Wally Smith (footballer, born 1885) explained

Wally Smith
Fullname:Walter Smith
Height:[1]
Position:Inside forward
Birth Date:1885
Death Place:Western Front
Clubs1:Southend United
Clubs2:Chester
Years3:1911–1914
Clubs3:Bury
Caps3:74
Goals3:26
Years4:1914–1916
Caps4:26
Goals4:4
Years5:1916–19??
Clubs5:Altrincham

Walter Smith (1885 – May 1917) was an English professional footballer who scored 30 goals in 100 appearances in the Football League playing for Bury and Birmingham.[2] He played as an inside forward.

Smith was born in Bootle, Lancashire. After an unsuccessful trial with Liverpool in 1907, he played for Southend United and Chester before joining Bury in December 1911.[3] Though his first season ended in relegation from the First Division, Smith stayed another two years,[4] and over his career at Bury he scored at a rate better than one goal every three games.[2] He joined fellow Second Division club Birmingham towards the end of the 1913–14 season. The club were looking for a creative player to supply chances for Andy Smith and Jack Hall, but Smith lost out in this role to England international Jimmy Windridge, whose second spell with Birmingham coincided with Smith's arrival. He went on to play for Altrincham during the First World War.[3]

Smith, a private in the Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action during World War I.[5]

Notes and References

  1. News: The 1914–15 season at hand . Old Blue . Sports Argus . Birmingham . 29 August 1914 . 1.
  2. Book: Joyce, Michael . Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 . SoccerData . Nottingham . 2004 . 115 . 978-1-899468-67-6.
  3. Book: Matthews, Tony . Birmingham City: A Complete Record . 1995 . Breedon Books . Derby . 125 . 978-1-85983-010-9.
  4. Web site: Bury . Football Club History Database . Richard Rundle . 23 March 2009.
  5. News: 1917-05-15 . Private W. Smith. . 2024-02-17 . The Runcorn Guardian . 3.