Walter Smith

Walter Ernest Smith (25 March 1884 – 1972) was an English football goalkeeper who played for Leicester Fosse and Manchester City before World War I, and played for Port Vale, Plymouth Argyle, and Grimsby Town after the war. He helped Manchester City to win the Second Division title in 1909–10.

Career Smith played for Leicester Imperial and Leicester Fosse before joining Manchester City for £600 in June 1906. He made 22 First Division and two FA Cup appearances in 1906–07. He was then an ever-present in the 44 game 1907–08 campaign, as the "Citizens" finished third in the league, some nine points behind rivals Manchester United. He featured 39 times in the 1908–09 relegation season. He only played three games, however, in the 1909–10 campaign, as City won promotion as champions of the Second Division. He then won back his first-team place at Hyde Road, playing 33 matches in the 1910–11 season. He featured just 12 times in 1911–12, as he shared goalkeeping duties with Augustus Beeby and Jim Goodchild. He featured just 13 times in the 1912–13 season, as Goodchild established himself as the club's preferred stopper. Smith regained his place in 1913–14, missing just two of City's 44 matches. He played 41 games in 1914–15, in the last season before World War I put a temporary halt to the Football League. He made 13 appearances in the 1915–16, 1916–17, and 1918–19 wartime leagues. He also guested for Fulham and Leicester Fosse during the war. At the end of hostilities, Goodchild became City's number one, and Smith was limited to nine appearances in 1919–20.

He joined Second Division Port Vale in October 1920 for a 'modest' fee. However, the morning of his debut game on South Shields on 23 October he was arrested on assault charges against a chambermaid at the hotel where the team had spent the night.

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1903–04 Second Division

1904–05 Second Division

1905–06 Second Division

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1906–07 First Division

1907–08 First Division

1908–09 First Division

1909–10 Second Division

1910–11 First Division

1911–12 First Division

1912–13 First Division

1913–14 First Division

1914–15 First Division

1919–20 First Division

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1920–21 Second Division

1921–22 Second Division

41!!0!!1!!0!!42!!0 Plymouth Argyle 1922–23 Third Division South

Grimsby Town 1922–23 Third Division North

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Honours Manchester City Football League Second Division: 1909–10