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.
![]() Smith playing for Bristol Rovers in 2014 | |||
Personal information | |||
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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]
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]
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.
On 25 July 2014, Smith moved to Peterborough United, signing a three-year deal.[5]
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]
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]
Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
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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 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
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1. | 19 November 2019 | Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–6 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualification |
Individual
Heart of Midlothian F.C. – current squad | |
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Awards | |||||||||||||
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