| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Moreton Smith | ||
| Date of birth | (1985-07-16)16 July 1985 (age 40) | ||
| Place of birth | Windsor, England | ||
| Position | Central midfielder | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003 | Centenary Gentlemen | ||
| 2004 | SMU Mustangs | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006 | FC Dallas | 0 | (0) |
| 2007 | DFW Tornados | 6 | (3) |
| 2010 | Fraser Park | 20 | (11) |
| 2011 | Sydney Olympic | 14 | (10) |
| 2011 | Gold Coast United | 0 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Wellington Phoenix | 40 | (1) |
| 2013 | Oakleigh Cannons | 12 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | Far North Queensland | 41 | (33) |
| 2016 | Negeri Sembilan | 25 | (8) |
| 2017 | Johor Darul Ta'zim II | 14 | (3) |
| 2018 | Sunshine Coast | 5 | (2) |
| 2018–2019 | Olympic FC | 38 | (27) |
| Total | 212 | (100) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18 September 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 8 October 2016 | |||
Alexander Moreton Smith (born 16 July 1985) is an American formerfootballer who last played forOlympic FC. He has since moved into coaching roles atMelbourne City. He also holdsAustralian andBritish citizenship.
Smith was born inWindsor, England, and moved to the United States at age one. He began his soccer career whilst at college in the United States. He played 17 times forCentenary College of Louisiana scoring six times with six assists. In 2004, he transferred toSouthern Methodist University where he scored a further 13 in 19 appearances for theMustangs. In his solitary year at SMU, he was selected to theMissouri Valley Conference 1st Team and the All-Midwest Region 2nd Team.
Smith travelled to England in 2005 to trial withShrewsbury Town andWalsall. Returning to the US later in 2005, he was declared ineligible to continue playingcollege soccer by theNCAA. Because of Smith's NCAA ineligibility, he was unable to enter theMLS Superdraft. Smith was then classed as a discovery signing and after interest fromMLS clubKansas City Wizards, he signed one-year contract withFC Dallas almost a year after his last game withSouthern Methodist University. Smith would only feature in the reserves in his year with theMLS club, scoring on 2 occasions. Disillusioned with his stint in the MLS, Smith quit football at the age of 21.[1][2]
After previously visiting Australia on holiday, he moved toCairns in 2010, and later moved to Sydney. By this time he had started playing football again and decided to give football one more shot. In Sydney he signed forNSW Super League clubFraser Park and duly won the 2010 NSW Super League Player of the Year award.[3]
Smith signed forNSW Premier League clubSydney Olympic for the2011 NSW Premier League season and was an immediate success, scoring ahat trick on debut againstSouth Coast Wolves in Round 1[4] and scored the only goal in their 1–0 win over2010 NSW Premier League championsBlacktown City.[5] Smith played his final game for Olympic in the Round 12, 1–0 win overSouth Coast Wolves.[6]
Smith had been invited to trial withGold Coast United while he was playing for Fraser Park. Pleased by what he saw, and encouraged by his start withSydney Olympic, United coachMiron Bleiberg signed Smith on a one-year contract for the2011–12 A-League season.[7] He officially joined their squad, and had his first proper training session on 17 June.[8]
Despite Smith joining Gold Coast United for their pre-season, Bleiberg asked Smith to accept a contract pay out, in exchange for the immediate termination of his one-year contract, as Bleiberg wanted to sign formerBlackburn Rovers strikerMaceo Rigters, who had turned down a contract withWellington Phoenix.[9] On 1 September 2011 it was confirmed that Smith and United had reached an agreement in regards to the termination of his contract.[10]
After being released fromGold Coast United, Smith returned toNew South Wales where it was announced he would re-sign with Sydney Olympic.[11] He arrived in time for the Final Round match of the NSW Premier League, againstAPIA Leichhardt Tigers, and picked up on where he left off, scoring the opening goal for Olympic in their 3–0 victory, in which Olympic were crowned Premiers.[12] His return to Belmore would continue to be successful, with Smith opening the scoring in the 2011 NSW Premier League Grand Final againstSydney United. Olympic would go on to win 2–0, securing the first Premiership and Championship double since theNSL folded.[13]
After spending the month travelling from Sydney to the Gold Coast, where he still resided, it was announced he would fly toWellington, New Zealand to trial withWellington Phoenix with a view to securing an injury replacement contract, with the hope of extending it to a full contract.[14]
Smith signed a short-term contract with the Phoenix as an injury replacement player, forMirjan Pavlovic who broke his arm while training.[15] He made his A-League debut off the bench in the Round 2 victory against theNewcastle Jets inWellington.[16] On 18 January 2012 Smith's contract was made permanent lasting until the end of the season.[17] Smith went on to make 24 appearances that season. It was then announced Smith had signed for the 2012–13 season. He started the first 11 games of the season but fell out of favour with coach Ricki Herbert. In June 2013 it was announced that Smith would not be offered a new deal with the club.
In late 2013, Smith decided to sign withFar North Queensland FC. Citing a desire to give back and help develop some young players, Smith hoped to help the club develop. He was also awaiting his Australian citizenship, which would allow him a possible return to the A-League. While inCairns, Smith held numerous coaching clinics, school clinics, holiday clinics and has also travelled to communities up inCape York Peninsula, likeWeipa, to help young football talents and coaches to better learn their game. Smith's first game for the Heat was against their rivalsNorthern Fury FC inTownsville. In the 44th minute, the captain scored the opening goal of FNQ FC Heat's 2014 campaign and his first goal for the club. Smith helped his side reach the inauguralFFA Cup round of 32 where they played away toSydney United 58. Moreover, his 18 league goals guided the heat to a top two finish in only their second season since formation. However, his hat-trick in the Semi Final againstOlympic FC was not enough to get the side into their firstNational Premier Leagues Queensland Grand Final.[18]In 2015, his goal scoring ability again helped his team reach the FFA Cup for a second consecutive year. In seven FFA Cup games in his time at the Heat, he scored 13 goals.
In early December 2015 it was announced that Smith had travelled to Malaysia to sign withMalaysia Premier League clubNS Matrix for the2016 season. Smith linked up with formerSydney Olympic FC player and coachGary Phillips, who played the majority of his career with Sydney Olympic and won the2001–02 National Soccer League as manager.[19] After a successful individual season with NS Matrix, it was announced in December 2016 that Smith had signed withJohor Darul Ta'zim FC II for the2017 Malaysia Premier League season. He spent a year at the club, scoring twice and helping the team to a 4th-place finish. He then decided to return to Australia to focus on his coaching development.
Smith joinedOlympic FC in May for the remainder of the 2018NPL Queensland season. For the 2nd time in his career, he scored a hat trick on debut in theFFA Cup againstMoreton Bay United FC. He went on to score 27 goals in 38 games for the club and guide the team to 2 consecutiveNPL Queensland Grand Finals, however was unable to play in either due to injury. In his 8FFA Cup games for the club he scored 7 goals. After playing with a ruptured ACL in the 2nd half of the 2019 season, Smith decided to retire and pursue his coaching career. In 2019, Smith won theNPL Queensland Player of the year award.[20]
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While still playing at Olympic in 2019, Smith worked as aW-League Assistant Coach atBrisbane Roar.
After retiring, Smith was appointed as an assistant coach atMelbourne City for theirW-League team working under Head CoachRado Vidošić. He also works in theMelbourne City Academy.
On the 8th of January 2023, Smith returned toMelbourne City FC as theMelbourne City FC (W-League) assistant coach, having been head hunted by interim Head CoachDario Vidošić after his strong season withPeninsula Power, also working alongside goalkeeper Coach Jordan Franken. Smith's return coincided with a loss againstWestern Sydney Wanderers FC (A-League Women), their first win in 364 days. Only assistant coach for a short period, due to a mid-season holiday, Smith returned to Brisbane prior to the end of the season, but did not return to Peninsula Power FC; instead, announced to the club and players that he would be taking a break from coaching to focus on family.
Playing Honours