Kelly Smith
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Kelly Jayne Smith[1] | ||
Date of birth | 29 October 1978 | ||
Place of birth | Watford, Hertfordshire, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1997–1999 |
Seton Hall Pirates | 51 | (76) |
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1994–1996 |
Wembley Ladies | ||
1996–1997 |
Arsenal | ||
1999–2000 | New Jersey Lady Stallions | ||
2001–2003 | Philadelphia Charge | 26 | (9) |
2004 | New Jersey Wildcats | 8 | (8) |
2005–2009 |
Arsenal | 66 | (73) |
2009–2012 |
Boston Breakers | 46 | (18) |
2012–2017 |
Arsenal | 23 | (9) |
International career | |||
1995–2014 | England | 117 | (46) |
2012 | Great Britain | 4 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
2023– | Arsenal (assistant) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Kelly Jayne Smith
Club career
Youth and university
While growing up in the
Smith enrolled at Seton Hall as a student-athlete. She played for the
United States
At the culmination of her studies, Smith remained in the United States, remarking: "women's football in England is a joke."[6] Smith's first professional club was New Jersey Lady Stallions of W-League, for which she played on from 1999 to 2000. However, a new top-flight women's league was about to start in the United States and Smith stayed in the country to participate in the project.
The Women's United Soccer Association was formed in early 2000. Smith was drafted second overall in the 2001 WUSA Foreign Allocation Draft by Philadelphia Charge. Smith played all three seasons with Philadelphia and was named to the 2001 WUSA Global 11 All-Star Team. 2001 was her only full season in the league; in 2002, Smith missed most of the season after tearing her ACL in her right knee, and missed much of 2003 after re-injuring the same knee. Following the 2003 season, the WUSA ceased operations.
Smith decided to keep playing in the United States following the collapse of the WUSA. In 2004, she played for the New Jersey Wildcats in the W-League, but she was injured yet again, breaking her leg. She ended up appearing in eight games for the club (563 minutes) and tallied eight goals and six assists.
England
Smith returned to England and
In Arsenal's "
During Smith's Arsenal career since rejoining in 2005, she appeared in 66 League games scoring 73 goals, 16 FA Cup games scoring 13 goals, 10 League Cup games scoring four goals, 18 UEFA Women's Cup games scoring nine goals, and two Community Shield games scoring one goal for a total of 112 appearances and 100 goals. In her last competitive game for Arsenal, Smith scored a
Return to the United States
Upon the creation of a new women's league in the United States,
Despite being drafted by Boston, she was still under contract with Arsenal. However, Smith decided to leave Arsenal to join Boston Breakers on 18 February 2009, one of a number of English players to join the new Women's Professional Soccer League.[9][10]
In the inaugural
Arsenal again
On leaving Boston Breakers, Smith resisted offers from clubs in Sweden and Germany to join Arsenal for a third time.
International career
England
Smith debuted for the
When healthy, Smith has generally been considered one of the world's top female players; former United States head coach April Heinrichs asserted that Smith would be an automatic choice for the United States Women's National Team if she had been eligible, and Vera Pauw, the Dutch coach, called Kelly "the best player in the World" after she scored a hat-trick against the Netherlands in a 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier.[6] During the 2011 World Cup, Mia Hamm said of Smith: "I remember the first time I saw Kelly play. She'd just graduated from Seton Hall. She's incredibly technical, with great speed of thought and play. Her touch is different class – everything's clean, everything's with a purpose. The pace of her passes is always perfect and she can score at will too." Smith's former England teammate and later coach, Hope Powell, went further than Hamm: "Kelly is one of those players who come along only once or twice in a lifetime. In the men's game you'd think of Diego Maradona or Messi, players with a unique talent, and that’s what Kelly has."[citation needed]
Smith has competed in the
Smith reportedly became England's all-time record goalscorer in September 2010, when she scored her 41st international goal against Switzerland.[17]
In 2011, Smith competed in the FIFA World Cup, where she scored from the spot in England's quarterfinal match with France, to give England a 1–0 lead in the penalty shootout (England would go on to lose the shootout 4–3). Smith, hindered by an achilles injury, was dissatisfied with her own performances at the tournament: "I have to acknowledge that I didn't play well and I have to live with that." She returned to the England squad for a UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying tie with Serbia after missing the first three matches of the campaign.[18]
On 3 February 2015, Smith announced her retirement from international duty.[19]
She was allotted 108 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.[20][21]
Great Britain Olympic
In June 2012 Smith was named in the 18–player Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics.[22] Smith incurred a minor injury in the 1–0 group stage win over Brazil at Wembley Stadium, and was unable to join Team GB in their quarter final defeat by Canada.[23]
Television broadcast
Smith made her television debut on
In April 2021, Smith joined fellow British Olympians
Coaching career
In March 2023, it was announced that Kelly would return to Arsenal to coach at the Women's academy whilst earning her
Personal life
Smith studied at Francis Combe School and Community College in Watford.[29]
She has spoken about her previous
Smith used to share a house with England, Arsenal and Boston Breakers teammate Alex Scott.[31] In Scott's 2022 autobiography, she revealed that she and Smith had previously been in a romantic relationship.[32]
In June 2016 she married management consultant DeAnna Dobosz. She gave birth to their son in May 2017.[33] On 1 August 2019, Smith gave birth to their second child, a daughter, via c-section.[34]
Career statistics
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Honours
