sport.wikisort.org - Athlete

Michael Smith (born 4 September 1988) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian and the Northern Ireland national team. Before moving to Scotland, Smith previously played for Ballyclare Comrades and Ballymena United in Northern Ireland, and Bristol Rovers and Peterborough United in England.

Michael Smith

Smith playing for Bristol Rovers in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Michael Smith[1]
Date of birth	(1988-09-04) 4 September 1988 (age 34)
Place of birth	Monkstown, Northern Ireland
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s)	Defender
Club information
Current team	Heart of Midlothian
Number	2
Youth career
	Greenisland Boys Club
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2009	Ballyclare Comrades
2009–2011	Ballymena United
2011–2014	Bristol Rovers	101	(1)
2014–2017	Peterborough United	120	(3)
2017–	Heart of Midlothian	181	(7)
National team‡
2016–	Northern Ireland	19	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 November 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 September 2021 (UTC)

At Hearts, Smith has mostly been utilised as a right-back – either as a fullback or more recently as a wing-back – however often deputises as a centre-back (often as the right-most of a back three) when needed.

Smith has received several honours, including the Ballymena United Player of the Year in 2009–10, and Bristol Rovers Player of the Year in 2012–13.[3]

Club Career

Early career

Smith began playing football under the management of his father at Greenisland Boys Club and was picked up by his first senior club, Ballyclare Comrades in 2005. He signed for Ballymena United in January 2009, and made over 100 appearances for them before moving to England to join Bristol Rovers in 2011.[4]

Bristol Rovers

He made his debut on 6 August 2011, in a 3–2 victory away against AFC Wimbledon. He made his home debut on 13 August in a 1–2 defeat to local rivals Torquay United.

Smith scored his first goal for Rovers in the League Cup against Ipswich Town, which Bristol Rovers lost 3–1.

Peterborough United

On 25 July 2014, Smith moved to Peterborough United, signing a three-year deal.[5]

Heart of Midlothian

On 30 June 2017, Michael Smith signed for Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. He signed a two-year deal, wearing the number 2 shirt previously worn by Callum Paterson.[6]

On 7 January 2021, Smith signed an 18-month contract extension.[7] In January 2022 he signed another one-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2022–23 season.[8]

International Career

Smith received his first call-up to the senior Northern Ireland squad on 16 March 2016 for friendlies against Wales and Slovenia.[9] He scored his first international goal on 19 November 2019, in a 6–1 defeat against Germany.[10]

Career statistics

As of match played 12 November 2022

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Bristol Rovers	2011–12[11]	League Two	20	0	0	0	2	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	23	0
	2012–13[12]	League Two	38	1	1	0	1	1	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	41	2
	2013–14[13]	League Two	43	0	5	0	1	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	50	0
	Bristol Rovers total		101	1	6	0	4	1	3	0	114	2
Peterborough United	2014–15[14]	League One	43	1	1	0	1	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	46	1
	2015–16[15]	League One	38	1	4	0	0	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	43	1
	2016–17[16]	League One	39	1	4	0	1	0	0	0	44	1
	Peterborough total		120	3	9	0	2	0	2	0	133	3
Heart of Midlothian	2017–18[17]	Scottish Premiership	31	0	3	0	4	0	—		38	0
	2018–19	Scottish Premiership	28	0	4	0	6	2	—		38	2
	2019–20	Scottish Premiership	22	0	5	0	7	1	—		34	1
	2020–21	Scottish Championship	25	2	0	0	1	0	—		26	2
	2021–22	Scottish Premiership	20	2	2	0	5	0	—		27	2
	2022–23	Scottish Premiership	12	0	0	0	1	0	7	0	20	0
	Hearts total		138	4	14	0	24	3	7	0	183	7
Career total			359	8	29	0	30	4	12	0	428	12

International goals

Scores and results Northern Ireland's goal tally first.[18]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	19 November 2019	Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany	Germany	1–0	1–6	UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

Individual

• Ballyclare Comrades Young Player of the Year: 2006–07, 2007–08
• Ballymena United Player of the Year: 2009–10[3]
• Ballymena United Players' Player of the Year: 2009–10[3]
• Ballymena United Goal of the Season: 2009–10[3]
• Bristol Rovers Player of the Year: 2012–13[19]
• Bristol Rovers Player of the Year: 2013–14
• PFA Team of the Year: 2013–14 League Two[20]
• PFA Scotland Team of the Year: 2020–21 Scottish Championship

References

External links

• Michael Smith profile at the Peterborough United F.C. website
• Michael Smith at Soccerbase

На других языках

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[de] Michael Smith (Fußballspieler, 1988)

Michael Smith (* 4. September 1988 in Ballyclare, Nordirland) ist ein nordirischer Fußballspieler. Er besitzt neben der britischen auch die Staatsangehörigkeit von Kanada.

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- [en] Michael Smith (footballer, born 1988)

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[fr] Michael Smith (football, 1988)

Michael Smith est un footballeur nord-irlandais né le 4 septembre 1988 à Ballyclare. Il joue au poste de défenseur au sein du club de Hearts[3].

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[it] Michael Smith (calciatore 1988)

Michael Smith (Monkstown, 4 settembre 1988) è un calciatore nordirlandese, difensore degli Hearts e della nazionale nordirlandese.

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