Dean Smith (footballer, born 1958)

Dean Smith
Personal information
Full name Dean Smith[1]
Date of birth (1958-11-28)28 November 1958
Place of birth Leicester, England
Date of death 17 April 2009(2009-04-17) (aged 50)
Place of death Leicester, England[1]
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position Forward
Youth career
1975–1977 Leicester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1978 Leicester City 10 (1)
1978Houston Hurricane (loan) 17 (6)
1978–1980 Brentford 54 (16)
1980–1981 Nuneaton Borough 4 (0)
Shepshed Charterhouse
Enderby Town
Hinckley Town

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Dean Smith (28 November 1958 – 17 April 2009) was an English professional football forward who played in the Football League for Leicester City and Brentford.[2]

Career

Leicester City

A forward, Smith began his career in the youth system at hometown Division One club Leicester City in April 1975.[3] Smith had to wait until September 1977 to make his first team debut, which came when he replaced Eddie Kelly during a 5–1 defeat to Everton.[4] He had to wait until 14 January 1978 for his next appearance, which came with a start in a 0–0 draw with Bristol City.[5] Smith's most notable moment in a Foxes shirt came on 23 March 1978, when he scored his only goal for the club in a 3–2 defeat to Manchester United.[6] Smith made 10 appearances during the 1977–78 season, but departed Filbert Street in October 1978 after failing to make an appearance during the early months of the 1978–79 season.[3]

Houston Hurricane (loan)

During the English off-season in the summer of 1978, Smith moved to the United States to join North American Soccer League side Houston Hurricane on loan.[7] He scored six goals in 17 appearances for the Hurricane in a disappointing 1978 season,[7] which saw the club finish bottom of the American Conference Central Division.

Brentford

Smith signed for Division Three side Brentford for a £20,000 fee in October 1978.[2] He made something of a breakthrough into the first team, making 26 appearances and scoring eight goals during the 1978–79 season.[8] Smith made a further 25 appearances during the 1979–80 season,[8] but the arrival of Fred Callaghan as manager changed the team's style of play, which saw Smith ask for a mutual termination on his contract early in the 1980–81 season.[2] He made 54 appearances and scored 16 goals during his time at Griffin Park.[2]

Non-league football

After his departure from Brentford, Smith dropped into non-league football and played for Nuneaton Borough, Shepshed Charterhouse, Enderby Town and Hinckley Town.[2][9]

Personal life

It was reported in September 2008 that Smith had suffered a stroke and was battling throat cancer.[10] He died on 17 April 2009 at the age of 50.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Dean Smith". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 147. ISBN 0955294916.
  3. 1 2 "Dean Smith - Leicester City career stats - FoxesHistory". FoxesTalk Forum. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  4. "Leicester City 1-5 Everton played on 10.09.1977 - FoxesHistory". FoxesTalk Forum. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  5. "Bristol City 0-0 Leicester City played on 14.01.1978 - FoxesHistory". FoxesTalk Forum. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  6. "Leicester City 2-3 Manchester United played on 25.03.1978 - FoxesHistory". FoxesTalk Forum. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  7. 1 2 "NASL Soccer North American Soccer League Players". nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  8. 1 2 White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 395. ISBN 0951526200.
  9. 1 2 "Jack Hobbs,Leicester City,Premier League - Leicester Mercury". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  10. "City news: Walsh supports ex-City striker". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
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