Wilf Smith (footballer, born 1946) explained

Wilf Smith
Fullname:Wilfred Samuel Smith
Birth Date:3 September 1946
Birth Place:Neumünster, Germany
Position:Full-back
Youthclubs1:Sheffield Boys
Youthyears2:1962–1963
Youthclubs2:Sheffield Wednesday
Years1:1963–1970
Caps1:206
Goals1:4
Years2:1970–1975
Caps2:135
Goals2:1
Years3:1974
Clubs3:→ Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)
Caps3:5
Goals3:0
Years4:1975
Clubs4:Millwall (loan)
Caps4:5
Goals4:0
Years5:1975–1976
Caps5:54
Goals5:2
Years6:1976–1978
Caps6:27
Goals6:2
Totalcaps:432
Totalgoals:9
Nationalteam1:England Youth
Nationalteam2:England Under-23s
Nationalcaps2:6
Nationalgoals2:0

Wilfred Samuel Smith (born Schmidt, 3 September 1946) is an English former professional footballer who played as a full-back in the Football League for six different teams between 1963 and 1978.

Career

Born in Neumünster, Germany, Smith moved to Britain with his family when he was a child. They anglicised their surname from Schmidt to Smith at this time. He joined Sheffield Wednesday after leaving school, and captained both Sheffield Boys and England youth.[1]

Smith initially joined Wednesday as an apprentice in 1962, but turned professional with them in September 1963 when he turned 17. In all he made 206 League appearances for The Owls, scoring four times, before leaving to join Coventry City in 1970. He played 135 League matches in a five-year stay with the Sky Blues, but he found himself loaned out to both Brighton & Hove Albion and Millwall in his final season with the Midland club.[2]

He rounded off his footballing career with a 20-month spell at Bristol Rovers between March 1975 and November 1976,[3] followed by nineteen months at Chesterfield. He played a total of 432 Football League games, and scored nine goals during his career.

After hanging up his boots, Smith moved into retail, and in 1994 he was reputed to have become a millionaire through his off-the-field business.[1]

Honours

Sheffield Wednesday

Notes and References

  1. Book: Jay . Mike . Byrne . Stephen . Pirates in Profile: A Who's Who of Bristol Rovers Players . 1994 . Potten, Baber & Murray . . 0-9524835-0-5 . 245.
  2. Book: Barry J. . Hugman . The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–1998 . 1998 . Queen Anne Press . . 1-85291-585-4 . 509.
  3. Book: Byrne . Stephen . Jay . Mike . Bristol Rovers Football Club - The Definitive History 1883-2003 . 2003 . . . 0-7524-2717-2 . 505.
  4. Book: Leslie . Jack . Vernon . Rollin . Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 . 1977 . Brickfield Publications Ltd . London . 0354 09018 6 . 491.