| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthew Robert Smith[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1999-11-22)22 November 1999 (age 26)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Redditch, England | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Newport County | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2013 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| 2013–2018 | Manchester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2022 | Manchester City | 0 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | →Twente (loan) | 34 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | →Queens Park Rangers (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2020 | →Charlton Athletic (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | →Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 40 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | →Hull City (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Milton Keynes Dons | 25 | (2) |
| 2023–2025 | St Johnstone | 54 | (1) |
| 2025– | Newport County | 6 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2015–2016 | Wales U17 | 10 | (0) |
| 2016 | Wales U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2017 | Wales U21 | 5 | (1) |
| 2018–2022 | Wales | 19 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:26, 7 September 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:29, 22 September 2022 (UTC) | |||
Matthew Robert Smith (born 22 November 1999) is a professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder forEFL League Two clubNewport County and theWales national team.[4]
Having initially joined the academy ofWest Bromwich Albion at a young age, in 2013 Smith moved to the academy ofManchester City, where he progressed through several age groups.[5]
In July 2018 at the age of 18, Smith joined DutchEerste Divisie clubFC Twente on a season-long loan,[6] eventually making 37 appearances and scoring 2 goals, playing a key role in the club's promotion to theEredivisie.[7] Over the next two seasons, he was again sent out on loan toEFL Championship clubsQueens Park Rangers andCharlton Athletic, as well asEFL League One clubDoncaster Rovers, making over 40 appearances for the latter.[7] Ahead of the2021–22 season, on 6 August 2021 Smith joined EFL Championship clubHull City on another season-long loan.[8]
On 31 January 2022, following limited opportunities with Hull, Smith was recalled from his loan and immediately transferred toLeague One clubMilton Keynes Dons on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee.[7] He made his debut for the club on 8 February 2022, in a 1–1 draw away toFleetwood Town.[9]
In August 2023 Smith joinedScottish Premiership clubSt Johnstone on a two-year contract.[10] On 5 January 2025 he was substituted by St Johnstone managerSimo Valakari within 30 minutes of the start of the Scottish Premiership home defeat toDundee, with Dundee leading 3–0.[11] Dundee won the match 3–1 and Smith was not selected again for St Johnsone again in the 2024–25 season as St Johnstone were subsequently relegated from the Scottish Premiership under Valakari at the end of that season.[12]
Smith was released by St Johnstone at the end of the 2024–25 season.[13]
Smith signed a two-year deal withNewport County in June 2025.[14] He made his debut for Newport in the EFL Cup preliminary round win againstBarnet on 29 July 2025.[15]
Smith qualifies for theWales national team through his grandfather who is fromBlackwood, Wales.[16]
Smith has played for Wales atU17,U19,U21 andsenior level, often captaining the side at youth level. He received a first call-up to the senior squad on 20 May 2018.[17]
He made his senior debut for Wales in a friendly 0–0 tie withMexico, replacingTom Lawrence after 81 minutes.[18] In May 2021 he was selected for the Wales squad for the delayedUEFA Euro 2020 tournament.[19] In November 2022 he was named in the Wales squad for the2022 FIFA World Cup inQatar.[20]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester City | 2018–19[22] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019–20[22] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020–21[22] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021–22[22] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FC Twente (loan) | 2018–19[22] | Eerste Divisie | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 2 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers (loan) | 2019–20[22] | Championship | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
| Charlton Athletic (loan) | 2019–20[22] | Championship | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 2020–21[23] | League One | 40 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| Hull City (loan) | 2021–22[24] | Championship | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2021–22[24] | League One | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23[25] | League One | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| Total | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 2 | ||
| St Johnstone | 2023–24[26] | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 118 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 133 | 5 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 19 | 0 | |
FC Twente
Wales squads | |||||||
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