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Nathan Smith (footballer, born 1996)

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Not to be confused with Nathan Smith (footballer, born 1987).

Nathan Smith
Smith warming up at Vale Park in May 2022.
Personal information
Full name Nathan James Smith[1]
Date of birth (1996-04-03) 3 April 1996 (age 28)[2]
Place of birth Madeley, Staffordshire, England[3]
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[4]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Port Vale
Number 6
Youth career
2012–2014 Port Vale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014– Port Vale 345 (21)
2014–2015 → Stafford Rangers (loan) 28 (1)
2015–2016 → Torquay United (loan) 39 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:27, 27 April 2024 (UTC)

Nathan James Smith (born 3 April 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League Two club Port Vale. He has won praise for mental attributes such as bravery, consistency and commitment, as well as his pace and strength.

Smith turned professional at Port Vale in June 2014 and spent the 2014–15 season on loan at Stafford Rangers and the 2015–16 season on loan at Torquay United, winning the Player of the season award at Torquay. He made his Football League debut for Port Vale in August 2016 and went on to win the club's Player of the Year award for the 2016–17 relegation season. He helped the club to win promotion out of League Two via the play-offs in 2022 and was then again named as Port Vale's Player of the Year in 2022–23. He served as club captain for the 2023–24 relegation season.

Early and personal life

[edit]

Smith grew up in Madeley, Staffordshire and attended Madeley High School.[3] He played for Madeley White Star; he helped his school to win the Sentinel Schools' Shield at Vale Park in 2012.[5] He attended Stoke City games up until the age of sixteen, though stopped supporting the club as an adult.[6] In 2021, he set up a coaching academy in Madeley with Port Vale captain Tom Conlon.[7] Two years later, the pair set up a charity called Pro Level Vision to support disadvantaged children.[8] The pair raised £20,000 at their first charity ball in 2024.[9] Smith was given the nickname 'Smudger' at Port Vale.[10]

Career

[edit]

Smith signed his first professional contract with Port Vale in June 2014, with his initial deal running for 12 months.[11] He was loaned out to Northern Premier League Division One South club Stafford Rangers in October 2014.[12] The loan was later extended until the end of the 2014–15 season.[13] He featured 35 times throughout the campaign, scoring one goal.[14]

He joined National League side Torquay United on an initial three-month loan deal in July 2015.[15] He impressed for the "Gulls" and the loan was later extended to cover the whole of the 2015–16 season.[16] He made a total of 44 appearances at Plainmoor and was voted the club's Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season.[17] Manager Kevin Nicholson described him as a "freak of nature".[18]

"Stafford Rangers was my first taste of men's football. I had been playing in our youth team against people my own age and probably been one of the strongest on the pitch. Then going to Stafford Rangers and playing against grown men at the age of 18, you find that you are not the biggest and strongest out there. You have to try to adapt your game and play a little bit smarter against bigger strikers. Then going away to Torquay was when I grew up a little bit. I moved out from home, mum wasn't there to do the washing, cleaning and cooking."

— Smith reflecting upon his early loan spells in 2022[19]

He made his League One debut for Port Vale on the opening day of the 2016–17 season, in a 0–0 draw with Bradford City on 6 August.[20] His performance saw him named in the Football League Paper's League One Team of the Day.[21] New manager Bruno Ribeiro had described him as the club's standout player during pre-season.[22] He scored his first goal in the Football League on 16 August, with his header proving to be the only goal of the game against Rochdale.[23] His performances saw him nominated for the League One Player of the Month award for August.[24] This led chairman Norman Smurthwaite to open negotiations for a new contract as he admitted Smith was "on a boy's wage compared to the rest of the squad" and Smurthwaite anticipated offers for the player from Championship clubs in the January transfer window.[25] Smith quickly agreed to a new contract to keep him at the club until June 2020.[26] The Football League further recognized his performances by naming him as Young Player of the Month for August.[27] Speaking in February 2017, caretaker manager Michael Brown said that Smith set a good example to his teammates by playing through a hamstring injury.[28] He played every game of the campaign, mostly in a centre-back partnership with Remie Streete, and picked up all five of the club's end of season awards, including the Player of the Year award.[29][30] However, despite Smith enjoying success on an individual level, Port Vale were in turmoil as they suffered relegation and the chairman subsequently resigned.[31]

