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Players Index Page Last Updated
12 August 2025
 
 

Joe Smith

Bolton Wanderers FC

 5 appearances, 1 goal

P 5 W 1 D 1 L 3 F 6: A 8
30% successful
1913-20

captain: none
minutes played: 450

Timeline
  Joseph Smith
Birth Tuesday, 25 June 1889 in Dudley Port, Staffordshire
"I had better state that I was born at Dudley Port, although I really consider myself a Newcastle-under-Lyme man, for I was taken to that town when but a baby of three months." - The Derby Daily Telegraph, Saturday, 15 March 1924
  registered in Dudley July-September 1889
 

According to the 1891 census, Joseph is the youngest of three children, all sons, to Joseph and Rosina (née Dean), living at 6 Cartwright Street in Newcastle-under-Lyme. His father is an iron puddler.

According to the 1901 census, Joseph remains the youngest of the three children living at home with their parents now at 17 Cartwright Street. His father is still a puddler at the ironworks.

According to the 1911 census, Joseph Smith is a professional footballer boarding with the Ainscow family at 76 Eustace Street in Bolton.
  "About a fortnight ago Smith suffered a bereavement by the death of his father, and was granted permission to return to the Midlands, where he has since remained." - The Manchester Courier, Saturday, 2 May 1914
Marriage to Priscilla Bond (née Taylor), on Tuesday, 7 June 1921, at Manchester Cathedral, Lancashire. Cissie is a widow. Her first husband, Henry James, died on 29 August 1918 in Flanders, but not before they had three children.
  registered in Manchester April-June 1921
"Joe Smith, the Bolton Wanderers' international forward and the leading goalscorer in the League last season, was married at Manchester Cathedral yesterday, to Mrs. Bond, a member of a well-known Bolton family." - Bradford Daily Argus, Wednesday, 8 June 1921.
According to the 1921 census, Joseph, a professional footballer (with Bolton Wanderers FC), is with his wife, Cissie, on honeymoon at 14 Mona Drive in Douglas in the Isle of Man. He is with Frank Roberts and his wife.
His mother died in early 1925.
According to Passenger Lists, Joe Smith was part of the FA Tour that left Southampton bound for Quebec, Canada on 15 May 1926 on board the Empress of Scotland, they returned to Liverpool on 23 July 1926 on board the Montroyal. His address is stated as Brookfield Cottage in Tonge Bridge, Bolton.
According to the 1939 register, Joseph, a professional football manager, is living at 22 Mere Road in Blackpool, presumably with his wife.
His wife, Cissie, died on 18 July 1962 in Blackpool
Death Wednesday night, 11 August 1971, in a Blackpool hospital, living at 22 Mere Road in Blackpool, Lancashire
aged 82 years 47 days registered in Fylde July-September 1971
Obituary
"DEATH AT 82 OF MR. JOE SMITH.
"Mr. Joe Smith, whose half a century of success in professional football was sparked off by a Sentinel Cup final, has died in hospital at the age of 82. Mr. Smith's family moved from Newcastle from Dudley Port when he was three months old, and he grew up in local football. He signed for Bolton the morning after helping Newcastle P.S.A. to beat North Staffordshire Nomads 2-0 in the Sentinel Cup Final, before a crowd of 6,500 in 1908. The signing fee was 10 golden sovereigns. He was captain of Bolton during the famous 'White Horse' F.A. Cup Final against West Ham in 1923, and Manager of Blackpool in the 'Stanley Matthews' final of 1953. In a Soccer career spanning 50 years, he won almost every honour available in football. He stayed at Burnden Park for 19 seasons and with Ted Vizard formed one of the most feared left-wing partnerships in football history. He won two F.A. Cup Winners medals with Bolton, was capped for England eight times and scored more than 800 goals in the League. In 1935 he became manager of Blackpool and guided the club through their most successful period, including the 4-3 win over Bolton at Wembley. In 1958 he was sacked by the club for whom, in the early post-wars years, he had signed Stanley Matthews for £11,500." - Evening Sentinel, Thursday, 12 August 1971
Probate "SMITH Joseph of 22 Mere Road Blackpool died 11 August 1971 Probate Liverpool 5 April. Effects £5218." [2025 equivalent: £66,089]
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s)

