Michael Smith (footballer, born 1988)

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For other people with the same name, see Michael Smith.

Michael Smith
Michael Smith 2014-01-18 1.jpg
Smith playing for Bristol Rovers in 2014
Personal information
Full name Michael Smith[1]
Date of birth (1988-09-04) 4 September 1988 (age 33)
Place of birth Monkstown, Northern Ireland
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Heart of Midlothian
Number 2
Youth career
Greenisland Boys Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2009 Ballyclare Comrades
2009–2011 Ballymena United
2011–2014 Bristol Rovers 101 (1)
2014–2017 Peterborough United 120 (3)
2017– Heart of Midlothian 124 (4)
National team‡
2016– Northern Ireland 19 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 January 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 September 2021 (UTC)

Michael Smith (born 4 September 1988) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian and the Northern Ireland national team. Before moving to Scotland, Smith previously played for Ballyclare Comrades and Ballymena United in Northern Ireland, and Bristol Rovers and Peterborough United in England.

At Hearts, Smith has mostly been utilised as a right-back – either as a fullback or more recently as a wing-back – however often deputises as a centre-back (often as the right-most of a back three) when needed.

Smith has received several honours, including the Ballymena United Player of the Year in 2009–10, and Bristol Rovers Player of the Year in 2012–13.[3]

Club Career[]

Early career[]

Smith began playing football under the management of his father at Greenisland Boys Club and was picked up by his first senior club, Ballyclare Comrades in 2005. He signed for Ballymena United in January 2009, and made over 100 appearances for them before moving to England to join Bristol Rovers in 2011.[4]

Bristol Rovers[]

He made his debut on 6 August 2011, in a 3–2 victory away against AFC Wimbledon. He made his home debut on 13 August in a 1–2 defeat to local rivals Torquay United.

Smith scored his first goal for Rovers in the League Cup against Ipswich Town, which Bristol Rovers lost 3–1.

Peterborough United[]

On 25 July 2014, Smith moved to Peterborough United, signing a three-year deal.[5]

Heart of Midlothian[]

On 30 June 2017, Michael Smith signed for Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. He signed a two-year deal, wearing the number 2 shirt previously worn by Callum Paterson.[6]

On 7 January 2021, Smith signed an 18-month contract extension.[7] In January 2022 he signed another one-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2022–23 season.[8]

International Career[]

Smith received his first call-up to the senior Northern Ireland squad on 16 March 2016 for friendlies against Wales and Slovenia.[9] He scored his first international goal on 19 November 2019, in a 6–1 defeat against Germany.[10]

Career statistics[]

As of match played 26 January 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bristol Rovers 2011–12[11] League Two 20 0 0 0 2 0 1[a] 0 23 0
2012–13[12] League Two 38 1 1 0 1 1 1[a] 0 41 2
2013–14[13] League Two 43 0 5 0 1 0 1[a] 0 50 0
Bristol Rovers total 101 1 6 0 4 1 3 0 114 2
Peterborough United 2014–15[14] League One 43 1 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 46 1
2015–16[15] League One 38 1 4 0 0 0 1[a] 0 43 1
2016–17[16] League One 39 1 4 0 1 0 0 0 44 1
Peterborough total 120 3 9 0 2 0 2 0 133 3
Heart of Midlothian 2017–18[17] Scottish Premiership 31 0 3 0 4 0 — 38 0
2018–19 Scottish Premiership 28 0 4 0 6 2 — 38 2
2019–20 Scottish Premiership 22 0 5 0 7 1 — 34 1
2020–21 Scottish Championship 25 2 0 0 1 0 — 26 2
2021–22 Scottish Premiership 18 2 1 0 5 0 — 24 2
Hearts total 124 4 13 0 23 3 0 0 160 7
Career total 345 8 28 0 29 4 5 0 406 12
  1. ^ a b c d e Appearances in the Football League Trophy

International goals[]

Scores and results Northern Ireland's goal tally first.[18]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 19 November 2019 Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany  Germany 1–0 1–6 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours[]

Individual

References[]

  1. ^ "The Football League Limited: Club list of registered players as at 16th May 2015" (PDF). The Football League. 16 May 2015. p. 54. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  2. ^ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 441. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  3. ^ a b c d "'Blame me' - Walker tells United fans". Ballymena Times. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Michael Smith joins Bristol Rovers". Ballymena United Football Club. 27 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2 August 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Peterborough United sign Michael Smith from Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Hearts confirm signings of Michael Smith and Ashley Smith-Brown". The Scotsman. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Smith signs contract extension | Heart Of Midlothian Football Club". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Michael Smith extends contract | Heart Of Midlothian Football Club". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Michael Smith and Conor Washington called into NI squad". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  10. ^ Wales, Peter (20 November 2019). "'If it's bobbling on the edge of the box I'm hitting it' - Hearts defender Michael Smith reflects on stunning first goal for Northern Ireland against Germany". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  11. ^ "Games played by Michael Smith in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  12. ^ "Games played by Michael Smith in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  13. ^ "Games played by Michael Smith in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Games played by Michael Smith in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Games played by Michael Smith in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Games played by Michael Smith in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  17. ^ "Games played by Michael Smith in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  18. ^ "Michael Smith". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  19. ^ "BRSC Player of the Year Awards". Bristol Rovers Supporters Club. May 2013. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  20. ^ "Luis Suarez: Liverpool striker wins PFA Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2018.

External links[]

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