Tom Smith

Thomas Smith (born 1877) was a professional English footballer who played at outside-right for various clubs around the turn of the 20th century.

Football career Smith was born in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire and played his early football for Ashton Athletic and Ashton Town in their pre-league era.

In May 1897, he joined Preston North End where another player of the same name was already playing, also as an outside-forward. Smith made four appearances in the Football League First Division, plus one in the FA Cup, before Preston made both players available at the end of the season. The directors of Southampton agreed to sign him, apparently under the misapprehension that they were signing the other player, who had established a reputation for being a "star".

Despite this auspicious start, Smith's subsequent indifferent form led the directors to realise that they had acquired the services of the wrong player, to join Queens Park Rangers for their first season in the Southern League.

He returned to Preston in 1900 and spent one further season in the Football League, making two more appearances.

Honours Southampton Southern League champions: 1898–99