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Personal
Fullname: James Smith
aka: Jamie Smith
Born: 20 Nov 1980
Birthplace: Alexandria, Scotland
Signed: Feb 1997
Left: 21 July 2004
Position: Right-winger/Striker
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 2
International Goals: 0
Biog
Winger Jamie Smith was an exciting Under-21 prospect who was given the chance to shine at senior level by Martin O’Neill in season 2000-01.
Originally from Alexandria, Jamie Smith came to the notice of Celtic scouts whilst playing for Celtic Boys Club and was recruited to the Pro Youth Academy at U15 level. In 1995 he went to China as part of a Glasgow City youth team to compete in a tournament there. He won Celtic Boys Club Player of the Year in 1996 at U14 level.
He joined the club full time sometime in February 1997 and started to get games for the U18 squad as a 16 year old. His progress continued through the next season and he began to make sub spots with the Reserve squad also, being played as a predominantly as a left-sided winger, though he had also played in defence and as a striker. At the end of 97/98 he was offered his first professional contract with the club in August 1998 having made a representative appearance in a Friendly against Ross County and made the bench in the end of season Friendly against Sporting Lisbon.
Through 98/99 he made the Reserve squad, though still eligible for youth team games, and was on the fringes of the first team making the bench for the last league game of the season against Dundee Utd.
He got his break the following season under John Barnes in the UEFA Cup Qualifier against Cwmbran Town coming on as a sub for Morten Wieghorst for the second half and scoring in the 60th minute.
Fast, direct and with an eye for goal the youngster certainly impressed in his early appearances for the Hoops as he netted twice in his first two outings for the Bhoys first team. These matches were actually split by long spells in the Reserves and a 2 month loan to Livingston in April 2000 and on his return he made the bench in the remainder of the first team games.
His second goal was an important one as Celtic were two down in the league cup v Hearts (Nov 2000), and Jamie’s goal levelled things to take the match into extra-time which Celtic won convincincly 5-2 at the end. Kept Celtic in the trophy and was another step on the road to the treble that season.
Under Martin O’Neill who had arrived in 2000, Jamies Smith started to win games though he was still making appearances only as a sub rather than as a starter and as a pacy left-winger that could hit the byline and get in decent crosses.
The Celtic youth team graduate didn’t look out of place among the big money signings brought in by O’Neill and the Bhoys support enjoyed the teenager’s traditional wing play. Despite such a promising start though Smith could not establish himself as a regular starter and with most appearances limited to cameos from the substitute bench he struggled to maintain his form. It wasn’t easy as O’Neill had spent heavily on quality, and few would argue that many youth players would be worthy a player ahead of the quality of players ahead of him in the queue for the first team places.
With two years remaining on his contract season 2002/03 was an important season for him as well as the club. It was to be dubbed as the Sevillie season. However it wasn’t until after Christmas that he began to appear regularly; and still predominantly as a sub. This alerted other teams and bids started to come in during his final season from Southampton, Motherwell, Dunfermiline and Leeds. In any case, he still won a coveted place in the Celtic squad for the UEFA Cup final of 2002/03 in Seville, but was an unused sub. He may not have been a major player, but he won a front row seat in one of the most memorable seasons at the club in a generation.
He was capped by Scotland boss Berti Vogts in 2003, although by then it was looking increasingly likely that the wideman would have to look elsewhere for regular first team football.
Post-Celtic
Out of contract at the end of the season and believed not to have been offered a new deal he was heavily linked with Aberdeen and Dunfermiline and Leeds south of the border. However he chose to go to Holland and trialled for 1 week with ADO Den Haag in Holland signing a 1 year deal with them. After a poor start he did well there and became an integral part of the survival package that saw Den Haag stay in the Eriedivisie.
At the end of 2004/05, though offered a contract by ADO he returned to Scotland and was picked up on a free by Calderwood for Aberdeen. He went on to become a far better player at Aberdeen than when he left Celtic, taking a more mature and responsible part in the game though his time at Aberdeen has to a degree been hampered by injuries.
He later wandered off to MLS outfit Colorado Rapids upon the expiry of his Aberdeen contract in summer 2009, where thereafter he retired from playing and took a coaching role at the club in 2014.
We wish him the best.
Playing Career
| Club | From | To | Fee | League | Scottish Cup | League cup | Other | ||||
| Aberdeen | 18/06/2005 | 31/05/2009 | Free | 79 (6) | 12 | 7 (0) | 3 | 6 (0) | 1 | 3 (0) | 2 |
| Den Haag | 21/07/2004 | 18/06/2005 | Free | No appearance data available | |||||||
| Livingston | 21/03/2000 | 08/05/2000 | Loan | 5 (1) | 1 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Celtic | 01/08/1998 | 21/07/2004 | Trainee | 12 (30) | 2 | 3 (1) | 1 | 6 (2) | 2 | 2 (7) | 1 |
| Totals | £0 | 96 (37) | 15 | 10 (1) | 4 | 12 (2) | 3 | 5 (7) | 3 | ||
| goals / game | 0.11 | 0.36 | 0.21 | 0.25 | |||||||
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
Honours
Scottish League
Scottish Cup
Scottish League Cup