Background
Smith was born in Sunderland, which was then in County Durham.
Smith was born in Sunderland, which was then in County Durham.
He also played non-league football for Easington Colliery Welfare, Yeovil & Petters United and Bath City. He began his football career with the Easington school team, and had been playing football as a centre half for Easington Colliery Welfare for "two or three seasons" when he joined Third Division South club Clapton Orient on trial in December 1929. The trial came to nothing, but a year later – by which time he was reportedly "one of the best half-backs in the Wearside League" – he signed for Watford.
In August 1932, he signed for Clapton Orient on a free transfer, but played only twice in the league, and in the summer of 1933 returned to the north-east of England to join Darlington.
He appeared more frequently for Darlington, playing 13 times in the Third Division North and scoring once. In June 1934, he joined Southern League club Yeovil & Petters United.
He played twice for Bath City in the 1936-1937 season.