George Smith (Scottish footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 June 1935[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Bathgate, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Torphichen Juveniles | |||
| 1951–1953 | Partick Thistle | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1953–1964 | Partick Thistle | 226 | (77) |
| 1964 | Dundee United | 6 | (1) |
| 1964–1966 | Ballymena United | ||
| International career | |||
| 1958 |
Scottish League XI | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1965–1966 | Ballymena United | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
George Smith (born 1 June 1935) is a Scottish former footballer who played as a forward, primarily for Partick Thistle.[2]
Career
Having joined while still a schoolboy at
Other personal achievements included scoring four goals in a League Cup match against
In January 1964, having fallen out of favour at Firhill, Smith transferred to Dundee United in an exchange deal involving Norrie Davidson.[8][9] The move did not work out, and in his short spell at Tannadice Park interrupted by a viral infection he only scored once,[10] having found the net 125 times in all competitions during his decade with Partick Thistle.[11] By that summer he had departed to become player-manager at Ballymena United in Northern Ireland.[8][12]
Personal life
Outside football he studied at the University of Edinburgh[3] and trained to become a schoolteacher, eventually becoming a senior staff member at Alva Academy by the 1990s.[8] He was an accomplished sprinter, winning a cash prize at the Jedburgh Border Games in 1961.[13] In the 1970s he also worked in broadcasting, providing sports reports for BBC Scotland television.[8]
His son Trevor was also a footballer,[8] who played for clubs including Dunfermline Athletic and Hamilton Academical.[14]
References
- ^ a b George Smith, The Thistle Archive
- ^ Partick Thistle 1946/47 - 2013/14, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
- ^ a b c I scored four of them | George Smith, match programme, Partick Thistle FC, 1957, Partick Thistle History Archive
- ^ Dandy Thistle Forward Line Hard to Hold, Evening Times, 27 September 1954 (via Partick Thistle History Archive)
- ^ Glasgow Cup For Partick Thistle, The Glasgow Herald, 27 October 1960 (via Partick Thistle History Archive)
- ^ SFL player George Smith, London Hearts Supporters Club
- ^ Scottish Selectors Miss Chance To Experiment, The Glasgow Herald, 22 May 1957
- ^ a b c d e Connections | George Smith, match programme, Dundee United FC, 1 May 1993, via Partick Thistle History Archive
- ^ Blether: Dundee United's shock signing of striker who decided to leave Celtic, Evening Telegraph, 13 May 2019
- ^ George Smith Player Profile, ArabArchive
- ^ Players: S, Partick Thistle History Archive
- ^ Managerial History, Ballymena United FC
- ^ 1960~1972, Jedburgh Border Games
- ^ Trevor Smith, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database