Full name Eric Smith Name Eric Smith Position Midfielder | Date of birth 29 July 1934 Date of death June 1991 (aged 56) Playing position Role Footballer | |
Died 1991, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | ||
Eric Smith (29 July 1934, in Glasgow, Scotland – June 1991, in Dubai) was a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a right half for Celtic, Leeds United and Greenock Morton in the 1950s and 1960s. He was capped twice for the Scotland national football team and later managed Morton, Hamilton Academical and Sharjah FC.
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Playing career
Smith began his professional career at Celtic in the 1954–55 season and gained two caps for the Scotland national football team in 1959. He joined Leeds United in 1960 when the club was in decline, and performed heroically during the 1961–62 season when Leeds battled against relegation to the Third Division. 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 manager.
Managerial career
Smith managed Morton briefly in 1972 and then managed Hamilton Academical for five seasons from 1972–73 to 1977–78. He then briefly managed Sharjah FC in the United Arab Emirates in 1978. He then managed Cypriot club Pezoporikos Larnaca from 1986 to 1989. The club won the 1987–88 Cypriot First Division and then entered the 1988–89 European Cup, where they were beaten in the first round by Swedish champions IFK Gothenburg.