Alan Smith (15 October 1921 – 27 May 2019) was an English professional footballer known principally for playing at outside left. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Smith’s senior career took place mainly in the 1940s, a decade when English football was affected by wartime disruption and then post-war recovery.
Club career
During the 1940s Smith made appearances in the Football League for established London clubs. His career included spells with:
After his time with those teams he continued playing at lower league and non-league levels, spending later seasons with Leyton Orient and with Ashford Town. Records from the wartime and immediate post-war years are sometimes incomplete, but Smith’s movement between clubs reflects the itinerant nature of many playing careers in that era.
Position and playing style
Smith was deployed as an outside left, a wide attacking role that traditionally combined crossing and wing play with the need to support inside forwards and the centre forward. Players in this position were expected to provide pace, accurate delivery from wide areas, and the stamina to track back when required. Contemporary reports of outside lefts emphasise supply to the strikers and the ability to beat full-backs on the flank.
Context and legacy
The 1940s were a turbulent period for English football because of the Second World War. Competitive league football was suspended in 1939 and resumed in varying forms; many players lost peak years to the conflict or played as guest players for other clubs. Within that context, Smith’s career at multiple clubs is typical of professionals of his generation. He lived to the age of 97 and died on 27 May 2019, leaving behind memories among supporters and historians who research the wartime and immediate post-war leagues.
For further club histories and statistical summaries consult dedicated club archives or contemporary match reports and databases for the 1940s era, which provide more detailed match-by-match information.