404 Fred Smith

Biography

Frederick Adamson “Fred” Smith was born in Aberdeen and started his football career at Aberdonian shipyard works team Hall Russell’s FC. In the 1948 close season he joined Aberdeen and learned his trade in the Dons’ reserves team before making three first team appearances at the start of the 1949/50 season. Fred was watched by Hull City’s chief scout and former manager Jack Hill, who arranged the transfer of Smith to the Tigers in October 1949. After impressing in City’s reserves Fred was introduced to the first team by manager Raich Carter in March 1950 and he remained in the first team picture for the rest of the season. After a superb start to the season Carter’s team was embarked on a dreadful winless run of games that saw the Tigers drift into mid-table – that run was broken in mid-April when City beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at Boothferry Park in front of 38,000 fans and it was Fred Smith that scored the only goal.

At the start of the 1949/50 season regular inside right Don Revie was restored to the first team and it wasn’t until mid-October that Smith was selected for two league matches with Revie dropping into the half back line. He continued to fill in for injured colleagues in either inside forward position during the rest of the season, but in May 1951 he was transferred to Division Two rivals Sheffield United, making his Blades debut on the last day of the season.

Smith was Sheffield United’s first choice inside right for the 1951/52 season, contributing 11 league goals including a brace in a 5-5 draw against Leicester City. He made three starts in the opening month of the 1952/53 season before dropping into the reserves – when he left Bramall Lane three montsh later Smith had made 44 appearances for the Blades and scored 11 goals. He moved to Millwall in January 1953 and played for the Lions for three and a half years. He was first choice inside right for two full seasons then used more sparingly in 1955/56 season. In July 1956 he left for Chesterfield having made 97 starts for Millwall and scored 21 goals. He made only seven starts for the Spireites before leaving the club in November 1956, citing a desire to return to Scotland.

Smith initially joined Montrose in November 1956 but after only two starts he moved again a month later to Highland League side Buckie Thistle. He spent the rest of his playing days in that league, moving to Fraserburgh in the 1957 close season then Peterhead in 1960. Smith remained in the North East of Scotland for the rest of his life, dying in Aberdeen in December 2006.

Details

Nationality: Scotland
Date/Place of Birth: 14 February 1926, Aberdeen
Hull City First Game: 4 March 1950, Preston North End A (Division Two), 24 years, 18 days old
Hull City Final Game: 26 March 1951, Leeds United A (Division Two), 25 years, 40 days old

Clubs

Hall Russells FC, Aberdeen (1948-1949), Hull City (1949-1951), Sheffield United (1951-1953), Millwall (1953-1956), Chesterfield (1956), Montrose (1956), Buckie Thistle (1956-1957), Fraserburgh (1957-1960), Peterhead (1960-1962)

Hull City Record

Career: 17 apps, 1 goals

Fred Smith
SeasonLGE
App
LGE
Gls
FAC
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FLC
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FLC
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EUR
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EUR
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OTH
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OTH
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1949/5091--------
1950/5180--------

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