Jim Smith (footballer, born 1940)

For other footballers of the same name, see Jim Smith.

Jim Smith
Smith in 2006
Personal information
Full name James Michael Smith
Date of birth (1940-10-17)17 October 1940
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Date of death 10 December 2019(2019-12-10) (aged 79)
Position(s) Wing half
Youth career
Oaksfield[1]
1957–1959 Sheffield United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1959–1961 Sheffield United 0 (0)
1961–1965 Aldershot 74 (1)
1965–1968 Halifax Town 113 (7)
1968–1969 Lincoln City 54 (0)
1969–1972 Boston United[2] 123 (13)
1972–1973 Colchester United 8 (0)
Total 372 (8)
Managerial career
1969–1972 Boston United (player-manager)
1972–1975 Colchester United (player-manager)
1975–1978 Blackburn Rovers
1978–1982 Birmingham City
1982–1985 Oxford United
1985–1988 Queens Park Rangers
1988–1991 Newcastle United
1991–1995 Portsmouth
1995–2001 Derby County
2002 Coventry City (assistant manager)
2002–2004 Portsmouth (assistant manager)
2004–2005 Southampton (assistant manager)
2006–2007 Oxford United
2008 Oxford United (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

James Michael Smith (17 October 1940 – 10 December 2019) was an English footballer and manager. As a player, he made 249 appearances in the Fourth Division of the Football League, representing Aldershot, Halifax Town, Lincoln City and Colchester United, and played for 3+1⁄2 years for Boston United of the Northern Premier League. He began a long managerial career with Boston United, and went on to take charge of top division clubs such as Birmingham City, Newcastle United and Derby County. Smith served as a member of the board of directors of Oxford United for three years from 2006 to 2009. He served as the League Managers' Association's chief executive and was inducted into their Hall of Fame for managing over 1000 matches.[3] He was nicknamed "The Bald Eagle".[4]

  1. ^ "Jim Smith". Rage Online. Archived from the original on 29 November 2004. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Season 1969/70 – Statistics". Boston United FC. Ken Fox. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
    "Season 1970/71 – Statistics". Boston United FC. Ken Fox. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
    "Season 1971/72 – Statistics". Boston United FC. Ken Fox. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  3. ^ "English Managerial Stalwart Jim Smith Dies at 79". The New York Times. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  4. ^ Hodges, Vicki (4 May 2006). "Jim Smith backs protege McClaren". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 May 2009.