Former Halifax Town midfielder Steve Smith dies aged 77

His name is one that is readily associated with Huddersfield Town, the club he served for almost 16 years, having joined the groundstaff straight from school in October 1961.

Two years later, Smith signed a professional contract and went on to make his first team debut in a 1-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United on 5 September 1964.

Initially utilised as a right-winger, it wasn’t until the 1968-69 season that Smith cemented a regular place in the Terries’ side under Ian Greaves, and in 1969-70 he appeared in 23 league games as Huddersfield Town won the Second Division title, scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough on 31 March 1970 in the match in which promotion was secured.

Huddersfield Town spent two seasons in the First Division, with Smith missing just three games, by now deployed in a central midfield role in a side which contained the likes of Frank Worthington, Jimmy Lawson and Trevor Cherry.

Relegated in 1972, Huddersfield slid down the divisions and by the time Smith left the club he had made 341 league appearances and scored 30 goals.

Awarded a testimonial against Leeds United in August 1974, Smith went on loan to Bolton Wanderers in December 1974, but having left Leeds Road, joined Halifax Town on the eve of the 1977-78 season, making his debut in what was Wimbledon’s first-ever league match, a 3-3 draw at Plough Lane.

He became a mainstay of the side, initially under Alan Ball Snr, then his successor Jimmy Lawson, Smith’s former Huddersfield team mate.

When he first lined up against his former club on 15 November 1977, it was in a West Riding Senior Cup tie at The Shay, one won by the visitors on penalties, with Smith being unfortunate to miss with his kick.

Still, he scored his first goal for the Shaymen in a 1-1 draw at Watford on 3 December 1977, a game which was Lawson’s first in charge after a caretaker spell, and he proved useful at set pieces, with his experience being put to good effect as the side escaped the clutches of the re-election zone.

But the following term, Town struggled from the start, with Lawson being dismissed in favour of George Kirby, and it was he who appointed Smith as skipper for the final month of the campaign.

By then, the Shaymen had long been re-election material, and though he was initially retained by Kirby upon the season’s close, Smith elected to leave the club and return to Huddersfield Town where, under manager under Mick Buxton, he undertook roles of chief scout and youth coach.

But he still had one last game in him, and on 21 November 1981, despite being 34 years of age, he re-appeared in the first team for an FA Cup tie at Workington with the side short of players due to injuries.

Smith also served Huddersfield Town as reserve team manager before stepping up to oversee the first team following the sacking of Buxton in December 1986.

Appointed manager on a full-time basis the following month, Smith struggled to galvanise the side in 1987-88 and a run of ten games without victory form the start of the season was one from which the side never recovered.

Smith was relieved of his duties on 6 October 1987 and returned to his former duties, only to be axed by the club the following July as part of economic measures.

Smith later served Bradford City in various capacities before returning to Huddersfield Town in 2012 as Head of Academy Recruitment, a position he held for a year.

Smith died on Wednesday in a Bradford care home.