Paul Smith (footballer, born 1971)

{{Short description|English footballer}}

{{other people||Paul Smith (disambiguation)}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Paul Smith

| image =

| fullname = Paul William Smith

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|9|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = East Ham, London, England

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1990–1993

| years2 = 1993

| years3 = 1993–1997

| years4 = 1997–2005

| years5 = 2005–2006

| years6 = 2005

| years7 = 2006

| years8 = 2006–2007

| years9 = 2007

| years10 = 2007

| years11 = 2007

| years12 = 2007

| years13 = 2007–2008

| years14 = 2008

| years15 = 2008–????

| clubs1 = Southend United

| clubs2 = → Dover Athletic (loan)

| clubs3 = Brentford

| clubs4 = Gillingham

| clubs5 = Walsall

| clubs6 = → Gillingham (loan)

| clubs7 = Swindon Town

| clubs8 = AFC Sudbury

| clubs9 = Torquay United

| clubs10 = Barnet

| clubs11 = Great Wakering Rovers

| clubs12 = St Albans City

| clubs13 = AFC Sudbury

| clubs14 = Margate

| clubs15 = Billericay Town

| caps1 = 20

| goals1 = 1

| caps2 = ?

| goals2 = ?

| caps3 = 159

| goals3 = 11

| caps4 = 342

| goals4 = 21

| caps5 = 8

| goals5 = 1

| caps6 = 3

| goals6 = 0

| caps7 = 9

| goals7 = 0 {{cite web|url=http://swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Person.asp?PersonID=SMITHPAU|title=Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk – Paul SMITH – Player Profile|work=swindon-town-fc.co.uk|accessdate=19 October 2015}}

| caps8 = 1

| goals8 = 1

| caps9 = 8

| goals9 = 0

| caps10 = 0

| goals10 = 0

| caps11 = 1

| goals11 = 0

| caps12 = 4

| goals12 = 0

| caps13 = 14

| goals13 = 2

| caps14 =

| goals14 =

| caps15 =

| goals15 =

| club-update = 26 January 2008 (UTC)

}}

Paul William Smith (born 18 September 1971) is an English former professional footballer.

Smith was born in East Ham, London and began his career as a trainee with Southend United, turning professional in 1990. He found his chances limited at Roots Hall and after a loan spell with Dover Athletic moved on to Brentford in August 1993 on a free transfer.

In August 1997 he joined Gillingham, where he enjoyed the most successful spell of his career. He captained the Kent side for a lengthy spell and was also named the club's player of the year on an unprecedented four occasions,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/football/teams/g/gillingham/4649483.stm|title=BBC SPORT – Football – My Club – Gillingham – Captain Smith leaves Gillingham|work=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=19 October 2015}} although his final reign ended in a bizarre dispute with chairman Paul Scally in which Smith reportedly refused to hand back the trophy until he was paid money he claimed the club owed him.{{cite web|url=http://home.skysports.com/column.aspx?hlid=381162&lid=Back_of_the_Net_column&title=Pets+and+Prizes&channel=skysports_home_page|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018153651/http://home.skysports.com/column.aspx?hlid=381162&lid=Back_of_the_Net_column&title=Pets+and+Prizes&channel=skysports_home_page|title=Sky Sports – The Best Sport Coverage From Around The World|archivedate=18 October 2006|work=skysports.com|accessdate=19 October 2015}}

While with Gillingham Smith played in both the 1999 and 2000 Football League Second Division play-off finals at Wembley, losing to Manchester City in 1999 on penalties, but achieving promotion to the second-tier for the first time in the Kent side's history in 2000 after defeating Wigan Athletic 3–2 (after extra time).{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} Football {{!}} Shoot-out success for City |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/356672.stm |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} FOOTBALL {{!}} Second time lucky for Gills |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/767702.stm |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}

He left Priestfield in 2005, after the team were relegated to Football League One and he was offered reduced terms.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4652235.stm|title=BBC SPORT – Football – My Club – Gillingham – Smith anguish at Gillingham exit|work=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=19 October 2015}}

In July 2005 he joined Walsall, returning to Gillingham in October 2005 to play three times in a loan spell.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4385322.stm|title=BBC SPORT – Football – My Club – Gillingham – Smith returning to Gills on loan|work=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=19 October 2015}} He moved to Swindon Town in January 2006,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swindon_town/4606458.stm|title=BBC SPORT – Football – My Club – Swindon Town – Swindon boss closes on Smith deal|work=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=19 October 2015}} but was released in June 2006 after Swindon sacked manager Iffy Onuora.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swindon_town/5052262.stm|title=BBC SPORT – Football – My Club – Swindon Town – Robins to part company with Smith|work=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=19 October 2015}}

He joined A.F.C. Sudbury in October 2006, but returned to league football when he joined Torquay United on 29 January 2007. He played eight times for Torquay as they were relegated to the Conference National. On the eve of the transfer window in August 2007, he joined Barnet, but just one day later Bees manager Paul Fairclough decided he didn't want the player and released him. Smith made one appearance for Great Wakering Rovers at the start of the 2007–08 season before moving to St Albans City for whom he made four starts before returning to A.F.C. Sudbury on 18 October 2007.

In May 2008 he joined Margate as a player/coach, forming part of a new management team headed by first team manager Barry Ashby, but the pair were sacked in October of the same year.{{cite web|url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/sport/ashby-and-smith-leave-gate-a45661|title=Ashby and Smith leave Gate|publisher=Kent Online|accessdate=28 October 2008|date=27 October 2008}} Smith next signed for Billericay Town, and on his debut scored the winning goal against Margate.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kentnews.co.uk/sport/smith_and_trott_team_up_to_haunt_margate_1_1045019 |title=Smith and Trott team up to haunt Margate |last=Glenn Pearson |date=3 November 2008 |publisher=YourThanet.co.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806120755/http://www.kentnews.co.uk/sport/smith_and_trott_team_up_to_haunt_margate_1_1045019 |archive-date=6 August 2016 |url-status=dead |accessdate=4 November 2008}}