Matt Smith (footballer, born 2000)

Matthew Gerrard Smith (born 5 October 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Charlton Athletic, on loan from Arsenal.[2]

Matt Smith
Personal information
Full name Matthew Gerrard Smith[1]
Date of birth (2000-10-05) 5 October 2000
Place of birth Harlow, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Charlton Athletic
(on loan from Arsenal)
Number 18
Youth career
Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Arsenal 0 (0)
2020–2021 → Swindon Town (loan) 24 (2)
2021– → Charlton Athletic (loan) 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:05, 2 February 2021 (UTC)

Career

Arsenal

Born in Harlow, Essex, Smith began his career at Arsenal when he was seven.[3] He progressed through the age groups at Arsenal. He was a part of the Arsenal Academy team that reached the final of the 2017–18 FA Youth Cup.[3] During the 2018–19 season, whilst playing for Arsenal Under-18s, he was given the opportunity to play at a higher age group with six appearances for Arsenal Under-23s. His performances earned him his first professional contract at Arsenal.[3] The next season he played for Arsenal Under-21s during two of their 2019–20 EFL Trophy group matches and was also nominated as the Premier League 2 Player of the Month Award in January 2020.[3]

Due to the break in the 2019–20 Premier League season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Smith was called up by the Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta to train with the first team. He would later be named on the bench for Arsenal for their Premier League match against Southampton.[3] He would continue to be named on the bench for the rest of the season but never played. He was also named on the bench for the 2020 FA Cup Final which Arsenal won and earned Smith a winner's medal despite not having made his first team debut for Arsenal.[4]

Loan to Swindon Town

Smith signed on loan for League One side Swindon Town in August 2020 for the duration of the season.[5] He scored his first goal for Swindon in a 3–1 win against Rochdale on 12 September 2020.[6] He was recalled by Arsenal on 1 February 2020, having featured 27 times for Swindon, contributing two goals and three assists.[7]

Loan to Charlton Athletic

On 1 February 2021, Smith moved to a different League One side, Charlton Athletic, on loan for the rest of the 2020-21 season.[8][9]

Career statistics
As of 2 February 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Arsenal 2020–21[6] Premier League 0000000000
Swindon Town (loan) 2020–21[6] League One 24210002[lower-alpha 1]0272
Charlton Athletic (loan) 2020–21[6] League One 1000000010
Career total 252100020282
  1. Appearances in the EFL Trophy.

Honours

Arsenal

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Swindon Town" (PDF). English Football League. p. 70. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. "England – M. Smith – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  3. Smith, George (25 June 2020). "Who is Matt Smith? The Arsenal wonderkid Mikel Arteta has named on the bench against Southampton". Football.London. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  4. "Town sign Arsenal midfielder Matt Smith on loan". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  5. "Matt Smith: Swindon Town sign teenage midfielder on loan from Arsenal". BBC Sport. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  6. "Games played by Matt Smith in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  7. "ARSENAL RE-CALL MIDFIELDER MATT SMITH". www.swindontownfc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  8. "DONE DEAL: Creative midfielder Matt Smith joins on loan from Arsenal". Charlton Athletic. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  9. "Charlton sign Arsenal's Smith on loan" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. McNulty, Phil (1 August 2020). "Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
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