Smith was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.[35]
Arsenal
- Premier League: 1996–97, 2003–04,[36] 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
- 2015–16[40]
- Premier League Cup: 2006–07
- FA Community Shield: 2005, 2006,[41] 2008
- UEFA Women's Cup: 2006–07
England
- 2009[42]
- UEFA Women's Championship runner-up: 2009[43]
Individual
References
- ^ "Player Statistics". FIFA. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
- ^ "England's record scorer Smith retires". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ "Kelly Smith". Olympics.com. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ Leighton, Tony (22 May 2009). "Kicking against the prejudice". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
- ^ Davies, Pete (30 August 1995). "Life's a pitch for women footie players". The Independent. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ a b c Kessel, Anna (2 September 2007). "England's hot shot". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
- ^ "It's a very proud moment – Kelly". Women's Soccer Scene. 28 May 2006. Archived from the original on 12 August 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
- ^ "A season of achievement". The Football Association. 23 May 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
- ^ Leighton, Tony (8 February 2009). "Smith quits Arsenal for US league". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
- ^ "Smith joins US soccer's Boston Breakers | Ladies News | News | Arsenal.com". Archived from the original on 23 April 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
- BBC. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ Winter, Henry (6 April 2012). "England's Kelly Smith: 'Why I prefer to watch women's game'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- BBC. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ Davis, Pete (12 November 1995). "It's a whole new ball game". The Independent. London. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
- ^ Searl, Liz (20 November 1995). "England's women consolidate position". The Independent. London. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
- ^ Chaudhary, Vivek (16 October 1999). "Americans body-check England women". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
- TheGuardian.com. 12 September 2010.
- ^ Leighton, Tony (3 November 2011). "Kelly Smith in England squad for Euro 2013 qualifier". BBC Sport. London. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
- ^ "Kelly Smith: England striker ends international career". BBC Sport. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^ "England squad named for World Cup". The Football Association. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ Lacey-Hatton, Jack (18 November 2022). "Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present". mirror. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ "Team GB women's squad for London 2012 announced". BBC Sport. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
- She Kicks. 4 August 2012. Archived from the originalon 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
- ^ "Kelly Smith, Soccer Studio Analyst". Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- ^ "FOX Sports' WORLD CUP TONIGHT Premieres with Global Megastar Zlatan Ibrahimovic". 14 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- ^ Adams, Tim (30 April 2021). "Greg Rutherford on Smart Energy GB and his bobsleigh ambitions". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Kelly Smith passes on experience to the academy". Kelly Smith passes on experience to the academy. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Kelly Smith returns to Arsenal coaching staff". Kelly Smith returns to Arsenal coaching staff. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Dellafiora, Paola (1 July 2009). "School reunion marks end of an era". Watford Observer. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ "Kelly Smith: 'I would drink every day, on my own, until I passed out'". The Independent. 22 October 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ Thievam, Kieran (25 August 2019). "Kieran Theivam: I sat on Kelly Smith's sofa and knew I had to cover this fascinating sport". The Athletic. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ Bagwell, Matt (29 September 2022). "Alex Scott Opens Up About Falling 'Madly In Love' With Lioness Teammate Kelly Smith". HuffPost. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ @kelly_smith10 (14 July 2017). "4 weeks ago today this little man called Rocco Jude decided to come early. 💙" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Welcoming, baby Lucia". www.kellysmith10.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ "No. 58729". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2008. p. 23.
- ^ Kubusch, Lars; Shannon, David (6 March 2005). "2003–04 season". Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ Harris, Chris (1 May 2006). "FA Women's Cup Final: Leeds 0–5 Arsenal". Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ Cheese, Caroline (7 May 2007). "Arsenal Ladies 4–1 Charlton Women". Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ Harris, Chris (5 May 2008). "FA Women's Cup Final – Leeds 1–4 Arsenal". Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ "Me and my medals: Kelly Smith". The Times. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ^ Harris, Chris (2 August 2006). "Comm Shield: Arsenal Ladies 3 Everton 0". Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ Leighton, Tony (12 March 2009). "England women win Cyprus Cup". The Guardian.
- ^ "UEFA Women's EURO 2009 – Final". UEFA. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
- ^ Whitehead, Jacob; Percival, Holly (7 October 2021). "Emma Hayes and Kelly Smith inducted into WSL Hall of Fame". The Athletic. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
External links
- Kelly Smith – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Football Association player profile Archived 14 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- Boston Breakers player profile
- New Jersey Wildcats player profile Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- WUSA player profile
- Kelly Smith on Twitter
- Kelly Smith at Soccerway