Lee Smelt

Lee Smelt
Personal information
Full name Lee Adrian Smelt
Date of birth (1958-03-13) 13 March 1958 (age 66)[1]
Place of birth Edmonton, England
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1975–1976 Colchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976 Margate
1976–1980 Gravesend & Northfleet
1980–1981 Nottingham Forest 1 (0)
1981 → Peterborough United (loan) 5 (0)
1981–1984 Halifax Town 119 (0)
1984–1986 Cardiff City 37 (0)
1985 → Exeter City(loan) 13 (0)
1986 Maidstone United
1987 Welling United
1987–1988 Thanet United
1988–1991 Hythe Town
Managerial career
1989–1991 Hythe Town player-assistant manager
1991–1992 Margate
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lee Adrian Smelt (born 13 March 1958) is an English former footballer and author of a goalkeeping coaching book (Practice Keeping: An elite goalkeeper development plan for under 9 to under 21s). A goalkeeper, he played professionally for Nottingham Forest, Peterborough United, Halifax Town, Cardiff City and Exeter City, making a total of 175 appearances in the Football League between 1980 and 1986.[2]

After Cardiff, Lee then went to non-league Maidstone United and from there played at Welling United, Thanet United and Hythe Town.[3] Lee was player-assistant manager in latter part of his time at Hythe Town[4] and returned to former club Margate as Manager in 1991.[5]

He left football in 1992 to join the police.[3] He was as of 2018, the Academy Goalkeeping Coach (U9-23) at Charlton Athletic.[6]

His son Jack was a goalkeeper and for a short period in his career followed in his fathers footsteps as a 'keeper for Margate.[7]

References

  1. ^ Hugman, Barry J. (1984). Canon League Football Players' Records 1946-1984. Newnes Books. p. 436. ISBN 0-6003-7318-5.
  2. ^ "Lee Smelt". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Lee Smelt Player Profile". Margate History Website: margatefchistory.com. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  4. ^ "History: 1990–1991". Official website of Hythe Town: hythetownfc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Lee Smelt Manager Profile". Margate History Website: margatefchistory.com. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  6. ^ "The Academy".
  7. ^ "Jack Smelt Player Profile". Margate History Website: margatefchistory.com. Retrieved 15 March 2022.