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Paul Smith (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Paul Daniel Smith is an English
footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Nottingham Forest
.
, but was released in the summer of 1999, after one year as a professional. After a short period with Walton & Hersham
, Smith moved to Carshalton Athletic
in late 1999, but moved to Brentford
in August 2000 after they spotted Smith guesting for Crawley Town
in a pre-season friendly against The Bees. At Brentford, he made 104 appearances as a goalkeeper. In January 2004, to address financial problems at Brentford, Smith was sold to Southampton
for a reported £500,000. At Southampton, he was initially deputy to Antti Niemi, but, following Niemi's departure, Smith took over as their number one. However, he found himself further down the pecking order with the arrival of Bartosz Białkowski and Kevin Miller
.
Smith holds A-levels in PE
, Home Economics
, Sociology
, Advanced Mathematics
, Biology
, and Geography
.
side Nottingham Forest
for around £500,000 in July 2006. He established himself ahead of Rune Pedersen
as Forest's first choice goalkeeper for the club's 2006–07 promotion campaign. Smith was in good form that season, keeping Forest in many games.
In the 2007–08 campaign
, Smith helped Forest gain automatic promotion finishing second in the league they were promoted from League One
to the Championship
. Smith had a terrific season and helped enormously in goal, making match winning saves to help the Reds gain promotion. He kept 24 clean sheets in 46 games, the record for the league in that season. This achievement was recognised when he received the Puma Golden Glove
award.
He also made footballing history in the Football League Cup
when he scored after 23 seconds against Leicester City
in the second round of the competition on 18 September 2007. Smith became the quickest goalkeeper ever to score in world football, and the quickest ever goalscorer in the League Cup and for Nottingham Forest. The unusual goal came about because the tie had been previously abandoned at half-time due to the collapse of Leicester City's Clive Clarke
, while Nottingham Forest were 1–0 up. In a show of sportsmanship, Leicester allowed Forest to take the kick-off and run up to score the goal, to restore the score-line to what it was at the abandonment of the previous match. It was decided that Smith should be the player to score, in order to avoid suspicions surrounding betting patterns. Leicester City did come back into the game to beat Forest 3–2. In July 2008, Smith signed a new two year contract with Forest, keeping him at the City Ground
until 2010, and signed another extension in 2009, to keep Smith at the City Ground until 2012.
After falling out of favour with manager Billy Davies
, Smith lost his first choice status to Lee Camp, despite having played in all three of their League Cup matches. On 30 July 2010, Smith was placed on the transfer list and told he was free to seek first team football elsewhere. This was two days after a poor performance in a pre-season friendly at the City Ground against French Ligue 1 team Olympique Lyonnais
which Forest lost 3–1. He was replaced by youngster Karl Darlow
in the 75th minute.
on loan until the end of the season; he made his debut that night in a 2–1 win against Derby County
. He played in 10 first team games.
Nottingham Forest:
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...
footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
.
Early playing career
Smith started his career at Charlton AthleticCharlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, but was released in the summer of 1999, after one year as a professional. After a short period with Walton & Hersham
Walton & Hersham F.C.
Walton & Hersham F.C. is an English football club located in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, currently playing in the Isthmian League Division One South. They play in a red and white home kit at Stompond Lane....
, Smith moved to Carshalton Athletic
Carshalton Athletic F.C.
Carshalton Athletic F.C. is an English football club based in Carshalton in the London Borough of Sutton, London. They currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division, and are based at the War Memorial Sports Ground.-Early years:...
in late 1999, but moved to Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
in August 2000 after they spotted Smith guesting for Crawley Town
Crawley Town F.C.
Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...
in a pre-season friendly against The Bees. At Brentford, he made 104 appearances as a goalkeeper. In January 2004, to address financial problems at Brentford, Smith was sold to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
for a reported £500,000. At Southampton, he was initially deputy to Antti Niemi, but, following Niemi's departure, Smith took over as their number one. However, he found himself further down the pecking order with the arrival of Bartosz Białkowski and Kevin Miller
Kevin Miller (footballer)
Kevin Miller is an English football goalkeeper, currently playing for Bodmin Town FC in the South West Peninsula League....
