Smith, John ‘Eric’ (1953-60)

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Fullname: John Eric Smith
aka: Eric Smith
Born: 29 July 1934
Died: 12 June 1991
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Signed: 2 April 1953
Left: 1954 (Army); 11 May 1960 (Leeds)
Position: Defender/Left-half
Debut: Celtic 1-1 Queen of the South, League, 16 Oct 1954
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 2
International Goals: 0

Biog

John Smith – although commonly known by his middle name Eric – signed for Celtic from junior side Benburb in April 1953.

A highly-rated junior player he made his debut in October the following year in a home league clash with Queen of the South which ended 1-1.

Eric was an all action style of player who could slot into virtually any position across the park and in his time at Parkhead he played at half-back, inside-forward and on the wings. He relished the physical aspect of the game and loved to get stuck in. His combination of courage and skill allowed him to take games by the scruff of the neck and he was a hugely popular figure with the Celtic support.

However, it wasn’t an easy or successful time. The club was poorly managed in general, with poor team management and constant board meddling. The First XI was repeatedly underachieving through much of the 1950’s.

He arrived just as Celtic had hit a purple patch but his debut was after the glorious double winning season, and Celtic had begun to slide again. He also had to serve out Army duty service from 1955-57 which lost him development time.

He made a name for himself in the league cup match in August 1955 v Rangers, scoring twice in a 4-1 rout of Rangers. The second goal was said to be a screamer, a wonder goal, bulging the rigging high past the Rangers keeper. However Celtic did lose the next match, at home to Rangers in the same cup 4-0.

Eric would be in and out the side for runs during his time at Celtic, but did not get to play in either of the league cup final victories (including the wonderful “Hampden in the Sun” league cup final of 1957). However, he did score in the run ups to both of the finals. He scored in a 2-1 victory over Airdrie and also played in the 4-2 victory over Clyde for the run to the 1957 final, but also played upto the semi-final for the 1956 final. So unfortunate not to play in the finals but that was partly due to injury (1956) and then time lost from army duty (1957).

Celtic achieved little else during that whole time (in particular in the league). He played for Celtic in the disappointing 3-1 defeat to Hearts in the Scottish Cup final in front of 132,000. So he got to experience at least one major final but Celtic were disappointing that day and had put up little fight.

By season 1957-58 he was finally an established first team regular and was called up by Scotland for a summer tour in 1959 which is great recognition of his ability, as he was winning little else at Celtic. He saved Celtic twice in the Scottish Cup in 1960, firstly with a goal in a 2-1 win over Elgin City and then a goal in a 2-0 win over Partick Thistle.

Sadly, as much as he had helped Celtic to reach the final of the league cup in both seasons 1956/57 & 1957/58, he didn’t win a place in the starting sides for the finals, Celtic winning the matches in both of those seasons, including the classic 7-1 win v Rangers in 1957.

A fine servant to the club. The 1950’s wasn’t a great time at Celtic, but Eric got to be there at some of the better times. The club was poorly managed (at team & board level) but he remained long with Celtic and gave his all.

His final season (1959/60) with Celtic was a very poor one. Celtic finished ninth in the league (incredibly even below Ayr), with 13 defeats and 59 goals conceded in the league, so things were going to have to change but sadly not at the management or board level. Even the great Bobby Evans left Celtic at the same time.

His final match was a 4-0 victory over Third Lanark in the league in March 1960, and so didn’t play in the following week’s important matches v Rangers (a Scottish Cup semi-final defeat) and the final run of league games.

Post-Celtic
In May 1960 he was tempted south to Leeds by their legendary manager Don Revie after making 130 appearances for Celtic and scoring 20 goals.

He joined Leeds United when the club was in decline, and performed heroically during the 1961–62 season when Leeds battled against relegation to the Third Division. Eric Smith’s career at Leeds ended when he suffered a double-fracture of the leg during a home game against Chelsea in September 1962. He joined Morton in 1964 where he played for two seasons and later became their manager.

He then later became manager of Morton (1972) and Hamilton (1972-73 & 1977-78) before going on to coach in Cyprus and the Middle East.

He died in Dubai in June 1991 after suffering a heart attack.

