Eric Smith (Scottish footballer)

John Eric Smith (29 July 1934 – 12 June 1991) was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as a right half for Celtic, Leeds United and Greenock Morton in the 1950s and 1960s. He was capped twice for the Scotland national football team and later managed Morton, Hamilton Academical and Sharjah FC.

For other people named Eric Smith, see Eric Smith.

Eric Smith
Personal information
Full name John Eric Smith[1]
Date of birth 29 July 1934
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Date of death 12 June 1991(1991-06-12) (aged 56)
Place of death Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Position(s) Right half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1954–1960 Celtic 95 (12)
1960–1963 Leeds United 65 (3)
1964–1966 Morton 35 (3)
National team
1959[2] SFL trial v SFA 1 (0)
1959 Scotland 2 (0)
Teams managed
1972 Morton
1972–1978 Hamilton Academical
1978 Sharjah
1986–1989 Pezoporikos Larnaca
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Smith began his professional career at Celtic in the 1954–55 season[3] and gained two caps for the Scotland national football team in 1959. He did not win any major honours during his spell, finishing on the losing side in the 1956 Scottish Cup Final - Celtic won two Scottish League Cups in the period, but Smith was not selected for either final.

He joined Leeds United in 1960 when the club was in decline, and performed heroically during the 1961–62 season when Leeds battled against relegation to the Third Division. Smith's career at Elland Road ended when he suffered a double-fracture of the leg during a home game against Chelsea in September 1962. He joined Morton in 1964 where he played for two seasons and later became manager.

Managerial career

Smith managed Morton briefly in 1972 and then managed Hamilton Academical for five seasons from 1972–73 to 1977–78. He then briefly managed Sharjah FC in the United Arab Emirates in 1978. He then managed Cypriot club Pezoporikos Larnaca from 1986 to 1989. The club won the 1987–88 Cypriot First Division and then entered the 1988–89 European Cup, where they were beaten in the first round by Swedish champions IFK Gothenburg.

Career statistics

Leeds United
ClubLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotal
Apps (goals)Apps (goals)Apps (goals)Apps (goals)
Leeds United65 (3)3 (0)3 (0)71 (3)

References
  1. "Eric Smith". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  2. The selectors still have problems, The Bulletin, 17 March 1959
  3. Celtic player Smith, Eric, FitbaStats
  • Mourant, Andrew (1992). Leeds United: Player by Player. Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 22. ISBN 0-85112-568-9.


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