Alex Smith (footballer, born 1985)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Smith | ||
| Date of birth | 16 July 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Windsor, England | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Central Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Negeri Sembilan | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003 | Centenary College of Louisiana | ||
| 2004 | SMU Mustangs | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006 | FC Dallas | 0 | (0) |
| 2007 | DFW Tornados | 6 | (3) |
| 2010 | Fraser Park | 20 | (11) |
| 2011 | Sydney Olympic | 11 | (8) |
| 2011 | Gold Coast United | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | Sydney Olympic | 3 | (2) |
| 2011–2013 | Wellington Phoenix | 40 | (1) |
| 2013 | Oakleigh Cannons | 9 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | Far North Queensland | 41 | (33) |
| 2016– | Negeri Sembilan | 25 | (8) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 March 2016. | |||
Alex Smith (born 16 July 1985) is an English-American footballer currently plays for NS Matrix F.C. in the Malaysian Premier League. He also holds Australian citizenship.
Career
College football
Smith was born in Windsor, England, and moved to the United States at age one. He began his soccer career whilst at college in the United States. He played 17 times for Centenary College of Louisiana scoring six times with six assists. In 2004, he transferred to Southern Methodist University where he scored a further 13 in 19 appearances for the Mustangs. Returning to England in 2005, Smith trialled with Shrewsbury Town and Walsall. Returning to the US in 2006, he was declared ineligible to continue playing college soccer by the NCAA. Deciding to make a career out of soccer, Smith trialled with the MLS club Kansas City Wizards, before being signed on a one-year contract by FC Dallas. Smith would only feature in the reserves in his year with the MLS club, scoring on 2 occasions.[1][2]
Australia
Disillusioned with his stint at FC Dallas, Smith quit football at the age of 21. After coming out to Australia on holiday in 2005, he moved to Cairns in 2010, and later moved to Sydney where he signed for NSW Super League club Fraser Park where he won the 2010 NSW Super League Player of the Year award.[3] He later moved back to Cairns in late 2013
Sydney Olympic
Smith signed for NSW Premier League club Sydney Olympic for the 2011 NSW Premier League season and was an immediate success, scoring a hat trick on debut against South Coast Wolves in Round 1[4] and scored the only goal in their 1–0 win over 2010 NSW Premier League champions Blacktown City.[5] Smith played his final game for Olympic in the Round 12, 1–0 win over South Coast Wolves.[6]
Gold Coast United
Smith was invited to trial with the Gold Coast while he was playing for Fraser Park. Pleased by what he saw, and encouraged by his start with Sydney Olympic, United coach Miron Bleiberg signed Smith on a one-year contract for the 2011–12 A-League season.[7] He officially joined their squad, and had his first proper training session on 17 June.[8]
Despite Smith joining the Gold Coast for their pre-season, Miron Bleiberg asked Smith to accept a contract pay out, in exchange for the immediate termination of his one-year contract, as Bleiberg wanted to sign former Blackburn Rovers striker Maceo Rigters, who had turned down a contract with Wellington Phoenix.[9] On 1 September 2011 it was confirmed that Smith and United had reached an agreement in regards to the termination of his contract.[10]
Return to Belmore
After being unceremoniously dumped from the Gold Coast team, Smith returned to New South Wales where it was announced he would re-sign with Sydney Olympic, who welcomed him with open arms.[11] He arrived in time for the Final Round of the NSW Premier League against APIA Leichhardt Tigers, and picked up on where he left off, scoring the opening goal for Olympic in their 3–0 victory, in which Olympic were crowned Premiers.[12] His return to Belmore would continue to be successful, with Smith opening the scoring in the 2011 NSW Premier League Grand Final against Sydney United. Olympic would go on to win 2–0, securing the first Premiership and Championship double since the NSL folded.[13]
After spending the last month travelling from Sydney to the Gold Coast where he still resides, it was announced he would fly to Wellington, New Zealand to trial with Wellington Phoenix in the hope of securing a 10-match loan guest stint, with the hope of extending it to a full contract.[14]
Wellington Phoenix
Smith signed a short-term contract with the Phoenix as an injury replacement player, for Mirjan Pavlovic who broke his arm at training.[15] He made his A-League debut off the bench in the Round 2 victory against the Newcastle Jets in Wellington.[16] On 18 January 2012 Smith's contract was made permanent lasting until the end of the season.[17] Smith went on to make 24 appearances that season. It was then announced Smith had signed for the 2012–2013 season. He started the first 11 games of the season but fell out of favour with coach Ricki Herbert. In June 2013 it was announced that Smith would not be offered a new deal with the club.
