Sam Smith

Who is Sam Smith?

Samuel James "Sam" Smith was an English footballer who played as a centre forward. He scored 17 goals in 46 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham, Norwich and Walsall.

Smith was born in Pelsall, then in Staffordshire. He played for Walsall LMS before joining Birmingham in 1930. He scored twice on his debut against local rivals Aston Villa, and finished the 1931–32 season with ten goals from 15 league games, but the following season Bob Gregg regained his place alongside Joe Bradford in attack. Under George Liddell, who took over from Leslie Knighton as manager, Smith played rarely, and in 1934 he followed Knighton to Chelsea. He failed to make the first team at Chelsea, and a year later moved on to Norwich City, but six months produced only one league appearance, so he returned to the Midlands with Walsall in January 1936. At the end of that season he moved into non-league football with Stourbridge.