Biography
Experienced left back Shaun Smith joined the Tigers in July 2002 and was immediately put into Jan Molby’s new look City first team for the 2002/03 season. Smith scored a fine free kick winner at Cambridge in September 2002 but when Molby was replaced by Peter Taylor a month later Smith immediately dropped out of the first team picture as Taylor, a man always keen on having a range of left backs available, preferred ruddy Irishman Damien Delaney and youthful Steve Burton to the experienced Smith. When Andy Dawson was signed in July 2003 Smith must have known his first team chances would be practically nil and he spent time on loan at Stockport and Carlisle while seeing out the second year of his contract. His contract was terminated early in March 2004.
Shaun Smith was born in Leeds and played for Halifax Town as a teenager, making his debut for the Shaymen at 17 in September 1988. He played six further times for Halifax in three seasons before leaving in 1991. After six months at non-League Emley, Smith joined Crewe Alexandra in December 1991 and commenced an 11 year association with the Alex that featured a play-off final winning goal in 1997 that elevated the Cheshire side to the second tier. While rarely spectacular, Smith was a solid presence in the Crewe first team who took a decent free kick and across ten and a half seasons he made 469 appearances and scored 52 goals.
Smith joined Rochdale on on-contract terms in March 2004 but was not awarded a contract that summer. He joined York City in June 2004 and made 19 appearances for the Minstermen, a year he joined Alfreton Town where he played only once before retiring.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 9 April 1971, Leeds
Hull City First Game: 10 August 2002, Southend United H (League Division 3), 31 years, 123 days old
Hull City Final Game: 14 October 2003, Darlington A (Associate Members Cup First Round), 32 years, 188 days old
Clubs
Halifax Town (1988-1991), Emley (1991), Crewe Alexandra (1991-2002), Hull City (2002-2004), Rochdale (2004), York City (2004-2005), Alfreton Town (2005)
Hull City Record
Career: 25 apps, 1 goals
Shaun Smith| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002/03 | 17 (5) | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 2003/04 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 (0) | 0 |