Jimmy Smith

James Dean Smith (born 7 January 1987) is an English retired professional and semi-professional footballer who played as a winger / midfielder last attached to Grays Athletic.

He is also currently a youth coach at Chelsea, and features occasionally for the U23 side.

Smith began his career at Chelsea at the age of nine, progressing through the youth ranks before signing professional terms with the club in 2005.

After featuring regularly for Chelsea's reserve side during the 2005–06 season, Smith made his first-team debut in May 2006.

It turned out to be his only appearance for the club.

He signed for the club on professional terms at the age of 18 in 2005, and subsequently made the step up from the academy squad to playing regularly for the reserve side.

An attacking midfielder by trade, who can also play on both wings, Smith finished as the reserve side's top goalscorer for the 2005–06 season, predominantly playing in his preferred attacking midfield role.

He was made captain of the reserve side during the season.

After his impressive season for Chelsea's second-string, he was called up to the first-team by Chelsea manager José Mourinho, and made his only appearance for the Chelsea first-team in the last game of the 2005–06 Premier League campaign, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute for Ricardo Carvalho in a 1–0 defeat to Newcastle United at St James' Park.

On his first-team debut, Smith said – "It was amazing – just travelling up with the squad was great but to get on in front of more than 50,000 Geordies was incredible. The players are great, they are always trying to help me and they just told me to take my chance and enjoy the occasion".

In the pre-season ahead of the 2006–07 campaign, Smith travelled with the first-team squad on their pre-season tour of the United States.

Despite his involvement during pre-season, Smith would not feature again for the Chelsea first-team.

Speaking of his time at the West London club, Smith said – "It was frustrating that I never really got the chance. I remember thinking I was involved, then I'd go on loan. I'd come back to a new manager and think I'd have another chance. I was always in and around the first team but things changed".

To further aid Smith's development, he was loaned out to Championship side Queens Park Rangers (QPR) on an initial one-month agreement in September 2006.

He made his debut for QPR in the club's 2–1 away victory over Southampton on 30 September, coming on as a second-half substitute in the match.

Smith made his first start on his home debut at Loftus Road in a 3–3 draw with Norwich City, a game in which he scored QPR's first goal of the match midway through the first-half.

He scored again three days later, on 17 October 2006, hooking in a volley from a corner to briefly restore parity in a match QPR would go on to lose 2–1 to Derby County, subsequently ending their unbeaten run.

After impressing during his month at QPR, his loan deal was extended by a further two months, with QPR manager John Gregory saying – "His professionalism is second to none and it is rubbing off on all the other lads in the squad. He's uncomplicated, goes about his job in the right manner and will only go from strength to strength. We feel very honoured to have a player of his class and potential at the club".

Shortly after the loan extension, Smith went on to score three times within the space of a week; firstly netting a brace in a 4–2 home victory over Crystal Palace, before poking in Lee Cook's free-kick in a 3–2 away win at Luton Town.

His loan deal at QPR was later extended in December 2006, for the remainder of the season.

The following season, he joined Championship side Queens Park Rangers on a season-long loan agreement, before spending three months on loan at Norwich City towards the latter months of 2007.

Smith played regularly during the second half of the campaign, scoring one further goal, the only goal of the game in a 1–0 victory over Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena in April 2007.

During his time at QPR, Smith scored six times in 31 appearances.

Ahead of the 2007–08 season, in July 2007, Smith joined Championship side Norwich City on a loan deal that would run until the end of December.

He sustained a calf injury in Norwich's pre-season friendly with Dutch side FC Zwolle on 25 July 2007, an injury that ruled him out of action for almost three months.

Smith finally made his competitive debut for Norwich on 23 October 2007, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–1 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor.

He made nine appearances during a loan spell that was disrupted by injury, with his final appearance coming in a 1–1 home draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on 29 December 2007.

After the game against Wolves, Norwich manager Glenn Roeder confirmed he had been in talks with Chelsea's sporting director, Frank Arnesen, with a view to extending Smith's time there until the end of the season.

Smith was loaned out once again ahead of the 2008–09 campaign, spending the first half of the season with Sheffield Wednesday.

However, the two clubs failed to reach an agreement for the extension of Smith's loan contract with Chelsea needing back-up in midfield due a number of their players competing in the Africa Cup of Nations, and he returned to Chelsea on 4 January 2008.

He spent the remainder of the campaign playing regularly for Chelsea's second-string.

He returned to Chelsea in January 2009, only to join League One side Leyton Orient on a loan deal for the remainder of the season.

Smith signed for Orient on a permanent basis in July 2009, signing a two-year contract.

He spent four seasons with the club, making over 180 appearances in all competitions.

He was released by Orient in April 2013, and signed for Stevenage ahead of the 2013–14 season.

Smith signed for League One side Crawley Town in May 2014 for an undisclosed fee and was later made club captain, he spent six years with the Sussex club making over 160 appearances.

Smith ended his professional playing career at Yeovil Town in 2021, after which he took up a position at Chelsea as a coach.

However, he resumed his career at semi-professional level with Harlow Town later the same year.

Smith has represented England at various youth levels.

Smith joined the Chelsea Academy aged nine and worked his way through the various youth levels.