Brown was sacked early in the 2017–18 season after Vale slipped into the League Two relegation zone. His successor, Neil Aspin, stated that Smith was a "key player" but could improve in areas such as decision-making.[32] He started all 54 of Vale's matches that season, making it two consecutive seasons of appearing in every game, though admitted he could have played better and that the team's finish of 20th in League Two was not good enough.[33]

After suffering a dip in form at the start of the 2018–19 season, Smith was dropped for the home game with Crawley Town on 18 August, putting to an end his run of 110 consecutive appearances that he had made since his debut two years previously.[34] Smith said he would take being dropped as a learning experience.[35] He returned to the starting line-up and formed a solid partnership with Leon Legge, whilst Connell Rawlinson was moved to right-back.[36] The three centre-backs then went on to form a back three in a 3–5–2 formation, which was instigated after a 6–2 home defeat to Lincoln City on 13 October and kept four clean sheets by the end of the month.[37] By March he reached 150 appearances for the club before the age of 23, the youngest player to reach this landmark since Billy Paynter in 2005.[38] Having played 51 of the club's 54 matches throughout the campaign, he was named as Vale's Young Player of the Year for the second time in three years.[39]

Smith playing for Port Vale (August 2022)

He started the 2019–20 season in a central defensive partnership with Legge, though was criticised by Northampton Town manager Keith Curle for allegedly manhandling 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) striker Harry Smith.[40] On 25 August, he scored his first goal in 20 months in a 5–2 defeat at Grimsby Town.[41] Speaking in January, club captain Legge said that Smith was more confident and much improved from the previous campaign.[42] His form led to rumours on social media of him making a move to Birmingham City.[43] He lost his first-team place to Shaun Brisley in January due to injury, but impressed coach Danny Pugh with his performance at right-back in a 3–0 win over Colchester United on 15 February.[44] He was offered a new contract after he ended the campaign with five goals in 41 appearances.[45] Tom Pope nominated Smith as his Player of the Year for the 2019–20 season in his column in The Sentinel.[46] Smith signed a new two-year contract in July 2020, despite interest from League One clubs.[47] He said that he stayed due to his faith in the new ownership of Kevin and Carol Shanahan, his family being settled in the area, and the offer of stability during the COVID-19 recession.[48]

Smith remained a consistent member of the defence during the 2020–21 season, only missing a run of games when he had to isolate after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.[49] Speaking in April, recently appointed manager Darrell Clarke described him as a "genuine winner" following a good run of defensive form for the team.[50] Smith scored four goals from 50 appearances and was singled out for praise by Clarke again at the end of the season, who said that "Nathan Smith is the sort of character I want in this football club".[51]

A consistent part of the back three during the 2021–22 season, he caused an opposition player to be sent off in two successive games as Crawley Town's Joel Lynch and Accrington Stanley's Colby Bishop were both dismissed for elbowing Smith in off the ball incidents.[52][53] He started in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium as Vale secured promotion with a 3–0 victory over Mansfield Town; Michael Baggaley of The Sentinel wrote that "[Smith had] another solid performance at the heart of the back three after his outstanding effort in the second leg against Swindon had helped get Vale to Wembley".[54][55] Smith was named in The Guardian's League Two team of the season.[56] The club invoked their option to extend his contract by a further 12 months in June 2022.[57]

On 8 October 2022, he helped Vale to win 2–1 at Derby County. He caused opposition goalscorer James Collins to be sent off after he elbowed Smith during a scuffle on the ground.[58] He was voted as the club's Player of the Month for December after he helped the team to record two clean sheets in victories over Plymouth Argyle and Morecambe.[59] He continued his good form into the following month and won a second consecutive Player of the Month award, starting all four of his club's January fixtures playing alongside Connor Hall, Dan Jones, Will Forrester, Lewis Cass and Aaron Donnelly in the back three.[60][61] He also played all seven games of February, scoring against Barnsley, helping to keep a clean sheet against Exeter City, and having a goal against Accrington Stanley controversially ruled out.[62] He signed a new two-year contract in April following weeks of "laid back" conversations with director of football David Flitcroft.[63][64] Smith was voted as the club's Player of the Year for the 2022–23 season, having missed just one league game throughout.[65]

