Andy Smith (footballer, born 1980)

Andrew William Smith (born 25 September 1980) is a former Northern Ireland international footballer. He had a 16-year career playing professional and semi-professional football in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Belgium, and Portugal. He also won 18 caps for Northern Ireland between 2003 and 2005 and one cap for the Northern Ireland B team in 2003.

For the former Scottish footballer, see Andy Smith (footballer, born 1968).

Andy Smith

Personal information
Full name	Andrew William Smith[1]
Date of birth	(1980-09-25) 25 September 1980
Place of birth	Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Playing position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999	Ballyclare Comrades	9	(3)
1999–2002	Sheffield United	6	(0)
2000	→ Bury (loan)	2	(0)
2001	→ Glenavon (loan)	13	(3)
2002–2004	Glentoran	64	(31)
2004–2007	Preston North End	14	(0)
2004	→ Stockport County (loan)	1	(0)
2005	→ Motherwell (loan)	7	(0)
2006	→ Cheltenham Town (loan)	2	(0)
2007	Bristol City	10	(0)
2008–2009	Portadown	16	(9)
2009–2011	Ballymena United	46	(7)
2011–2012	Union Royale Namur
2012	Carrick Rangers	0	(0)
2014	Crusaders	8	(0)
2014–2015	Moura AC	7	(0)
Total		205	(53)
National team
2003	Northern Ireland B	1	(0)
2003–2005	Northern Ireland	18	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

An energetic forward, he began his career at Ballyclare Comrades, before signing with Sheffield United in September 1999. He played on loan at Bury and Glenavon, before signing with Glentoran in February 2002. He spent just over two years with the club, and his prolific scoring form helped the "Glens" to win the Irish League (2002–03), County Antrim Shield (2003), Irish League Cup (2003), and Irish Cup (2004). He was sold to Preston North End for £130,000 in July 2004, but failed to score a goal in the English Football League. He struggled with injuries and had brief loan spells at Stockport County, Motherwell, and Cheltenham Town. He joined Bristol City in February 2007, and helped the "Robins" to win promotion out of League One in 2006–07 despite again failing to score a goal. He went back into Northern Ireland semi-professional football with Portadown in October 2007, but did not play in the 2008–09 season due to a contract dispute. He joined Ballymena United in July 2009, and stayed with the club for two seasons. He later had brief stays at Union Royale Namur (Belgium), Carrick Rangers, Crusaders, and Mora (Portugal). He began his coaching career as Bruno Ribeiro's assistant at Mora, and later followed him to Pinhalnovense, Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria), Académico de Viseu, and Port Vale.

Club career

Early career

Smith began his career in the Irish League First Division with Ballyclare Comrades, before he was signed by English First Division side Sheffield United in September 1999. He had a two-month loan spell at Second Division club Bury in December 2000. In total he played ten games for the "Blades" in the 2000–01 campaign, and also featured three times for the "Shakers". He struggled with ankle and shoulder injuries at Bramall Lane.[3] He was loaned out to Glenavon in November 2001, and scored three goals in 13 Irish League Premier Division games.

Glentoran

Smith returned to Northern Ireland on a permanent basis when he signed with Glentoran in February 2002, and scored two goals in ten league games in the remainder of the 2001–02 campaign.[3] He had a prolific 2002–03 season to help Glentoran win a treble (the league title, County Antrim Shield, and Irish League Cup), scoring 35 goals in all competitions, and was described as a "fans favourite" due to his "peroxide blonde" hair and "cheeky goal celebrations".[3][4] His goal tally included a 12-minute hat-trick in a 6–1 win over Institute on New Year's Eve.[5] He played in the League Cup final, a 2–0 win over Linfield at Windsor Park.[6] He scored a goal as Glentoran lifted the County Antrim Shield with a 3–0 victory over Ballymena United.[7] The "Glens" could have won a quadruple, but lost 1–0 Coleraine in the final of the Irish Cup after a shot from Jody Tolan deflected off Smith into the net.[8] He was sidelined from The Oval for a month with a knee injury, but managed to score seven goals in 23 league games in the 2003–04 campaign.[9] He helped Glentoran to win the Irish Cup in his final appearance for the club, as they beat Coleraine 1–0 to avenge their defeat the previous year.[10]

Return to England

Smith returned to English professional football after he was signed by manager Craig Brown at Championship club Preston North End for an undisclosed fee (later reported to be £130,000[11]) in July 2004; his international teammate David Healy recommended the club to Smith.[12] He had been due to sign for Milton Keynes Dons when Preston hijacked the deal with a late bid to take him to Deepdale.[13] He featured in 17 games for the "Lambs" in the 2004–05 season, without scoring a goal. He was loaned out to League One club Stockport County in November 2004, who were managed by his former Northern Ireland boss Sammy McIlroy; Preston manager Billy Davies said he hoped the move would boost Smith's confidence levels.[14] However, he returned to Preston after playing just twice at Edgeley Park. He joined Scottish Premier League side Motherwell on loan in August 2005, and was described by manager Terry Butcher as "an enthusiastic type of player who always works his socks off".[15] He played nine matches for the "Steelmen" during the 2005–06 without scoring a goal at Fir Park.

He joined Cheltenham Town on loan in November 2006, which saw Cheltenham fans pay his wages as the club were in financial difficulties.[16] Manager John Ward said he was "really grateful to all the supporters who have come forward with the funds to make it happen".[17] However Smith made just three starts for the "Robins" before returning to Preston after three weeks after he refused to sit on the bench for an FA Cup first round replay at Scunthorpe United.[16] His Preston contract was cancelled by mutual consent in January 2007.[18] Smith joined Gary Johnson's Bristol City on a two-month contract on 23 February 2007.[19] He played 11 games in the remainder of the 2006–07 season, and left Ashton Gate after the "Robins" secured promotion into the Championship.

Later career

Despite failing to score a single goal in competitive football during his three years in England and Scotland, Smith remained an in demand player in Northern Ireland due to his record in the Irish leagues and his international caps.[20] He signed for Portadown in October 2007 after protracted negotiations due to his "excessive wage demands".[11] He showed "excellent scoring form" before he left the club two months later when his short-term contract ended.[21] He rejoined Portadown in February 2008, signing a contract running until the end of the 2009–10 season.[22] However, he refused to report for training after Portadown were relegated at the end of the 2008–09 season, and Portadown manager Ronnie McFall refused to release him from his contract.[23] Smith had a trial at League Two side Grimsby Town in July 2009.[24]

In July 2009, he signed a two-year contract with Ballymena United.[25] He was handed a six-match suspension after headbutting Newry City's Darren King on 3 December, which manager Roy Walker said was a "draconian punishment" for breaking an "outdated law" as "there was no contact between the players".[26] He scored six goals in 27 league games during the 2009–10 season and hit one goal in 19 league games throughout the 2010–11 campaign. He had his contract cancelled by mutual consent in April 2011, with manager Roy Walker claiming that Smith was planning to head to Vietnam.[27]

In August 2011, Smith signed for Belgian Third Division side Union Royale Namur. He left the club in February 2012.[28] On 30 August 2012, he signed with Michael Hughes's Carrick Rangers, but left the club the following day after accepting further trials with clubs in France and Belgium.[29] After joining former club Glentoran on trial in July 2013 to keep his fitness up, he signed for Crusaders on 2 January 2014 until the end of the 2013–14 season.[30] He was an unused substitute in the League Cup final defeat to Cliftonville.[31] He scored one goal for Crusaders, in a 2–1 win over Crumlin Star in the Irish Cup, before being released at the end of the season.[32]

International career

Smith won a cap for the Northern Ireland B team in a game against Scotland Future in May 2003.[33] He played well in the game, and as a result was called up to the full Northern Ireland squad by manager Sammy McIlroy to play against Italy on 3 June 2003.[34] He continued to play in the Northern Ireland team under new manager Lawrie Sanchez.[35] His final international appearance came in a 4–1 friendly defeat to Germany on 5 June 2005.[2]

Style of play

Smith was an energetic forward with great stamina and fitness.[36]

Coaching career

Smith began his coaching career as an assistant to former Sheffield United teammate Bruno Ribeiro, and also played seven Campeonato Nacional de Seniores games whilst helping Ribeiro coach Moura AC in the 2014–15 season. He later joined Ribeiro at Pinhalnovense and Vitória Setúbal.[37] He followed Ribeiro to Bulgarian Parva Liga side Ludogorets Razgrad in June 2015.[38] Smith left the club when Ribeiro was sacked six weeks later.[39] Smith later recalled how "mafia types with firework" tried to attack the pair of them in Bulgaria.[40] He followed Ribeiro back to Portugal to assist him at Académico de Viseu in February 2016, before following him to Port Vale five months later.[41][42] He departed Vale Park after Ribeiro resigned in December 2016.[43]

Personal life

Smith has a distinctive appearance, and in October 2016 was described by The Times journalist Gregor Robertson as "wild-eyed, heavily tattooed, flame-haired and bearded".[44]

Statistics

Club statistics

Club	Season	Division	League		National Cup[lower-alpha 1]		League Cup[lower-alpha 2]		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Ballyclare Comrades	1998–99[45]	Irish League First Division	9	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	3
Sheffield United	1999–2000[46]	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2000–01[47]	First Division	6	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	10	0
	Total		6	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	10	0
Bury (loan)	2000–01[47]	Second Division	2	0	0	0	0	0	1[lower-alpha 3]	0	3	0
Glentoran (loan)	2001–02[45][2]	Irish League Premier Division	13	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	15	4
Glentoran	2001–02[45]	Irish League Premier Division	10	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	12	3
	2002–03[45]	Irish League Premier Division	31	22	–	–	–	–	–	–	31	22
	2003–04[45]	Irish Premier League	23	7	–	–	–	–	–	–	23	7
	Total		64	31	2	1	0	0	0	0	66	32
Preston North End	2004–05[48]	Championship	14	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	17	0
	2005–06[49]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2006–07[50]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		14	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	17	0
Stockport County (loan)	2004–05[48]	League One	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Motherwell (loan)	2005–06[49]	Scottish Premier League	7	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	9	0
Cheltenham Town (loan)	2006–07[50]	League One	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Bristol City	2006–07[50]	League One	10	0	0	0	0	0	1[lower-alpha 3]	0	11	0
Portadown	2007–08[45]	Irish Premier League	16	9	–	–	–	–	–	–	16	9
	2008–09[45]	NIFL Championship 1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		16	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	16	9
Ballymena United	2009–10[51]	IFA Premiership	27	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	27	6
	2010–11[51]	IFA Premiership	19	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	21	1
	Total		46	7	0	0	2	0	0	0	48	7
Carrick Rangers	2012–13[45]	IFA Championship 1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Crusaders	2013–14[51][32]	NIFL Premiership	8	0	3	1	0	0	1[lower-alpha 4]	0	12	1
Moura AC	2014–15[51]	Campeonato Nacional de Seniores Serie H	7	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	7	0
Career total[lower-alpha 5]			205	53	9	3	11	0	3	0	225	56

1. Includes statistics in the Irish Cup and FA Cup.
2. Includes statistics in the League Cup, Scottish League Cup, and Northern Ireland League Cup.
3. Includes appearance/s in the Football League Trophy.
4. Includes appearance/s in the Setanta Sports Cup.
5. Statistics with Union Royale Namur and for numerous clubs in various domestic and European cup competitions in Northern Ireland not recorded.

