Dean Smith (footballer, born 1971)
Dean Smith (born 19 March 1971) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC.
|
Smith in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dean Smith | ||
| Date of birth | 19 March 1971 | ||
| Place of birth | West Bromwich, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Charlotte FC (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1986–1989 | Newcastle United | ||
| 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) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011–2015 | Walsall | ||
| 2015–2018 | Brentford | ||
| 2018–2021 | Aston Villa | ||
| 2021–2022 | Norwich City | ||
| 2023 | Leicester City | ||
| 2023– | Charlotte FC | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Smith began his playing career as a defender with Walsall in 1989, where over the course of five years he played 166 league and cup games. After signing for 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 over as manager in January 2011. He took Walsall from the relegation zone 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 was appointed as Aston Villa manager in October 2018 and took the club from 15th in the Championship to the Premier League via the play-offs in the 2018–19 season, and then to the 2020 EFL Cup final. He was dismissed by Aston Villa in November 2021 and soon after joined Norwich City for a thirteen-month spell in charge. He was appointed as Leicester City manager on a short-term basis in April 2023. He was appointed as head coach of American club Charlotte FC in December 2023.