Wilf Smith (footballer, born 1917)

English footballer

Wilf SmithPersonal information

Full name|  Wilfred Smith[1]
Date of birth|  (1917-04-18)18 April 1917[1]
Place of birth|  Hanley, Staffordshire, England[1]
Date of death|  4 May 1995(1995-05-04) (aged 78)[1]
Place of death|  Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Position(s)|  Midfielder
Youth career
|  Hot Lane Juniors
|  Sneyd Colliery
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
1936–1950|  Port Vale|  87|  (0)
|  Buxton|  |
|  Stafford Rangers|  |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Wilfred Smith (18 April 1917 – 4 May 1995) was an English footballer who played as a midfielder for Port Vale either side of World War II. He made 164 appearances for the club in league and cup competitions, and later played for Buxton and Stafford Rangers.

## Career[edit]

Smith joined Port Vale from Sneyd Colliery in October 1936.[1] He made his Third Division North debut in the 1936–37 season, before playing 21 league games in the 1937–38 campaign.[1] He made 37 appearances in the Third Division South during the 1938–39 campaign.[1] He guested for Nottingham Forest and Southend United during World War II.[1] He returned to The Old Recreation Ground after the war, and featured 27 times in the 1946–47 season.[1] He played only once in each of the 1947–48 and 1948–49 campaigns, and was given a free transfer in April 1950 by manager Gordon Hodgson.[1] He finished his career playing for non-League sides Buxton and Stafford Rangers, before becoming a scout for Portsmouth.[1]

## Career statistics[edit]

Source:[2]

Club  | Season  | Division  | League  | FA Cup  | Other  | Total

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Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Port Vale | 1936–37 | Third Division North | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
1937–38 | Third Division North  | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0
1938–39 | Third Division South  | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 0
1939–40 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0
1945–46 |  | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0
1946–47 | Third Division South  | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0
1947–48 | Third Division South  | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
1948–49 | Third Division South  | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Total  | 87 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 101 | 0

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 275\. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. ^ Wilf Smith at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals