Matthew Smith (footballer, born 1999)
{{Short description|Welsh footballer (born 1999)}}
{{other people|Matthew Smith}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Matthew Smith
| image =
| full_name = Matthew Robert Smith{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/1335777 |title=2019/20 Premier League squads confirmed |publisher=Premier League |date=3 September 2019 |access-date=3 September 2019}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|11|22|df=y}}{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/matt-smith-256137/ |title=Matt Smith |website=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises |access-date=21 September 2019}}
| birth_place = Redditch, England
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Newport County
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2013 | youthclubs1 = West Bromwich Albion
| youthyears2 = 2013–2018 | youthclubs2 = Manchester City
| years1 = 2018–2022 | clubs1 = Manchester City |caps1 = 0 |goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2018–2019 | clubs2 = → Twente (loan) |caps2 = 34 |goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2019–2020 | clubs3 = → Queens Park Rangers (loan)|caps3 = 8 |goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2020 | clubs4 = → Charlton Athletic (loan) |caps4 = 2 |goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2020–2021 | clubs5 = → Doncaster Rovers (loan) |caps5 = 40 |goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2021–2022 | clubs6 = → Hull City (loan) |caps6 = 9 |goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2022–2023 | clubs7 = Milton Keynes Dons |caps7 = 25 |goals7 = 2
| years8 = 2023–2025 | clubs8 = St Johnstone |caps8 = 54 |goals8 = 1
| years9 = 2025– |clubs9 = Newport County |caps9 = 0 |goals9 = 0
| totalcaps =
| totalgoals =
| nationalyears1 = 2015–2016 | nationalteam1 = Wales U17 | nationalcaps1 = 10 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2016 | nationalteam2 = Wales U19 | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2017 | nationalteam3 = Wales U21 | nationalcaps3 = 5 | nationalgoals3 = 1
| nationalyears4 = 2018– | nationalteam4 = Wales | nationalcaps4 = 19 | nationalgoals4 = 0
| medaltemplates =
| club-update = 08:31, 17 June 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 21:29, 22 September 2022 (UTC)
}}
Matthew Robert Smith (born 22 November 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|NewportC}} club Newport County and the Wales national team.{{WorldFootball.net|matt-smith_3}}
Club career
=Manchester City=
Having initially joined the academy of West Bromwich Albion at a young age, in 2013 Smith moved to the academy of Manchester City, where he progressed through several age groups.{{cite web |url=https://www.mancity.com/news/academy/academy-news/2016/september/all-about-matt-smith |title=All about...Matt Smith |publisher=Manchester City |date=1 September 2016 |access-date=2 February 2022 }}
In July 2018 at the age of 18, Smith joined Dutch Eerste Divisie club FC Twente on a season-long loan,{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44714664 |title=Matt Smith: Manchester City's Wales midfielder joins FC Twente on loan |work=BBC Sport |date=4 July 2018 |access-date=2 February 2022 }} eventually making 37 appearances and scoring 2 goals, playing a key role in the club's promotion to the Eredivisie.{{cite web |url=https://www.mkdons.com/news/2022/january/matt-smith-joins-from-man-city/ |title=Matt Smith joins from Man City |publisher=Milton Keynes Dons |date=31 January 2022 |access-date=2 January 2022 }} Over the next two seasons, he was again sent out on loan to EFL Championship clubs Queens Park Rangers and Charlton Athletic, as well as EFL League One club Doncaster Rovers, making over 40 appearances for the latter. Ahead of the 2021–22 season, on 6 August 2021 Smith joined EFL Championship club Hull City on another season-long loan.{{cite web |url=https://www.wearehullcity.co.uk/news/2021/august/matt-smith-joins-on-loan/ |title=Matt Smith Joins On Loan |publisher=Hull City |date=6 August 2021 |access-date=2 February 2022 }}
=Milton Keynes Dons=
On 31 January 2022, following limited opportunities with Hull, Smith was recalled from his loan and immediately transferred to League One club Milton Keynes Dons on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for the club on 8 February 2022, in a 1–1 draw away to Fleetwood Town.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60210078 |title=Fleetwood Town 1-1 Milton Keynes Dons |publisher=BBC |date=8 February 2021 |access-date=10 February 2021 }}
=St. Johnstone=
In August 2023 Smith joined Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone on a two-year contract.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66413923|title=Matt Smith: St Johnstone sign MK Dons' Wales midfielder on two-year deal|date=5 August 2023|accessdate=17 June 2025|work=BBC Sport}} On 5 January 2025 he was substituted by St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari within 30 minutes of the start of the Scottish Premiership home defeat to Dundee, with Dundee leading 3-0.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c4gpy30j1y9t St St Johnstone v Dundee] Dundee won the match 3-1 and Smith was not selected again for St Johnsone again in the 2024-25 season as St Johnstone were subsequently relegated from the Scottish Premiership under Valakari at the end of that season.[https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/5248577/matt-smith-st-johnstone-exit/ Smith dropped by St Johnstone]
