Port Vale

Madeley-based Academy graduate now in his seventh full season in the first team at Vale Park.

Smith signed his first professional contract with Vale in the summer of 2014 and spent time on loan with both Stafford Rangers and Torquay United, winning both the Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards during his time at Plainmoor in the 2015/16 campaign.

His Vale debut came on the opening day of the 2016/17 League One season as he featured in a 0-0 draw at Bradford City, with his first goal following ten days later in a 1-0 victory against Rochdale at Vale Park.

Smith was an ever-present in his debut campaign at Vale Park, collecting a clean-sweep at the End of Season Awards, most notably winning the Player of the Year award in an ultimately disappointing campaign for Vale, who were relegated to League Two.

A year later, Smith was again an ever-present as Vale battled to protect our EFL status, bringing up his century of Vale appearances in a 0-0 draw at Wycombe Wanderers in March 2018.

In 2018/19, Smith’s ever-present run and run of consecutive first team appearances ended at 110 matches as he missed the 1-0 win over Crawley Town in August. However, he became the youngest player since Billy Paynter to bring up 150 Vale appearances when he featured in a 0-0 draw at Swindon Town in March 2019 and later won the Young Player of the Year award for a second time.

Smith has been a mainstay of the side since Carol and Kevin Shanahan became custodians of the club and he passed 300 Vale appearances in the first leg of Vale’s League Two Play-Offs semi-finals first leg defeat to Swindon Town in May 2022.