He was a much fondly liked Celt and is much missed by those who knew him well.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League Cup

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Eric Smith

Source: http://www.ozwhitelufc.net.au/players_profiles/S/SmithJE.php

Smith began with St Andrew’s Juveniles and Pollok in 1951, then Glasgow Benburb, before joining Celtic on 2nd April 1953. His progress was interrupted somewhat by National Service. He served initially with the 6th Training Regiment of the Royal Engineers, stationed at Norton Camp, Worcester. There he served with other Scottish Footballers such as Dave McKay of Hearts, Bobby Walker of Hamilton and Ralph Brand of Rangers from 1955 to 1957. Sometimes able to get back for games, but often not.

At the end of his National Service he became a regular at Parkhead. He had made his Scottish League debut in a 1-1 home draw with Queen of the South on 16th October 1954, scoring his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock on 19th February 1955 in the Scottish Cup. His first Scottish League goal soon followed on 26th February 1955 in a 5-2 home win over St Mirren.

In his career at Parkhead he scored twelve goals in ninety-five Scottish League appearances, adding five goals in nineteen Scottish Cup ties, three goals in sixteen Scottish League Cup ties and one goal in three Glasgow Cup ties, for a total of twenty-one goals in one hundred and thirty-three appearances. Smith was an all action style of player and so versatile that he could play in any position and during his time with Celtic he played at half-back, inside-forward and on the wings.

He was in his element with the physical aspect of the game and was at his best when the going was toughest. His combination of courage and skill allowed him to control games and he was a hugely popular with the Celtic fans. However, he did not play for the Bhoys at a successful time and he and the team had little to show for their endeavours. Indeed all they had to show was a Scottish Cup runners-up medal in 1956 after Celtic were beaten 1-3 by Hearts in the Final at Hampden Park, in front of one hundred and thirty-two thousand, on 21st April 1956.

He was capped twice by Scotland in 1959, making his debut at right-half in a 2-1 win over the Netherlands at the Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam on 27th May 1959 and his second and final cap came a few days later on 3rd June 1959 at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, when he again wore the Number Four shirt as Scotland went down to Portugal 0-1.

He signed for Leeds on 11th May 1960 for £10,000. It was anticipated that his experience and grit would stiffen United’s defence, but that idea was scuppered when he broke his leg in his second game for Leeds, first game of the season at Elland Road, in a 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers on 24th August 1960. This saw him sidelined until 31st December 1960 when he made his comeback in a 3-1 win at Rotherham United.

A versatile player, Smith featured at right-half and inside right in that first season and managed to make eighteen League starts by season’s end, despite not having fully recovered. The Scottish International was to suffer badly from injuries during his time with Leeds. In 1961-62 he started at right-back but after seven games reverted to his previous roles as he only missed one League game.

The following season saw the arrival of the neucleus of Revie’s successful team and, after a few appearances, he found Norman Hunter, Paul Reaney, Willie Bell, Billy Bremner and Jim Storrie barring his way in his favoured positions. He had maintained his position in the half back-line playing in six of the first eight games in the half-back role but it was in the 2-0 home win over Chelsea on 15th September 1962, the game after the blooding of Gary Sprake, Paul Reaney, Norman Hunter and Rodney Johnson at Swansea, that his Leeds career effectively came to an end as he suffered a double-fracture of the leg.

It proved to be his final League game for Leeds. He did play once more in a 1-3 defeat at Maine Road, Manchester, when an under-strength Leeds team went down to Manchester City, in the Fourth Round of the League Cup, when their eyes were firmly on promotion, which was achieved at the end of that season. He joined Morton in 1964 where he played for two seasons and later became manager.

In June 1964 he went to Morton before retiring in 1966 and became coach after scoring three goals in thirty-five League appearances.

On his return to Glasgow he owned a pub called the Bosanova being granted a licence on 20th October 1964 and was till running the pub in 1973. He also owned the Tartan Bar for a time.

He was Manager of Morton for a short while in 1972, after spending some time in Cyprus as coach with Pezoporikos Larnaca. Shortly after recommending one of his young Morton players, Joe Jordan, to Leeds, he was appointed Managerof Hamilton Academicals in 1972. He held the position until April 1978 when he became Manager of Sharjah FC in the United Arab Emirates. Between June 1982 and May 1983 he was Assistant Manager to Don Revie at Al Nasr, becoming Manager of Al Shaab the following year.

He returned to Cyprus to coach Pezoporikos in the 1980s and died of a heart attack on holiday in Dubai on 12th June 1991.