Smith was released by St Johnstone at the end of the 2024-25 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/5248577/matt-smith-st-johnstone-exit/|title=Matt Smith the first player to confirm St Johnstone exit as overhaul begins|first=Eric|last=Nicolson|date=19 May 2025|accessdate=17 June 2025}}
=Newport County=
International career
Smith qualifies for the Wales national team through his grandfather who is from Blackwood, Wales.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47713111|title=Matt Smith: Wales midfielder signs new Manchester City deal|website=BBC Sport|date=26 March 2019|accessdate=21 September 2019}}
Smith has played for Wales at U17, U19, U21 and senior level, often captaining the side at youth level. He received a first call-up to the senior squad on 20 May 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.mcfcwatch.com/2018/05/20/manchester-city-academy-midfielder-called-up-by-ryan-giggs-for-wales-senior-squad/|title=Manchester City academy midfielder called up by Ryan Giggs for Wales senior squad – City Watch|publisher=|access-date=29 May 2018|archive-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815044945/https://www.mcfcwatch.com/2018/05/20/manchester-city-academy-midfielder-called-up-by-ryan-giggs-for-wales-senior-squad/|url-status=dead}}
He made his senior debut for Wales in a friendly 0–0 tie with Mexico, replacing Tom Lawrence after 81 minutes.{{cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/mexico-vs-wales/388746|title=Internationals (Sky Sports)|website=SkySports}} In May 2021 he was selected for the Wales squad for the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57301006|title=Uncapped Colwill in Wales Euro 2020 squad|work=BBC Sport }} In November 2022 he was named in the Wales squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63545011|title=World Cup 2022: The 26 Wales players carrying a nation's hopes|date=9 November 2022|accessdate=17 June 2025|work=BBC Sport}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|18 February 2023}}{{cite web|title=Soccerway profile|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/matthew-smith/400910/|website=Soccerway|accessdate=19 December 2019}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|League cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="5"|Manchester City
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019–20
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020–21
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021–22
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FC Twente (loan)
|2018–19{{Soccerway|matthew-smith/400910|accessdate=21 September 2019}} |34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 37 | 2 | |||
| Queens Park Rangers (loan)
|8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 0 | ||
| Charlton Athletic (loan)
|Championship |2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Doncaster Rovers (loan)
|2020–21{{soccerbase season|107014|2020|accessdate=8 September 2020}} |40 | 1 | 3 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 43 | 1 | ||
| Hull City (loan)
|Championship |9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 0 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Milton Keynes Dons
|2021–22{{soccerbase season|107014|2021|accessdate=31 January 2022}} |League One |4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 2022–23{{soccerbase season|107014|2022|accessdate=7 June 2022}}
|League One |21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3One appearance in the EFL Trophy | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 2 | |
| St Johnstone
|2023–24{{soccerbase season|107014|2023|accessdate=5 August 2023}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!118 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 133 | 5 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|22 September 2022}}{{NFT player|71222|name=Smith, Matthew|accessdate=17 June 2021}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"|Wales
|2018 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 19 | 0 |
Honours
FC Twente
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase|107014}}
- [https://www.mkdons.com/teams/first-team/midfielder/matthew-smith/ Milton Keynes Dons profile]
- {{Soccerway|matthew-smith/400910}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20180529203116/http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/season=2018/clubs/player=250081812/profile/index.html UEFA Youth League Profile]
- {{Premier League player|14794}}
- {{WorldFootball.net|matt-smith_3}}
{{Newport County A.F.C. squad}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Wales squads
| bg = #D81E05
| fg = white
| bordercolor = green
| list1 =
{{Wales squad UEFA Euro 2020}}
{{Wales squad 2022 FIFA World Cup}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Matthew}}
Category:Footballers from Redditch
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen
Category:Wales men's youth international footballers
Category:Wales men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Wales men's international footballers
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Welsh descent
Category:Manchester City F.C. players
Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players
Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. players
Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. players
Category:Hull City A.F.C. players
Category:Milton Keynes Dons F.C. players
Category:St Johnstone F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Eerste Divisie players
Category:UEFA Euro 2020 players
Category:2022 FIFA World Cup players
Category:Welsh expatriate men's footballers
Category:Welsh expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands