The son of a South African rugby union international, Smith began his career as an amateur with Hitchin Town in the early 1930s, playing in one of that club"s finest teams and helping them to the Spartan League title in 1935, before turning professional when he joined Millwall later that year.
In the 1937-1938 season Smith enjoyed even greater success, as hurtled to the Division Three South title, while also claiming the London FA Challenge Cup by defeating Crystal Palace. Smith became "s last full England internationalist in 1938, when he was selected for two games in seven days in November, despite only playing in the English second tier at the time. When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Smith, like many other football players, found his career disrupted.
He joined the Royal Air Force and continued to appear sporadically for when his military schedule allowed.
He was transferred to Royal Air Force Leuchars in Fife in 1944 and subsequently turned out for as a guest in the war-time North-Eastern League. When the hostilities finished, he joined the Dark Blues on a permanent deal in March 1946, helping them to the B Division title in 1946-1947.
In 1948, Smith was appointed player-manager of Corby Town upon the club"s formation but left after only a couple of months for family reasons, returning north to where he became a coach. After two seasons of steady mid-table finishes, he resigned to take over as manager of (then bottom of Division One) in January 1957.
Three months later, Smith had saved the Bairns from relegation and led his new club to victory in the Scottish Cup.
In the summer of 1959, Smith was approached by old club to replace Jimmy Seed as manager, and he returned to the Londoners for the beginning of the 1959-1960 season. His side started well, setting a record 19 match unbeaten run. However, a high proportion of draws ensured they finished no higher than 5th, just missing out on promotion from Division Four.
Despite challenging at the top of the table again the following season, sacked Smith in January 1961, replacing him with assistant Ron Gray.
Smith then enjoyed two separate spells in charge of Bedford Town in the 1960s and 1970s, and spells in South Africa before his retirement. As a player As a manager.