New manager Andy Crosby appointed Smith as the club's new captain in July 2023.[66] On 2 September, another opposition player was sent off for striking Smith, this time Oxford United's Mark Harris having lost his temper.[67] On 4 November, Smith received the first red card of his career after being sent off for bringing down Mark Helm in a 0–0 draw with Burton Albion in the FA Cup.[68][69] He was named as the EFL League One third-highest performer of the weekend after he contributed with a goal and "a tackle, an interception and six clearances, as well as six accurate long balls" in a 3–0 win over Blackpool on 29 December.[70] However, his form dropped to the extent that he gave away a bizarre goal by passing to an opposition player from a quick free kick in the opening minutes of a 2–0 home defeat to Lincoln City in new manager Darren Moore's first home game in charge on 24 February.[71] He rediscovered his best form after being moved to the middle of the back three towards the end of the campaign.[72] Moore credited his return to form with a renewed focus on basic defending.[73] Smith's 400th appearance for the club, a 2–0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers on 20 April, coincided with relegation from League One.[74] The captaincy was removed from Smith following the end of the season.[75]

Moore switched to a back four and dropped Smith entirely from the matchday squad at the start of the 2024–25 season.[76] Ben Heneghan, Connor Hall and Jesse Debrah were all in good form and preferred ahead of Smith by Moore, with ball-playing midfielders or full-backs Tom Sang or Kyle John played on occasions when the trio of centre-backs missed out.[77]

Style of play

[edit]

Speaking in August 2016, Port Vale teammate Tom Pope described Smith as "brave as a lion" and a player who trained hard.[78] Six months later, Port Vale coach Gary Brabin said Smith needed to work on his ball-playing abilities and to be more vocal, whilst praising his dependability, pace, strength and passion.[79] Pope would later say that "he's a nightmare and will annoy you for 90 minutes".[80] Despite these annoyances, he boasts an excellent disciplinary record, having picked up 28 yellow cards and one red during his first 370 appearances for Port Vale; this was an average of one yellow card every 13 matches.[81]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 3 September 2024
Club Season Division League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Port Vale 2014–15[82] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2015–16[83] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2016–17[84] League One 46 4 3 0 1 0 3[a] 1 53 5
2017–18[85] League Two 46 1 3 0 1 0 4[a] 0 54 1
2018–19[86] League Two 44 0 1 0 1 0 5[a] 0 51 0
2019–20[87] League Two 34 5 3 0 1 0 3[a] 0 41 5
2020–21[88] League Two 44 4 1 0 1 0 4[a] 0 50 4
2021–22[89] League Two 44 2 3 0 1 0 5[b] 0 53 2
2022–23[90] League One 45 3 1 0 1 0 2[a] 0 49 3
2023–24[91] League One 42 2 4 0 3 0 1[a] 0 50 2
2024–25[92] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 1 0
Total 345 21 19 0 10 0 28 1 402 22
Stafford Rangers (loan) 2014–15[14] Northern Premier League
Division One South		 28 1 0 0 0 0 7[c] 0 35 1
Torquay United (loan) 2015–16[93] National League 39 2 1 0 0 0 4[d] 1 44 3
Career total 412 24 20 0 10 0 39 2 481 26
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Appearance/s in the EFL Trophy.
  2. ^ 2 appearances in the EFL Trophy and 3 appearances in the play-offs
  3. ^ Statistics include one appearance in the FA Trophy, two appearances in the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup, two appearances in the Staffordshire Senior Cup, and two appearances in the Walsall Senior Cup.
  4. ^ Appearance/s in the FA Trophy.

Honours

[edit]

