Liam Smith (footballer, born 1996)

Liam Smith (born 10 April 1996) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a defender for Dundee United. He has previously played for Heart of Midlothian, East Fife, Raith Rovers, St Mirren and Ayr United.

Liam Smith
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-04-10) 10 April 1996
Place of birth Dalgety Bay, Scotland
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Dundee United
Number 2
Youth career
2006–2010 Rangers
2010–2015 Heart of Midlothian
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 Heart of Midlothian 30 (0)
2014–2015 → East Fife (loan) 21 (1)
2016 → Raith Rovers (loan) 2 (0)
2017–2018 → St Mirren (loan) 32 (2)
2018–2019 Ayr United 33 (1)
2019– Dundee United 48 (1)
National team‡
2015 Scotland U19 1 (0)
2016–2018 Scotland U21[2] 12 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:14, 7 February 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 4 March 2019

Career

Hearts

Smith began his career as a youth player at Hillfield Swifts Boys Club, before joining Rangers aged 10.[3] Having been released by Rangers aged 14, Smith joined Heart of Midlothian (Hearts).[3] Smith signed a 2-year professional contract in July 2014, extending his stay with the club until at least 2016.[4] Aged 18 he made his first team debut[5] on 20 August 2014, in the second round of the Scottish Challenge Cup away to Livingston, playing from the start in a 4–1 loss.[6] Smith made one more appearance that season[7] before being loaned to Scottish League Two side East Fife until the end of January 2015.[8] He made his league debut on 30 August 2014, against East Stirlingshire in a 3–1 win,[9] with his first goal coming against Queen's Park on 20 September salvaging a 2–2 draw.[10] Smith's loan deal was later extended until the end of the season.[11] In all he made 23 appearances for East Fife, scoring once.[7]

On his return to Hearts Smith made his Scottish Premiership debut on 18 October, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute against Dundee United at Tannadice Park, replacing Juwon Oshaniwa in a 1–0 win.[12]

Raith Rovers loan

On 24 September 2016, it was announced that Smith had signed on loan at Raith Rovers for a month.[13] He was recalled by Hearts on 29 October 2016.[14]

St Mirren loan

On 14 August 2017, Smith signed a season-long loan deal with Scottish Championship club St Mirren.[15] It proved to be a successful loan spell as Saints won the Scottish Championship, with Smith playing 34 games and scoring twice. Smith was also part of the PFA Scotland Championship Team of the Year.[16]

Ayr United

Smith signed a one-year contract with Ayr United in August 2018.[17]

Dundee United

On 16 April 2019, Dundee United confirmed that Smith had signed a pre-contract to join the club in the summer, agreeing a two-year deal.[18]

Career statistics
As of match played 6 February 2021[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Scottish Cup League Cup Other Total
Division App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Heart of Midlothian 2014–15[20] Scottish Championship 0000101[lower-alpha 1]020
2015–16[21] Scottish Premiership 100001000110
2016–17[22] 20010103[lower-alpha 2]0250
2017–18[23] 0000000000
Total 300103040380
East Fife (loan) 2014–15[20] Scottish League Two 21100002[lower-alpha 3]0231
Raith Rovers (loan) 2016–17[22] Scottish Championship 2000000020
St Mirren (loan) 2017–18[23] Scottish Championship 32210001[lower-alpha 1]0342
Ayr United 2018–19[24] Scottish Championship 33120103[lower-alpha 4]0390
Dundee United 2019–20[25] Scottish Championship 28020301[lower-alpha 1]0340
2020–21[26] Scottish Premiership 201002000221
Total 481205010561
Career total 166560801101915
  1. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. Appearances in the Europa League
  3. Appearances in the Scottish League Two play-offs
  4. One appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup; Two appearances in the Scottish Premiership play-offs

Honours

St Mirren

Dundee United

References
  1. "Liam Smith". dundeeunitedfc.co.uk. Dundee United F.C. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  2. Liam Smith at the Scottish Football Association
  3. "Hearts full-back Liam Smith loves his test of Methil". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Edinburgh Evening News. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  4. "Hearts kids sign on until 2016 . . ". heraldscotland.com. The Herald. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  5. "Hearts boss hopes fans understand decision to field kids in Livi defeat". sport.stv.tv. STV. 21 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  6. "Livingston 4-1 Hearts". BBC Sport. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  7. "Games played by Liam Smith in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  8. "Hearts kid Liam Smith in East Fife manager's plans". thecourier.co.uk/. The Courier. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  9. "East Fife bounced back from defeat by Albion Rovers with a comfortable win over East Stirlingshire". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  10. "A late goal by defender Liam Smith snatched East Fife a point against Queen's Park at New Bayview". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  11. "Duo Extend Loan Deals". heartsfc.co.uk. Heart of Midlothian F.C. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  12. "Mixu Paatelainen's reign as Dundee United manager began with a hot-tempered defeat by Hearts, courtesy of Juanma's early penalty at Tannadice". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  13. "Liam Smith Arrives on Emergency Loan". raithrovers.net. Raith Rovers F.C. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  14. "RRFC Official ✔ @RaithRovers_FC". Raith Rovers F.C. on Twitter. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  15. "Liam Smith joins on loan". St Mirren FC. 14 August 2017. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  16. "Good night for the Buddies at PFA Scotland Player of the Year awards". St Mirren F.C. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  17. "Smith is latest signing". Ayr United FC. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  18. Crawford, Kenny (16 April 2019). "Ayr Utd full-back Liam Smith to join Dundee Utd on two-year deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  19. Liam Smith at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  20. "Games played by Liam Smith in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  21. "Games played by Liam Smith in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  22. "Games played by Liam Smith in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  23. "Games played by Liam Smith in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  24. "Games played by Liam Smith in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  25. "Games played by Liam Smith in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  26. "Games played by Liam Smith in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
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