Alan M. Smith
Encyclopedia
Alan Martin Smith is an English
former football striker. He played for Leicester City
and Arsenal
at professional level, and won thirteen caps for England
.
in north Worcestershire, where he had a great bond with Roger Lewis, who provided the knowledge and passion to spark Alan to new heights. He then signed professional forms with Leicester City
in June 1982. In his first season, he scored 13 goals in a partnership with Gary Lineker
, as the Foxes won promotion to the First Division
. He spent five seasons at Leicester, scoring 84 goals in 206 appearances. He was transferred to Arsenal in 1987.
, the Football League Cup
(in their 1993 'Cup Double') and in Europe the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
. He scored the first goal in Arsenal's dramatic League Championship winning victory
at Anfield
in May 1989, and the only goal of the 1994 European Cup Winners' Cup Final victory against Parma
. Smith was Arsenal's top scorer for four consecutive seasons, and the top scorer in the First Division in the 1988-89 season with 23 goals.
He was a well discliplined player, receiving just one yellow card throughout his entire career. He retired from professional football in July 1995 after failing to recover from an ankle injury which had kept him out of action for much of the previous two seasons. Several clubs, including Watford
, had expressed an interest in signing Smith just before he announced his retirement from playing.
for Sky Sports
. Recently Smith has appeared more regularly on Sky since the departure of Andy Gray and has taken the role as the main co-commentator for the Premier League games which Sky broadcast. In 2011 he commentated on the Champions League
final alongside Martin Tyler
. On June 30, 2011, EA Sports
announced that Smith would replace Andy Gray as Martin Tyler's partner in commentating in FIFA 12
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football striker. He played for Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
and Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
at professional level, and won thirteen caps for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Leicester City
A striker, Smith started his career at non-league AlvechurchAlvechurch F.C.
Alvechurch Football Club is English association football club based in Alvechurch, near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, currently playing in the Midland Football Alliance. They are affiliated with the Worcestershire County Football Association.-History:...
in north Worcestershire, where he had a great bond with Roger Lewis, who provided the knowledge and passion to spark Alan to new heights. He then signed professional forms with Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in June 1982. In his first season, he scored 13 goals in a partnership with Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
, as the Foxes won promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. He spent five seasons at Leicester, scoring 84 goals in 206 appearances. He was transferred to Arsenal in 1987.
Arsenal
Smith enjoyed a successful career with the Gunners, winning all three major domestic trophies - two League Championships, the FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
(in their 1993 'Cup Double') and in Europe the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
. He scored the first goal in Arsenal's dramatic League Championship winning victory
Liverpool 0–2 Arsenal (26 May 1989)
The final match of the 1988–89 English Football League season was contested on 26 May 1989, between Liverpool and Arsenal, at Liverpool's Anfield ground. By sheer coincidence, it was the match between the top two teams in the First Division and the teams were close enough on points for the match to...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
in May 1989, and the only goal of the 1994 European Cup Winners' Cup Final victory against Parma
Parma F.C.
Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...
. Smith was Arsenal's top scorer for four consecutive seasons, and the top scorer in the First Division in the 1988-89 season with 23 goals.
He was a well discliplined player, receiving just one yellow card throughout his entire career. He retired from professional football in July 1995 after failing to recover from an ankle injury which had kept him out of action for much of the previous two seasons. Several clubs, including Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, had expressed an interest in signing Smith just before he announced his retirement from playing.
Leicester City
- Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
/ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
1982-83 in English footballThe 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
Arsenal
- First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
/Premier League- Winner (2): 1988-89The Football League 1988-89The 1988–1989 season was the 89th completed season of the Football League.No European qualification took place due to the Heysel Stadium disaster suspension in place....
, 1990-91The Football League 1990-91The 1990–1991 season was the 91st completed season of The Football League.-First Division:Arsenal took their second league title in three seasons despite a season during which it often looked as though the good points would be outnumbered by the bad points...
,
- Winner (2): 1988-89
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- Winner (1): 19931993 FA Cup FinalThe 1993 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley. The original match, played on 15 May 1993 finished 1–1, with Arsenal winning the replay on 20 May; 2–1 after extra-time....
- Winner (1): 1993
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
- Winner (1): 1992-931993 Football League Cup FinalThe 1993 Coca Cola Cup Final took place on 18 April 1993 at Wembley Stadium, and was played between Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday. Arsenal won 2–1 in normal time, in what was the first of three Wembley finals between the two sides that season; Arsenal and Wednesday also met in the FA Cup...
- Winner (1): 1992-93
- UEFA Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
- Winner (1): 1993-94
- FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
(then the FA Charity Shield)- Winner (1): 1991 (shared),
Individual
- English Golden Boot Winner (2): 1988-891988-89 in English footballThe 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
, 1990-911990-91 in English footballThe 1990–91 season was the 111th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Arsenal won the league. Runners-up spot was achieved by Liverpool, who had led the table for much of the first half of the season but had been shell-shocked in February by the sudden resignation of manager...
Media career
Smith is currently a regular co-commentator and sometimes studio punditPundit
Pundit may refer to:* Pandit or pundit in India, a scholar or expert, especially of traditional Indian law, philosophy, or music* Pundit , a 19th century term to denote native surveyors who explored regions to the north of India for the British Empire* Pundit , an expert or opinion-leader who...
for Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
. Recently Smith has appeared more regularly on Sky since the departure of Andy Gray and has taken the role as the main co-commentator for the Premier League games which Sky broadcast. In 2011 he commentated on the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
final alongside Martin Tyler
Martin Tyler
Martin Tyler is an English football commentator who was voted as the FA Premier League Commentator of The Decade...
. On June 30, 2011, EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
announced that Smith would replace Andy Gray as Martin Tyler's partner in commentating in FIFA 12
FIFA 12
FIFA 12 is the nineteenth game in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of association football video games. It was developed by EA Canada, and published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. David Rutter, the line producer for FIFA 12, promised "a revolutionary year for FIFA .....
.
Personal Life
Smith is married to his childhood sweetheart, Penny and they live with their two daughters Jessie and Emily.External links
- Photos and statistics at sporting-heroes.net