.[1] He returned to fitness in October 1969 and returned to his now familiar full-back role, ending the 1969–70 season with 20 appearances and two goals; Nuneaton finished in the relegation zone but were handed a reprieve.[1] He was switched to midfield for the 1970–71 season, where he made a total of 59 appearances, scoring two goals and coming second in the club's Player of the Year vote.[3] He featured in a remarkable 67 games in the 1971–72 campaign, scoring four goals.[3] He was given a testimonial match in the summer, along with Alan Jones, the opponents being the Nuneaton Borough team of 1966–67.[3] He played 41 times in the 1972–73 season, before manager David Pleat organised a cash-plus-swap deal with Atherstone Town for John Flannagan.[3]

Management career

He served West Midlands (Regional) League club Tamworth as manager between April 1986 and February 1987.[4]

Career statistics

Source:[5]

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Walsall1962–63Second Division20000020
1963–64Third Division2321030272
1964–65Third Division1800020200
Total4321050492
Port Vale1965–66Fourth Division3061020336
Walsall1966–67Third Division901020120
Nuneaton Borough1967–68Southern League Premier Division33330142505
1968–69Southern League Premier Division28110202493
1969–70Southern League Premier Division1311061202
1970–71Southern League Premier Division37250170592
1971–72Southern League Premier Division41150213674
1972–73Southern League Premier Division2804091411
Total180819087928617
Career total2621622096938025

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nuneaton Borough1958-1970 – Part 2 . fromtowntotown.org.uk . 10 July 2020.
  2. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 274. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.
  3. Web site: Nuneaton Borough1970-1979 – Part 1 . fromtowntotown.org.uk . 10 July 2020.
  4. Web site: Manager Info – 1985/86 – Roger Smith. tamworthfcheritage.co.uk. 21 August 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120313111108/http://www.tamworthfcheritage.co.uk/managerinfo.php?id=32848. 13 March 2012.
  5. Web site: Nuneaton Borough statistics . fromtowntotown.org.uk . 10 July 2020.