Jimmy Smith
Jimmy Smith in his BPA days
Personal information
Full name James Smith[1]
Date of birth 1889[1]
Place of birth Stafford, England
Date of death 8 October 1918(1918-10-08) (aged 28–29)
Place of death Northern France
Position(s) Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
190?–1910 Hanley PSA
1910–1911 Hanley Swifts
1911–1912 Brighton & Hove Albion 59 (37)
1912–1915 Bradford (Park Avenue) 90 (49)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

James Smith (1889 – 8 October 1918) was an English professional footballer who scored 49 goals from 90 appearances in the Football League playing as a centre forward for Bradford (Park Avenue).[2]

Smith was born in Stafford, Staffordshire.[2] He was a prolific scorer in local football in the Hanley area, but began his professional career with Southern League club Brighton & Hove Albion in January 1911.[3] He was the club's top scorer in the 1911–12 season with 27 goals in all competitions.[4] In November 1912, he moved into the Football League, joining Bradford for the substantial fee of £735 plus inside forward Bobby Simpson.[3] Smith played 90 League games for Bradford, scoring at better than a goal every two games and helping them earn promotion to the First Division in 1914, before the First World War interrupted his career.[3]

He served as a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery, and was killed in action on the Western Front in 1918, a few weeks before he was due to get married. He is buried in the British Cemetery at Ramicourt, Aisne, France.[5][6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Smith, J (Jimmy)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 243. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  3. 1 2 3 Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. p. 225. ISBN 0-9521337-1-7.
  4. ↑ Carder & Harris, Albion A–Z, p. 338.
  5. ↑ "Bradford Park Avenue's Jimmy Smith". Bantamspast: The Bradford City Football Club Museum. 8 June 2011. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Casualty details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
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