Willie Smith (footballer, born 1943)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | William Smith[1] | ||
Date of birth | 6 December 1943 | ||
Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
Playing position | Wing half, inside left | ||
Youth career | |||
Blantyre Celtic | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1960–1963 | Celtic | 0 | (0) |
1963–1965 | Brentford | 25 | (0) |
Hastings United | |||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
William 'Willie' Smith (born 6 December 1943 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a retired Scottish professional football wing half who appeared in the Football League with Brentford.[1]
Career
Early years
Smith began his career as an inside left with junior side Blantyre Celtic before securing a move to Scottish Division One side Celtic in 1960.[2] He failed to appear for the first team and departed Celtic Park in 1963.[1][2]
Brentford
Smith moved to England and was recruited by Division Three side Brentford's Scottish manager Malky McDonald in June 1963.[1] Playing as a wing half, Smith made something of a breakthrough into the first team during the 1963–64 season, making 18 appearances.[3] Over the course of the following two seasons, Smith lost his place to Mel Scott and made just 12 appearances.[1][3] He was mostly confined to the reserve team, winning the London Challenge Cup with the side in 1965.[3][4] Smith departed Griffin Park in the summer of 1966, having made 30 appearances for the Bees without scoring.[3]
Hastings United
After his release from Brentford, Smith dropped into non-league football and signed for Southern League Division One side Hastings United in the summer of 1966.[1] He helped the club to a second-place finish in the 1966–67 season, securing promotion to the Premier Division.[1]
Honours
- London Challenge Cup: 1964–65[4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920-2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 150. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- 1 2 "Players Who Never Played a Game M - Z". thecelticwiki.com. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 "Brentford Football Club History". brentfordfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- 1 2 Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 82. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.