League honours
519 appearances, 314 goals		 Began his junior career as fifteen year old with Newcastle Parish Schools Association, of the North Staffordshire Sunday School League. Despite interest from Stoke FC and Crewe Alexandra FC, where his older brother was playing, Smith signed for Bolton Wanderers FC in 1908 for 'ten golden sovereigns', he played as an emergency outside-left, before slotting into his familiar inside-left position. During WW1, Smith guested for Chelsea FC. On 16 March 1927, transfer deadline day, Stockport County FC signed him for a £1000 transfer fee, ending a nineteen year association with the Wanderers. Although the Football League did not receive the relevant paperwork until the morning after, so deemed Smith ineligible to play. County were deducted two points and fined £125 in total. After being placed on the transfer list, Smith joined Lancashire Combination side, Manchester Central FC on 22 June 1929 for the season, joining up with his old Bolton teammate, Frank Roberts. Without a club for the 1930-31 season, rumours abounded regarding Smith's retirement, but they were abated when he signed on for Darwen FC, also in the Lancashire Combination, on 8 September 1930, being appointed as club captain. Darwen had hoped to re-engage his services for another year, but he set his direction elsewhere.
Bolton Wanderers FC 1909-27 449 appearances, 254 goals
debut (division two): 12 April 1909 West Bromwich Albion FC 2 Bolton Wanderers FC 0.
Stockport County FC 1927-29 seventy appearances, sixty goals
debut (division three north): 19 March 1927 Stockport County FC 2 Stoke FC 2.
last (division three north): 1 April 1929 Wigan Borough AFC 4 Stockport County FC 0.

Club honours		 Football League Division Two winners 1908-09 (1ᵃ), runners-up 1910-11 (32ᵃ 11ᵍ); Division One third place 1920-21 (41ᵃ 38ᵍ), 1924-25 (36ᵃ 24ᵍ); Division Three North third place 1927-28 (40ᵃ 38ᵍ), runners-up 1928-29 (22ᵃ 18ᵍ)
FA Cup winners 1922-23ᶜ (7ᵃ 2ᵍ), 1925-26ᶜ (8ᵃ 6ᵍ);
FA Charity Shield runners-up 1926ᶜ (Professionals);
Lancashire Combination winners 1930-31;
Lancashire Combination Cup winners 1930-31;
East Lancashire Charity Shield winners 1930-31.
Individual honours None
Distinctions His 38 league goals in 1920-21 equalled the Football League record.
Brother of Phil Smith (Burnley FC, Chelsea FC and Crewe Alexandra FC), killed in action October 1918.
Height/Weight 5' 7¼", 12st. 8lbs [1922].
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

Management Career
Notes: Smith was not in charge of Darwen FC between 1929 and 1931.
Club(s): Appointed manager of Reading FC on 2 July 1931 until he became the manager of Blackpool FC from 19 August 1935, he remained at the seaside resort until...
"...and at Thursday's [30 January 1958] board meeting it was put to him that he should retire at the end of this season. He said: 'I am not ready to go yet. I feel young enough to carry on a while. When I think I'm too old I'll willingly go.' But the board insisted. Then said: 'You'll have to be sacked if you don't agree with our suggestion.'" - Manchester Evening News, Saturday, 1 February 1958.
League honours: P 840 W 372 D 200 L 268
Reading FC 1931-35
 Football League Division Three South runners-up 1931-32, 1934-35.
 FA Cup best: fifth round 1934-35 (0-1 vs. The Arsenal FC).
Blackpool FC 1935-58
 Football League Division One runners-up 1955-56.
 FA Cup winners 1952-53, after being runners-up in 1947-48 & 1950-51.

