Wilf Smith (footballer, born 1917)

Wilf Smith

Personal information
Full name	Wilfred Smith
Date of birth	(1917-04-18)18 April 1917
Place of birth	Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Date of death	4 May 1995(1995-05-04) (aged 78)
Place of death	Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, England
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	Hot Lane Juniors
	Sneyd Colliery
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1936–1950	Port Vale	87	(0)
	Buxton
	Stafford Rangers
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Wilfred Smith (18 April 1917 – 4 May 1995) was an English footballer who played as a midfielder for Port Vale either side of World War II. He made 164 appearances for the club in league and cup competitions, and later played for Buxton and Stafford Rangers.

Career

Smith joined Port Vale from Sneyd Colliery in October 1936. He made his Third Division North debut in the 1936–37 season, before playing 21 league games in the 1937–38 campaign. He made 37 appearances in the Third Division South during the 1938–39 campaign. He guested for Nottingham Forest and Southend United during World War II. He returned to The Old Recreation Ground after the war, and featured 27 times in the 1946–47 season. He played only once in each of the 1947–48 and 1948–49 campaigns, and was given a free transfer in April 1950 by manager Gordon Hodgson. He finished his career playing for non-League sides Buxton and Stafford Rangers, before becoming a scout for Portsmouth.

Career statistics

Source:

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Port Vale	1936–37	Third Division North	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	1937–38	Third Division North	21	0	0	0	1	0	22	0
	1938–39	Third Division South	37	0	2	0	1	0	40	0
	1939–40		0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0
	1945–46		0	0	6	0	0	0	6	0
	1946–47	Third Division South	26	0	2	0	0	0	28	0
	1947–48	Third Division South	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	1948–49	Third Division South	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		87	0	10	0	4	0	101	0