view Smith's match-by-match record
 
Jack SMITH

After originally being offered as a makeweight in a rejected bid to take Sam Parkin to Watford, defender Smith signed on a free transfer in July 2005, signing a one year deal. Despite being right-footed, Smith made his debut on the left side of defence on the opening day of the season, in a 2-0 defeat at Barnsley. Doing a steady job without being outstanding, he remained the first choice in this position until retiring with a groin strain during a 0-0 draw at Brentford in October - a result that brought to an end a club record run of eight successive defeats, but an injury that kept Smith out of action for almost a month.

When he returned to fitness, he at first struggled to regain his place - starting at right-back for a 2-1 derby victory over Bristol City and appearing in an unfamiliar central midfield role in a terrible 4-1 defeat at Boston in the FA Cup - before being relegated to the bench for the next three games. A series of suspensions for key defensive players saw Smith drafted back into the side for an important relegation battle at Rotherham, again on the right side - and when the Town won 1-0, Smith kept this position until the end of the year, until another injury led to him hobbling off the field in the New Year's Eve clash with Swansea.

Once fit, Smith soon slotted back into his right back position, and then, when manager Iffy Onuora began to experiment with a five man defence, Smith was utilised as a wing back. Onuora soon offered Smith an extension to his deal, and he signed a new year's contract in March.

Despite the changes made by new manager Dennis Wise, Smith kept his place for the start of the 2006/07 season, and some dependable performances in a strong defence cemented his position in the back four. He finally opened his goalscoring account in September, netting from the penalty spot in a top of the table clash against MK Dons - though a knee injury picked up in the same game forced him to retire, and also to miss his first match of the season the following week. When the Town lost the game to Peterborough, Smith regained his starting position immediately, until suspension ruled him out of another defeat at Macclesfield in December - and again Smith was instantly recalled, keeping his place right until the final games of the season. During this period, Smith was singled out by manager Paul Sturrock as the player who had supplied the most crosses into the penalty area during the season - part of Sturrock's tactical plan for success - and Smith also added to his goal tally with two strikes from the spot, against Chester and Accrington, before missing a spot kick against Torquay on Easter Monday.

The Torquay game was the last before Smith again sat out games through suspension, a booking at Hereford in the previous game bringing him to ten for the season. When he returned for the last two crucial games of the season, he was left out of the starting line-up at Bristol Rovers, but regained his place for the final match, but he hobbled off in the first half against Walsall - the match in with the Town secured promotion.

Smith returned to action the following season, but soon found himself battling for position with new signing Miguel Comminges, before a dislocated shoulder sustained in a match at Swansea in early October kept him out for just over a month, and then a hamstring injury kept him on the treatment table from mid-December into the new year, having been forced off during his 100th Town appearance, against Brighton. New manager Maurice Malpas took over in January 2008, and though Smith was by now injury-free, he was unable to break into the side - and with his contract up at the end of the season, Smith admitted during this period that he wondered if he would ever play for Swindon again. An international call-up for Comminges finally gave Smith his chance in March when he returned against Huddersfield, and he missed just two of the season's remaining games before being offered a year's extension to his contract. At first, it seemed unlikely that Smith would sign, after he admitted that he was looking for guaranteed first-team football and the security of a longer contract - but a month later, with Comminges set to leave the club, he put pen to paper, later confirming that he came very close to leaving the club.

When Kevin Amankwaah arrived at the club from Swansea, it seemed that Smith may have made the wrong decision - but when injury kept Amankwaah sidelined at the start of the season, Smith kept his place in the side, and gave good enough performances to stay in even though Amankwaah was available. When Amankwaah did break into the starting eleven, Smith switched back to the left side of defence - and manager Malpas praised Smith's durability. It was the middle of January before Smith relinquished his position in the starting eleven, falling ill before a home clash with Cheltenham. By this time, Malpas had been given the sack, and new manager Danny Wilson seemingly preferred Amankwaah, who he had previously worked with at Bristol City. Though Smith featured in the side again throughout February, the remainer of the season saw him in out of the team, as the Town avoided relegation. Despite this, it was perhaps surprising that Smith was not offered a new contract at the end of the season.

PLAYING RECORD:

Season LEAGUE FA CUP LEAGUE CUP OTHER TOTAL
Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls
'08/'09 34 (+4) 5 1 - 1 - 3 - 39 (+4) 5
'07/'08 21 1 2 - 1 - - - 24 1
'06/'07 41 3 3 - 1 - 1 - 46 3
'05/'06 38 - 1 - 1 - - - 40 -
TOTAL 134 (+4) 9 7 - 4 - 4 - 149 (+4) 9


TRANSFER INFORMATION:

DATE IN/OUT TRANSFER DETAIL
1 JUL 2005 IN Watford
Free transfer
5 MAY 2009 OUT (released)
» Millwall


full name

Jack David Smith


 ENGLAND

date of birth
14 October 1983


             
             
             
             
         
             

usual positions
right back

other positions
left back

youth career
Watford

senior career
Watford
SWINDON TOWN
Millwall
AFC Wimbledon
Hemel Hempstead Town
Wealdstone