Club honours		 Football League Division Three South runners-up 1931-32, 1934-35, Second Division runners-up 1936-37, Division One runners-up 1955-56;
Football League War Cup winners 1943;
FA Cup runners-up 1947-48, 1950-51; winners 1952-53;
FA Charity Shield runners-up 1953;

England Career
Player number One of seven who became the 361st players (367) to appear for England.
Position(s) Inside-left
First match No. 114, 15 February 1913, Ireland 3 England 0, a British Championship match at Windsor Park, Donegall Avenue, Belfast, aged 23 years 235 days.
Last match No. 121, 15 March 1920, England 1 Wales 2, a British Championship match at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London, aged 30 years 264 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1912-13, 1913-14, 1919-20;
Team honours British Championship winners 1912-13;
Individual honours The North (two appearances, 2ᵍ January 1913-April 1919);
England Wartime (one appearance, 1ᵍ May 1916);
England Victory (three appearances, 1ᵍ April-October 1919);
England Trial (three appearances, 1ᵍ February 1921-February 1922);
The Professionals (one appearance, 1ᶜ October 1926);
FA Tour of Canada 1926;
Goalascoring honours England's Joint-Top Goalscorer 1914 (one);
Distinctions Died twenty days after Fred Tunstall

Beyond England
A successful football manager. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.227/8.


The Numbers
parties Apps comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
5 5 5 450 1 450 min 1 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
5 1 1 3 6 8 -2 0 1 1.2 1.6 30 -2
all of his matches were played in the British Championship competition

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0 0 1.00 2.00 0.00 -1
Away 4 1 1 2 5 6 -1 0 1 1.25 1.50 37.5 -1

Opposition Record

Opposition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Ireland 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 0 0 1.00 1.50 25.0 -1
Wales 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 0 1 1.50 1.00 50.0 =0
Scotland 1 0 0 1 1 3 -2 0 0 1.00 3.00 0.00 -1

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1912-13 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0 0 1.00 2.00 0.00 -1
BC 1913-14 2 1 0 1 3 3 =0 0 1 1.50 1.50 50.0 =0
BC 1919-20 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 0 0 1.00 1.50 25.0 -1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 5 1 1 3 6 8 -2 0 1 1.20 1.60 30.0 -2
5 1 1 3 6 8 -2 0 1 1.2 1.6 30 -2

Match History

 Club: Bolton Wanderers F.C. - five full appearances (450 min) 1ᵍ

F.A. International Select Committee - five full appearances (450 min) 1ᵍx

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 23 trial  
one appearance - The North vs. England, 20 January 1913;

1 114 15 February 1913 - Ireland 2 England 1
Windsor Park, Belfast		 BC AL   il
 

one of seven who became the 361st player (367) to appear for England
the seventh Bolton Wanderers FC player to represent England
Age 24
2 118 16 March 1914 - Wales 0 England 2
Ninian Park, Cardiff		 BC AW  50 il
3 119 4 April 1914 - Scotland 3 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow		 BC AL   il

his goal in 1914 makes him =top goalscorer for the year/season ~ with Fleming & Wedlock

Age 26
Wartime
Inter'nal		 13 May 1916 - England 4 Scotland 3
Goodison Park, Liverpool		 Fr HW il


Age 29 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, 14 April 1919;


Victory
Inter'nals		 26 April 1919 - England 2 Scotland 2
Goodison Park, Liverpool		 Fr HW   il
3 May 1919 - Scotland 3 England 4
Hampden Park, Glasgow		 Fr AW   il

Age 30
Victory
Inter'nal		 18 October 1919 - England 2 Wales 0
Victoria Ground, Stoke-on-Trent		 Fr HW il

4 120 25 October 1919 - Ireland 1 England 1
Windsor Park, Belfast		 BC AD   il
5 121 15 March 1920 - England 1 Wales 2
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury		 BC HL   il
 

Age 31 trial  
two appearances - The South vs. England, 7 February 1921; The North vs. England, 28 February 1921;

Age 32    
one appearance - The North vs. England, 6 February 1922; (originally chosen for The North)

Age 37    
one appearance - The Professionalsᶜ vs. The Amateurs, October 1926;

 

 
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