Les Smith (football player, 1927)

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Les Smith
Personnel
Surname Leslie Joseph Smith
birthday December 24, 1927
place of birth Halesowen ,  England
date of death March 8, 2008
Place of death Stourbridge ,  England
position Right winger
Juniors
Years station
1945-1946 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Men's
Years station Games (goals) 1
1946-1956 Wolverhampton Wanderers 88 (22)
1956-1960 Aston Villa 115 (24)
1 Only league games are given.

Leslie Joseph "Les" Smith (born December 24, 1927 in Halesowen , † March 8, 2008 in Stourbridge ) was an English football player . The right winger began his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers , but was rarely able to assert himself against high-profile competitors in his position like Johnny Hancocks and moved to Aston Villa in February 1956 . With the "Villans" he won the FA Cup in 1957 , but had to end his active career early due to an injury before his 30th birthday.

Athletic career

Smith joined the Wolverhampton Wanderers as an amateur in June 1945 and signed their first professional contract in April 1946. The young right winger received in the closing stages of the 1947/48 season from coach Ted Vizard by telegram for the game against Stoke City on April 17, an invitation to take part in a first division game and represented the regular winger Johnny Hancocks in the 3-2 win . It was not until the 1951/52 season under Vizard's successor Stan Cullis that Smith, known for his speed and ingenuity, came into play more regularly and in his 15 league appearances he scored seven goals (including six in December 1951). However, the sporting breakthrough was denied him over the course of the years. This was also due to the strong internal competitive situation, because Hancocks was considered one of the best in English football in his position. As a substitute, Smith occasionally slipped into other roles, for example on the left for the no less prominent Jimmy Mullen . Instead of Mullen, Smith ran four times in the 1953/54 championship season for the Wolves and contributed a goal to the 2-1 win on October 10, 1953 against Newcastle United . Smith had his most personally profitable year in the 1954/55 season with 38 competitive appearances (and winning the runner-up behind Chelsea ), but after Mullen's comeback Wolverhampton let him move on to Aston Villa in February 1956 for a transfer fee of 25,000 pounds , which in the first English league fought for relegation.

Smith joined Aston Villa at the same time as Jimmy Dugdale and was immediately instrumental in averting the relegation. About twelve months later he reached the final of the FA Cup with the "Villans". There Smith defeated the famous "Busby Babes" from Manchester United surprisingly 2-1 - "favored" by the early injury of United's goalie Ray Wood . In the championship, too, things went well for the newcomer with twelve goals in the 1956/57 season . Smith remained a regular for the next two years, but the time ended with a sporting disappointment when Aston Villa, penultimate in the table , were relegated to the second division. Smith's career ended abruptly due to a ruptured Achilles tendon . In the 1959/60 season he was unable to contribute to the promotion as a second division champion and resigned as an active professional athlete in 1960.

In March 2008, at the age of 80, Smith died of complications from cancer at the Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge .

successes

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Wolves star Les Smith memorabilia up for auction (Birmingham Mail)
  2. ↑ Les Smith (lerwill-life.org.uk)
  3. ↑ Villa's Fab 50 top player countdown: 32 Les Smith (Aston Villa)
  4. ↑ Cup Hero Dies (Aston Villa)
personal data
SURNAME Smith, Les
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Smith, Leslie Joseph (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English soccer player
DATE OF BIRTH December 24, 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH Halesowen
DATE OF DEATH March 8, 2008
Place of death Stourbridge