Libby Smith (footballer)
 Smith playing for Leicester City in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 11 March 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Leicester, England | ||
| Position(s) | Forward, winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Birmingham City | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Thetford Town | |||
| Chelsea | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2021 | Leicester City | 38 | (5) |
| 2021– | Birmingham City | 61 | (8) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017–2018 | England U17 | 4 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | England U18 | 6 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | England U19 | 4 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:12, 3 November 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:15, 9 March 2020 (UTC) | |||
Libby Smith (born 11 March 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Championship club Birmingham City, and previously played for Leicester City.
Youth career
[edit]Born in Leicester,[1] Smith joined Leicester City aged 7.[2] She is also a product of the Chelsea academy,[1] and played for Thetford Town in Norfolk, making four appearances for the girls team.[3]
Club career
[edit]Leicester City
[edit]On 30 June 2021, having helped Leicester City in the 2020–21 season to gain promotion to the Women's Super League for the first time in the clubs history,[4] while playing as a right-back,[5] it was announced that Smith would be among nine players leaving the club.[4]
Birmingham City
[edit]On 28 July 2021, Smith signed for Women's Championship club Birmingham City.[6]
On 10 January 2022, during the 2021–22 season in the WSL, Smith featured in the stunning defeat against league leaders Arsenal, scoring the opening goal in the 2–0 victory that ended Arsenal's unbeaten run.[7][8] Her goal in the third minute that caught out Arsenal's defenders, described as "beautiful in its simplicity" by Optus Sport, would also be her debut goal in the top tier of English women's football.[9][10]
With City relegated back to the Championship for the 2022–23 season, they faced top tier opposition again for the first time against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup, with Smith scoring an important goal in the 3–2 victory.[11]
International career
[edit]In her youth international career, Smith represented the England under-17s, under-18s, and under-19s, while captaining the latter.[6] In July 2019 she was called up to the under-18s for three friendly matches,[12] and in March 2020, she payed in La Manga Tournament in Spain for the under-19s.[13]
Style of play
[edit]Smith can play as a winger for striker and in 2020–21 played a season at right-back.[6] Former Birmingham City team mate Jade Pennock described Smith as a creative, attack-minded player.[14]
Honours
[edit]Leicester City
Birmingham City
- Women's Championship: 2022–23 runner up[15]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Libby Smith". Leicester City F.C. 28 November 2020. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "LCFC Women players talk barriers faced by female footballers". De Montfort University. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Player Season Totals | Thetford Town F.C. Ladies | Norfolk Women & Girls' Football League". The FA. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Leicester City Women: Remi Allen & Charlotte Fleming among nine to leave Women's Super League side". BBC Sport. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Frith, Wilf (29 July 2021). "Birmingham City Women sign former Foxes forward Libby Smith". SheKicks. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Libby Smith: Birmingham City women sign Leicester City striker". BBC Sport. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Walker, Ron (10 January 2022). "Birmingham Women 2-0 Arsenal Women: Libby Smith and Veatriki Sarri strike as City stun WSL leaders". Sky Sports News. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Birmingham stun WSL leaders Arsenal to secure first win of the season". Guernsey Press. 9 January 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Lordanic, Marissa (22 August 2024). "Talking Points: WSL stunned by an upset no one expected". Optus Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Wrack, Suzanne (9 January 2022). "Jonas Eidevall takes blame after WSL leaders Arsenal beaten at Birmingham". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Golby, Louise (4 October 2022). "Birmingham City boss Carter comments on season so far and international break". WSL Full-Time. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Frith, Wilf (8 July 2019). "#Young Lionesses squad announced for three-team tournament". SheKicks. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Frith, Wilf (5 March 2020). "England Women U-19s lose 3-0 to USA at La Manga tournament". SheKicks. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Milburn, Charlie (5 March 2022). "Jade Pennock: Birmingham star ready to take on WSL giants". Her Football Hub. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ a b Libby Smith at Soccerway
External links
[edit]- Libby Smith at Soccerway
Media related to Libby Smith at Wikimedia Commons
- 2001 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Leicester
- Women's association football forwards
- Chelsea F.C. Women players
- Leicester City W.F.C. players
- Women's Championship (England) players
- Birmingham City W.F.C. players
- Women's Super League players
- English women's footballers
- England women's youth international footballers
- 21st-century English sportswomen