Tommy Smith (footballer, born 1945)
Thomas Smith MBE (5 April 1945 – 12 April 2019) was an English footballer. He played as a defender. He was born in Liverpool.
Smith in October 1966 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Thomas Smith | ||
Date of birth | 5 April 1945 | ||
Place of birth | Liverpool, Lancashire, England | ||
Date of death | 12 April 2019 | (aged 74)||
Place of death | Crosby, Merseyside, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
Playing position | Defender | ||
Youth career | |||
1960–1962 | Liverpool | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1962–1978 | Liverpool | 467 | (36) |
1976 | → Tampa Bay Rowdies (loan) | 17 | (0) |
1978 | Los Angeles Aztecs | 12 | (0) |
1978–1979 | Swansea City | 36 | (2) |
Total | 532 | (38) | |
National team | |||
1965–1968 | England U23 | 10 | (2) |
1971 | England | 1 | (0) |
Teams managed | |||
1978 | Los Angeles Aztecs | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only |
Smith was best remembered for his time at Liverpool for 16 years from 1962 to 1978. He was known for his firm defensive style. Manager Bill Shankly once said of him: "Tommy Smith wasn't born, he was quarried". He was also nicknamed the "Anfield Iron". His most memorable moment for the club probably came when he scored Liverpool's second goal in the 1977 European Cup Final against Borussia Mönchengladbach. He also played at club level for Tampa Bay Rowdies, Los Angeles Aztecs and Swansea City. He played once for England, in 1971.
Smith had dementia in his final years. He died on 12 April 2019, at the age of 74.[1]
Statistics
Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Liverpool | 1962–63 | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1963–64 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1964–65 | First Division | 25 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 40 | 4 | |
1965–66 | First Division | 42 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 53 | 4 | |
1966–67 | First Division | 42 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 51 | 1 | |
1967–68 | First Division | 36 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 51 | 6 | |
1968–69 | First Division | 42 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 7 | |
1969–70 | First Division | 36 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 45 | 7 | |
1970–71 | First Division | 41 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 61 | 3 | |
1971–72 | First Division | 37 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 6 | |
1972–73 | First Division | 33 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 49 | 3 | |
1973–74 | First Division | 34 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 49 | 1 | |
1974–75 | First Division | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 45 | 3 | |
1975–76 | First Division | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
1976–77 | First Division | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 28 | 1 | |
1977–78 | First Division | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 34 | 2 | |
Total | 467 | 36 | 52 | 2 | 120 | 10 | 639 | 48 | ||
Tampa Bay Rowdies (loan) | 1976[2] | NASL | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
Los Angeles Aztecs | 1978[2] | NASL | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
Swansea City | 1978–79 | Third Division | 36 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 2 |
Career Total | 532 | 38 | 56 | 2 | 123 | 10 | 711 | 50 |
Honours
- Liverpool[3]
References
- ↑ Tommy Smith: Liverpool great dies, aged 74. BBC Sport. 12 April 2019. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47913937. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "NASL Stats". nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
- ↑ "Profile". lfchistory.net. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
Other websites
- Tommy Smith at WorldFootball.net