Far North Queensland Heat
In late 2013 Far North Queensland FC secured the signing of star player Smith. Since his arrival into Cairns, Queensland, Smith has held numerous coaching clinics, school clinics, holiday clinics and has also traveled to communities up in Cape York Peninsula like Weipa, Queensland to help young football talents and coaches to better learn their game. Smith's first game for the Heat was against their rivals Northern Fury FC in Townsville. In the 44th minute, the captain scored the opening goal of FNQ FC Heat's 2014 campaign and his first goal for the club. Alex helped his side reach the inaugural FFA Cup round of 32 where they played away to Sydney United 58. Moreover, his 18 league goals guided the heat to a top two finish in only their second season since formation. Unfortunately his hat-trick in the Semi Final against Olympic FC was not enough to get the side into their first National Premier Leagues Queensland Grand Final.[18] In 2015, his goal scoring ability again helped his team reach the FFA Cup for a second consecutive year with their opponents yet to be decided. In 7 FFA Cup games at his time at the heat, he scored an impressive 13 goals.
Malaysia
In early December 2015 it was announced that Smith had travelled to Malaysia to sign with Malaysia Premier League club NS Matrix F.C. for the 2016 Malaysia Premier League season. Smith links up with former Sydney Olympic FC player and coach Gary Phillips who played the majority of his career with Sydney Olympic, and won the 2001–02 National Soccer League as manager.[19]
Honours
Personal Honours
- NSW Super League Player of the Year: 2010
- NSW Premier League Premiership 2011
References
- ↑ "Alex Smith Video". 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ↑ "FC Dallas Acquires Marcelo Saragosa and Alex Smith". Our Sports Central. 19 July 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ↑ Stavroulakis, Mark (10 November 2010). "2010 Silver Medal Dinner a success as Alexander Smith grabs the plaudits". NSW Premier League. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ↑ "Champs Suffer New Season Defeat". Australian FourFourTwo. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ↑ "Olympic Remain Unbeaten". Australian FourFourTwo. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ↑ "Olympic overcome stubborn Wolves to move clear". NSW Premier League. 12 June 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ↑ Ormond, Aiden (7 April 2011). "Miron Signs US Striker Smith". Australian FourFourTwo. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ↑ "Smith gets his first training run". Gold Coast United. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ↑ Rugari, Vince (31 August 2011). "Miron To Axe Alex For Rigters". FourFourTwo Australia. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ↑ "Smith Makes Way For Rigters". FourFourTwo Australia. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ↑ "Alex Smith Returns to Sydney Olympic". NSW Premier League. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- ↑ "Sydney Olympic crowned Premiers for 2011". NSW Premier League. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- ↑ Ormond, Aiden (3 October 2011). "Alex Smith: 'My Grand Final Delight'". FourFourTwo Australia. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ↑ Cockerill, Mike (3 October 2011). "The power of passion". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ↑ Worthington, Sam (21 October 2011). "Alex Smith's lucky break with Phoenix". The Domonion Post. The Dominion Post (Wellington). Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ↑ "Wellington eases past Newcastle". SBS The World Game. 16 October 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ↑ "Alex Smith Stays at Wellington Phoenix". FourFourTwoAustralia. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ↑ Flynn, Michael (8 September 2014). "Sunshine State grand finalists decided". National Premier League Queensland. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ Dasey, Jason (3 December 2015). "Gary Phillips' and A-League quartet revamp Malaysia's Negeri Sembilan". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 December 2015.