International statistics

Northern Ireland national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2003	5	0
2004	10	0
2005	3	0
Total[45]	18	0

Honours

Glentoran

• Irish League: 2002–03[2]
• County Antrim Shield: 2003[2]
• Irish League Cup: 2003[2]
• Irish Cup runner-up: 2003[2]
• Irish Cup: 2004[2]

Bristol City

• League One runner-up: 2006–07[2]

Crusaders

• Irish League Cup runner-up: 2014[31]

References

1. "Andy Smith". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
2. "Profile". nifootball.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
3. "Shooting star Smith". BBC Sport. 20 March 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
4. "McIlroy sets sights on Smith". BBC Sport. 19 November 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
5. "Smith hat-trick in Glens romp". BBC Sport. 31 December 2002. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
6. "Glens win Big Two final". BBC Sport. 3 December 2002. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
7. "Glens lift County Antrim Shield". BBC Sport. 4 March 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
8. "Coleraine stun Glens in final". BBC Sport. 3 May 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
9. "Smith still sidelined". BBC Sport. 24 December 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
10. "Glentoran win cup decider". BBC Sport. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
11. "Smith Ports move in the balance". BBC Sport. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
12. "Smith signs for Preston". BBC Sport. 3 July 2004. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
13. "Smith set for Preston". BBC Sport. 1 July 2004. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
14. "Smith signs for Stockport on loan". BBC Sport. 12 November 2004. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
15. "Striker Smith in Motherwell move". BBC Sport. 5 August 2005. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
16. "Allen set for emergency loan kitty". Gloucestershire Media Group. 12 February 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
17. "Smith moves to Cheltenham on loan". BBC Sport. 2 November 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
18. O'Rourke, Peter. "Robins snap up Smith". Sky Sports. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
19. "Bristol City sign striker Smith". BBC Sport. 23 February 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
20. "Trio target ex-NI striker Smith". BBC Sport. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
21. "Glentoran chasing in-form Smith". BBC Sport. 28 December 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
22. "Smith agrees Portadown contract". BBC Sport. 20 February 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
23. "Smith goes missing from Portadown". BBC. 3 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 3 December 2008.
24. "Mariners look at Smith". Sky Sports. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
25. "Striker Smith signs for Ballymena". BBC Sport. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
26. "Ballymena striker Andy Smith is handed a six-match ban". BBC Sport. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
27. "Striker Andy Smith first to depart Ballymena United". BBC Sport. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
28. "Football (Promotion D): Andy Smith a quitté l'UR Namur". La Meuse (in French). 16 February 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
29. "Former NI striker Andy Smith makes quick Carrick Rangers exit". BBC Sport. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
30. "Former NI forward Andy Smith joins Crusaders". BBC Sport. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
31. "Cliftonville vs. Crusaders - 25 January 2014 - Soccerway". au.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
32. "Crues edge Star in Irish Cup encounter". BBC Sport. 11 January 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
33. "Smith and Hamilton rewarded". BBC Sport. 22 May 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
34. "No move for Smith". BBC Sport. 23 December 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
35. "Smith clear for NI trip". BBC Sport. 25 March 2004. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
36. "Smith now a transfer target". BBC Sport. 12 June 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
37. "Moura AC Several senior squad outputs!". distritalbeja.blogspot.co.uk (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 July 2016.
38. "Andy Smith appointed assistant coach at Ludogorets". BBC Sport. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
39. "Ludogorets wants to dismiss Bruno Ribeiro for cause". Ojogo (in Portuguese). 2 September 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
40. Baggaley, Mike (14 October 2016). "Port Vale: Andy Smith recalls being attacked by fans in Bulgaria". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
41. "NEW CNEW COACH OF VISEU PRESENTED ACADEMICOACH OF VISEU PRESENTED ACADEMIC". Jornal Do Centro (in Portuguese). 15 February 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
42. Baggaley, Mike (9 July 2016). "Andy Smith joins Valiants". The Sentinel. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
43. "Port Vale: Three of Bruno Ribeiro's backroom staff leave League One club". BBC Sport. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
44. Robertson, Gregor (3 October 2016). "I'm like Mourinho, says Potteries' Special One". The Times. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
45. "Andy Smith". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
46. "Games played by Andy Smith in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
47. "Games played by Andy Smith in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
48. "Games played by Andy Smith in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
49. "Games played by Andy Smith in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
50. "Games played by Andy Smith in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
51. Andy Smith at Soccerway