Liam Smith (born 10 April 1996) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a defender for Dundee United. He has previously played for Heart of Midlothian, East Fife, Raith Rovers, St Mirren and Ayr United.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | (1996-04-10) 10 April 1996 (age 26) | ||
Place of birth | Dalgety Bay, Scotland | ||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.79 m)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Dundee United | ||
Number | 2 | ||
Youth career | |||
2006–2010 | Rangers | ||
2010–2015 | Heart of Midlothian | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2014–2018 | Heart of Midlothian | 30 | (0) |
2014–2015 | → East Fife (loan) | 21 | (1) |
2016 | → Raith Rovers (loan) | 2 | (0) |
2017–2018 | → St Mirren (loan) | 32 | (2) |
2018–2019 | Ayr United | 33 | (1) |
2019– | Dundee United | 104 | (4) |
National team‡ | |||
2015 | Scotland U19 | 1 | (0) |
2016–2018 | Scotland U21[2] | 12 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:11, 14 August 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 March 2019 |
Smith began his career as a youth player at Hillfield Swifts Boys Club, before joining Rangers aged 10.[3] Having been released by Rangers aged 14, Smith joined Heart of Midlothian (Hearts).[3] Smith signed a 2-year professional contract in July 2014, extending his stay with the club until at least 2016.[4] Aged 18 he made his first team debut[5] on 20 August 2014, in the second round of the Scottish Challenge Cup away to Livingston, playing from the start in a 4–1 loss.[6] Smith made one more appearance that season[7] before being loaned to Scottish League Two side East Fife until the end of January 2015.[8] He made his league debut on 30 August 2014, against East Stirlingshire in a 3–1 win,[9] with his first goal coming against Queen's Park on 20 September salvaging a 2–2 draw.[10] Smith's loan deal was later extended until the end of the season.[11] In all he made 23 appearances for East Fife, scoring once.[7]
On his return to Hearts Smith made his Scottish Premiership debut on 18 October, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute against Dundee United at Tannadice Park, replacing Juwon Oshaniwa in a 1–0 win.[12]
On 24 September 2016, it was announced that Smith had signed on loan at Raith Rovers for a month.[13] He was recalled by Hearts on 29 October 2016.[14]
On 14 August 2017, Smith signed a season-long loan deal with Scottish Championship club St Mirren.[15] It proved to be a successful loan spell as Saints won the Scottish Championship, with Smith playing 34 games and scoring twice. Smith was also part of the PFA Scotland Championship Team of the Year.[16]
Smith signed a one-year contract with Ayr United in August 2018.[17]
On 16 April 2019, Dundee United confirmed that Smith had signed a pre-contract to join the club in the summer, agreeing a two-year deal.[18]
Club | Season | League | Scottish Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
Heart of Midlothian | 2014–15[20] | Scottish Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 2 | 0 |
2015–16[21] | Scottish Premiership | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
2016–17[22] | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
2017–18[23] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 0 | ||
East Fife (loan) | 2014–15[20] | Scottish League Two | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 23 | 1 |
Raith Rovers (loan) | 2016–17[22] | Scottish Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
St Mirren (loan) | 2017–18[23] | Scottish Championship | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 34 | 2 |
Ayr United | 2018–19[24] | Scottish Championship | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 39 | 0 |
Dundee United | 2019–20[25] | Scottish Championship | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 34 | 0 |
2020–21[26] | Scottish Premiership | 29 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 1 | |
2021–22[27] | Scottish Premiership | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
Total | 59 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 1 | ||
Career total | 177 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 208 | 5 |
Dundee United F.C. – current squad | |
---|---|
|
2017–18 PFA Scotland Scottish Championship Team of the Year | |
---|---|
2018–19 PFA Scotland Scottish Championship Team of the Year | |
---|---|