.
Smith holds A-levels in PE
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
, Home Economics
Home Economics
Home economics is the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community...
, Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, Advanced Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, and Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
.
Nottingham Forest
In search of first team football, Smith signed for League OneFootball League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
for around £500,000 in July 2006. He established himself ahead of Rune Pedersen
Rune Pedersen (footballer)
Rune Pedersen is a Danish professional footballer who plays as goalkeeper for Lyngby Boldklub. He won two Danish Superliga championships with his first club F.C. Copenhagen, and has since played for Danish clubs Aarhus GF, Lyngby, and OB, as well as Italian club Modena F.C. and Nottingham Forest...
as Forest's first choice goalkeeper for the club's 2006–07 promotion campaign. Smith was in good form that season, keeping Forest in many games.
In the 2007–08 campaign
The Football League 2007-08
The Football League is contested through three divisions in England and Wales. The divisions are the League Championship, League One and League Two. The winner and the runner up of the League Championship will be automatically promoted to the Premier League and they will be joined by the winner of...
, Smith helped Forest gain automatic promotion finishing second in the league they were promoted from League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. Smith had a terrific season and helped enormously in goal, making match winning saves to help the Reds gain promotion. He kept 24 clean sheets in 46 games, the record for the league in that season. This achievement was recognised when he received the Puma Golden Glove
Macron Golden Glove
The Macron Golden Glove is an annual association football award that is won by the goalkeeper who has kept the most clean sheets in that season's Football League. Clean Sheets in The Football League Leagues , Football League Cup, Football League Trophy and FA Cup all add up to the Golden Golve...
award.
He also made footballing history in the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
when he scored after 23 seconds against Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in the second round of the competition on 18 September 2007. Smith became the quickest goalkeeper ever to score in world football, and the quickest ever goalscorer in the League Cup and for Nottingham Forest. The unusual goal came about because the tie had been previously abandoned at half-time due to the collapse of Leicester City's Clive Clarke
Clive Clarke
Clive Richard Luke Clarke is a former Irish footballer after leaving Sunderland for health reasons. He played primarily as a left back, but also as centre back, left midfielder or centre midfielder.-Stoke City:...
, while Nottingham Forest were 1–0 up. In a show of sportsmanship, Leicester allowed Forest to take the kick-off and run up to score the goal, to restore the score-line to what it was at the abandonment of the previous match. It was decided that Smith should be the player to score, in order to avoid suspicions surrounding betting patterns. Leicester City did come back into the game to beat Forest 3–2. In July 2008, Smith signed a new two year contract with Forest, keeping him at the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
until 2010, and signed another extension in 2009, to keep Smith at the City Ground until 2012.
After falling out of favour with manager Billy Davies
Billy Davies
William McIntosh "Billy" Davies is a Glasgow-born Scottish football manager, noted for his achievement in the Football League Championship with East Midlands Rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest and Preston North End which has led him to be described, in 2011, as "probably the best manager at...
, Smith lost his first choice status to Lee Camp, despite having played in all three of their League Cup matches. On 30 July 2010, Smith was placed on the transfer list and told he was free to seek first team football elsewhere. This was two days after a poor performance in a pre-season friendly at the City Ground against French Ligue 1 team Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
which Forest lost 3–1. He was replaced by youngster Karl Darlow
Karl Darlow
Karl Darlow is an English footballer who plays for Nottingham Forest as a goalkeeper. He is currently Nottingham Forest's second choice shot stopper behind Lee Camp...
in the 75th minute.
Middlesbrough
On 8 March 2011, he joined MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on loan until the end of the season; he made his debut that night in a 2–1 win against Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. He played in 10 first team games.
Honours
Brentford- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
Runner-up: 20012001 Football League Trophy FinalThe 2001 Football League Trophy Final was the 18th final of the Football League Trophy, the domestic football cup competition for teams from the Football League Second and Third Divisions...
Nottingham Forest:
- League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
Runner-up: 2008The Football League 2007-08The Football League is contested through three divisions in England and Wales. The divisions are the League Championship, League One and League Two. The winner and the runner up of the League Championship will be automatically promoted to the Premier League and they will be joined by the winner of...