Port Vale

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Retained List 2016-17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  2. ^ "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2021/2022". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b Baggaley, Michael (12 November 2017). "Neil Aspin pleased to have local lads in his in-form Port Vale side". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Nathan Smith - Defender - First Team - Port Vale". Port Vale F.C. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  5. ^ Baggaley, Mike (13 October 2016). "VIDEO: Nathan Smith from Madeley High school team to Port Vale". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  6. ^ "He's one of our own! Nathan Smith, he's one of our own!". aleandthevale.podbean.com. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  7. ^ Baggaley, Michael (22 April 2021). "Tom Conlon on brink of matching Port Vale goal-hero". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  8. ^ Hiles, Hannah (2 August 2023). "Port Vale stars launch charity to help disadvantaged youngsters access coaching". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  9. ^ Price, Richard (27 March 2024). "Port Vale footballers raise £20k to help get kids into sport". BBC News. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  10. ^ Bossons, Terry (2023). Vale Not Fail. Terry Bossons. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-9929769-6-5.
  11. ^ "Defender Nathan Smith signs one-year deal with the club". The Sentinel. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  12. ^ Baggaley, Mike (24 October 2014). "Defender Nathan Smith joins Stafford Rangers". The Sentinel. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  13. ^ Baggaley, Mike (26 January 2015). "Defender extends loan at Stafford Rangers". The Sentinel. Retrieved 26 January 2015.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ a b "2014–15 Match Reports". staffordrangersfc.co.uk. Stafford Rangers F.C. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
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  21. ^ Baggaley, Mike (15 August 2016). "Port Vale: Remie Streete named in team of the day for League One". The Sentinel. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  22. ^ Baggaley, Mike (4 August 2016). "Port Vale: Nathan Smith set to start after impressing boss". The Sentinel. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
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  25. ^ "Nathan Smith: Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite expects interest in defender". BBC Sport. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  26. ^ Baggaley, Mike (15 September 2016). "Port Vale: Nathan Smith signs new contract with Valiants". The Sentinel. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  27. ^ Baggaley, Mike (22 September 2016). "Port Vale's Nathan Smith named EFL young player of the month". The Sentinel. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  28. ^ Baggaley, Mike (8 February 2017). "Port Vale: Michael Brown says gutsy Nathan Smith sets example". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
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  34. ^ Baggaley, Michael (20 August 2018). "James Gibbons makes case for defence as Port Vale prepare for Carlisle United". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  35. ^ Baggaley, Michael (11 September 2018). "Nathan Smith says being left out at Port Vale hurt, but he will learn from it". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
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  37. ^ Smith, Peter (30 October 2018). "'Lincoln was embarrassing' - Nathan Smith on what's changed in last fortnight". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
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  43. ^ Baggaley, Michael (17 January 2020). "John Askey on speculation linking Port Vale's Nathan Smith with Championship". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
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  45. ^ Baggaley, Michael (20 May 2020). "Port Vale talks with out-of-contract players as owners back club through crisis". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
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  47. ^ Baggaley, Michael (10 July 2020). "Port Vale fight off League One clubs to keep Nathan Smith". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  48. ^ Baggaley, Michael (11 July 2020). "Nathan Smith opens up on why he is staying at Port Vale". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  49. ^ Baggaley, Michael (3 October 2020). "Nathan Smith and Manny Oyeleke miss out in Port Vale team at Morecambe". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  50. ^ Baggaley, Michael (1 April 2021). "Every word from Port Vale manager ahead of Exeter game". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
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  60. ^ "January Reels in Motion Player of the Month Nominations". Port Vale F.C. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  61. ^ "Nathan Smith wins January's vote for the Reels in Motion Player of the Month". Port Vale F.C. 5 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  62. ^ "February Reels in Motion Player of the Month Nominations". Port Vale F.C. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
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  64. ^ Baggaley, Michael (24 April 2023). "Nathan Smith signs new contract as Port Vale rebuilding begins". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
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  66. ^ "Andy Crosby names his Port Vale captain and Vice-Captain". Port Vale F.C. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  67. ^ Swindells, Adam (2 September 2023). "Match Report | Oxford United 1-2 Port Vale". Port Vale F.C. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
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  69. ^ Baggaley, Mike (5 November 2023). "Port Vale battling the odds but stay in FA Cup". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  70. ^ "Friday's top five League One performers". EFL. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  71. ^ Baggaley, Mike (23 February 2024). "Crunch time for Port Vale as Fleetwood await". The Valiant. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  72. ^ Baggaley, Mike (8 April 2024). "Preparing for a tense end to the season at Vale". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  73. ^ Baggaley, Mike (12 April 2024). "Vale injury news and talking points ahead of Exeter". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  74. ^ Baggaley, Mike (21 April 2024). "Apologies and pledges as Vale are relegated". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  75. ^ Baggaley, Mike (3 May 2024). "Questions answered about recruitment, budget and plans". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  76. ^ Baggaley, Mike (26 September 2024). "Answering key questions". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  77. ^ Baggaley, Mike (24 October 2024). "Striving for more as Wimbledon await". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
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  79. ^ Baggaley, Michael (23 February 2018). "Port Vale coaches working on next step for Nathan Smith". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
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  82. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  83. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  84. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  85. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  86. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  87. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  88. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  89. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  90. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  91. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  92. ^ "Games played by Nathan Smith in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  93. ^ Nathan Smith at Soccerway
  94. ^ "Nathan Smith: Port Vale boss rates young defender as future Premier League player". BBC Sport. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
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