Dean Smith (footballer, born 1971)
Smith in March 2011
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dean Smith | ||
| Date of birth | 19 March 1971 | ||
| Place of birth | West Bromwich, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
|
Current team
|
Brentford (manager) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1989–1994 | Walsall | 142 | (2) |
| 1994–1997 | Hereford United | 117 | (19) |
| 1997–2003 | Leyton Orient | 239 | (32) |
| 2003–2004 | Sheffield Wednesday | 55 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | Port Vale | 13 | (0) |
| Total | 566 | (54) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2011–2015 | Walsall | ||
| 2015– | Brentford | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Dean Smith (born 19 March 1971) is an English footballer turned football manager, who is now in charge of Championship club Brentford.
Starting his playing career with Walsall in 1989, over the course of five years he played 166 league and cup games. Signing with Hereford United in 1994, three years and 146 appearances later he moved on to Leyton Orient. In six years with Orient he made 309 appearances in all competitions, before earning a move to Sheffield Wednesday in 2003. After a season with Wednesday he moved on to Port Vale, retiring in January 2005. He scored 54 goals in 566 league games in a 16-year career in the Football League.
Returning to Leyton Orient, he worked as assistant manager until January 2009. In July 2009, he was appointed as Head of Youth at Walsall, before taking the management reins in January 2011. He took Walsall from relegation certainties to safety in his first four months in charge. He took Walsall to the 2015 final of the Football League Trophy, before leaving the club to manage Brentford in November 2015.
Smith started his playing career at Walsall, as the club suffered relegation from the Third Division in 1989–90 under John Barnwell's stewardship. They then struggled to adapt to life in the Fourth Division under new manager Kenny Hibbitt, finishing 16th in 1990–91 and 15th in 1991–92. The "Saddlers" qualified for the play-offs with a fifth-place finish in 1992–93, but were badly beaten by Crewe Alexandra at the semi-final stage. Walsall finished tenth in 1993–94, and Smith left the club, having played a total of 166 games for the "Saddlers", scoring two goals.
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