Joe Smith (footballer born 1890)
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joe" Smith was an English
professional footballer who played as a right back
. He played nearly 500 games in the Football League
for West Bromwich Albion
and Birmingham
, most of which were in the First Division
, and won two cap
s for England
.
, then in Worcestershire
. He played local football before turning professional with West Bromwich Albion
in May 1910, and made his debut four months later in a Division Two match against Bolton Wanderers
. He was part of the Albion team that won promotion
from the Second Division
in the 1910–11 season
. During the First World War
he made guest appearances for Everton
and Notts County
. When competitive football resumed after the war, he was selected for England
for the first time, in a 1–1 draw with Ireland in October 1919; he made one further appearance for England in 1922. Smith contributed to West Bromwich Albion winning the First Division
in the 1919–20 season
, and went on to play 434 league matches for the club.
In 1926, by which time he was 36 years old, Smith joined Birmingham
, to provide cover at full-back for Frank Womack
and Jack Jones
. He stayed with the club for three seasons, playing 50 games, including 48 in the First Division.
He then joined Worcester City
as player-manager, leading them to the Birmingham & District League title in his first season, then two years later finishing as runners-up, losing the title only on goal average
, after which he retired from the game.
was tested for quality. He died in hospital in Wolverhampton
in 1956 at the age of 66.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer who played as a right back
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He played nearly 500 games in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
and Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, most of which were in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, and won two cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
s for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Playing career
Smith was born in Darby End, NethertonNetherton, West Midlands
Netherton is a town in the West Midlands within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. It lies around south of the town of Dudley and north of Cradley Heath...
, then in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
. He played local football before turning professional with West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in May 1910, and made his debut four months later in a Division Two match against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. He was part of the Albion team that won promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
from the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in the 1910–11 season
The Football League 1910-11
The 1910–1911 season was the 23rd season of the The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Note:...
. During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he made guest appearances for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
. When competitive football resumed after the war, he was selected for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
for the first time, in a 1–1 draw with Ireland in October 1919; he made one further appearance for England in 1922. Smith contributed to West Bromwich Albion winning the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in the 1919–20 season
The Football League 1919-20
The 1919–1920 season was the 28th season of The Football League.-Overview:In 1919, the First Division was extended from 20 to 22 clubs. During previous expansions, the relegated clubs from the previous season were re-elected, while the top Second Division sides were promoted as usual.Therefore...
, and went on to play 434 league matches for the club.
In 1926, by which time he was 36 years old, Smith joined Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, to provide cover at full-back for Frank Womack
Frank Womack
Francis "Frank" Womack was an English association football player and manager born in Stannington, Sheffield, Yorkshire. He still holds the league appearances record for Birmingham City playing 491 games and holds the league record for most games by an outfield player without scoring a goal...
and Jack Jones
Jack Jones (association footballer)
John William "Jack" Jones , was an English professional footballer who played as a left back. He played 331 games in the Football League....
. He stayed with the club for three seasons, playing 50 games, including 48 in the First Division.
He then joined Worcester City
Worcester City F.C.
Worcester City Football Club is an English football club based in Worcester, Worcestershire. The club are currently members of the Conference North and play at St George's Lane.-History:...
as player-manager, leading them to the Birmingham & District League title in his first season, then two years later finishing as runners-up, losing the title only on goal average
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
, after which he retired from the game.
After football
He went on to keep a pub, and later worked at Lloyds Proving House in Netherton, where chainChain
A chain is a sequence of connected links.Chain may also refer to:Chain may refer to:* Necklace - a jewelry which is worn around the neck* Mail , a type of armor made of interlocking chain links...
was tested for quality. He died in hospital in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
in 1956 at the age of 66.