Background
Smith was born in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire and played his early football for Ashton Athletic and Ashton Town in their pre-league era.
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Tom Smith
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In May 1897, he joined Preston North End where another player of the same name was already playing, also as an outside-forward. The directors of agreed to sign him, apparently under the misapprehension that they were signing the other player, who had established a reputation for being a "star". The "Saints" were about to embark on their first season in their new stadium and Smith made his debut for in the opening match at The Dell, against Brighton United on 3 September 1898.
Smith scored the final goal in a 4–1 victory - the goal was described as "just such a goal as there is no doubt about – a shot which beats the goalkeeper almost before it is made".
Despite this auspicious start, Smith"s subsequent indifferent form led the directors to realise that they had acquired the services of the wrong player, and by February Smith had lost his place, initially to Tom Nicol and then to Jimmy Yates. Smith left the Saints in the summer of 1899, to join Queens Park Rangers for their first season in the Southern League.
He returned to Preston in 1900 and spent one further season in the Football League, making two more appearances.
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Nationality
United Kingdom