Kirsty Smith

Kirsty Smith
Smith playing for Manchester United in 2018
Personal information
Full name Kirsty Anele Smith[1]
Date of birth (1994-01-06) 6 January 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Dalkeith, Scotland[2]
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.64 m)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
West Ham United
Number 2
Youth career
2006 Musselburgh Windsor
2007–2011 Hibernian
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2018 Hibernian 44 (17)
2018–2022 Manchester United 40 (0)
2022– West Ham United 44 (1)
International career
2011 Scotland U17 5 (0)
2011–2013 Scotland U19 17 (2)
2014– Scotland 49 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 February 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 April 2023

Kirsty Anele Smith (born 6 January 1994) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a defender for English Women's Super League club West Ham United and the Scotland national team.

Club career

Hibernian

Smith started her career at Musselburgh Windsor. In July 2007, she joined Hibernian.[3] Smith was part of the side that won consecutive Scottish domestic cup doubles in 2016 and 2017, and also finished as league runners-up on 4 occasions between 2013 and 2017.[4]

Manchester United

Smith warming up for Manchester United in 2019.

On 27 June 2018, it was announced that Smith and teammate Lizzie Arnot were leaving Hibernian.[5] Both players then signed with Manchester United for their inaugural season.[6] She made her competitive debut for Manchester United in a 1–0 League Cup victory against Liverpool on 19 August, and her Championship debut in a 12–0 win against Aston Villa on 9 September.[7][8] Smith made 16 league appearances as United won the Championship title and promotion to the FA WSL in their first season.

In the 2019–20 season, Smith scored her first goal for the club on 21 November 2019 in an 11–1 League Cup Group Stage victory over Championship team Leicester City.[9]

West Ham United

On 15 July 2022, it was announced that Smith had signed a two-year deal with West Ham United, with the option to extend for a further year.[10]

International career

Smith has represented Scotland at under-17 and under-19 level. Her UEFA competition debut for Scotland under-17 was on 9 April 2011 against France under-17.

On 30 October 2014, Smith earned her senior international debut, in a World Cup qualification play-off against the Netherlands. She was a 79th minute substitute, coming on for Caroline Weir.[11][12]

On 15 May 2019, Smith was named in the Scotland squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, the nation's first ever appearance at the tournament.[13]

Personal life

In 2017, Smith graduated with a degree in Accountancy and Finance from Heriot-Watt University.[14] Smith is in a relationship with Australian goalkeeper and former West Ham teammate Mackenzie Arnold.[15]

Career statistics

International appearances

As of the match played on 11 April 2023[16]
National team Year Apps Goals
Scotland 2014 1 0
2015 9 0
2016 7 0
2017 8 0
2018 5 0
2019 9 0
2020 4 0
2021 1 0
2022 2 0
2023 3 0
Total 49 0

Honours

Hibernian

Manchester United

References

  1. ^ a b "FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™ List of Players - Scotland" (PDF). FIFA. 27 May 2019. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  2. ^ Statutory registers - Births - Search results Archived 28 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine, ScotlandsPeople
  3. ^ "Kirsty Smith".
  4. ^ "Hibernian Ladies complete double". SkySports. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  5. ^ "SMITH AND ARNOT DEPART HIBERNIAN". Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Manchester United include England stars in unveiled women's squad". 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  7. ^ Drudge, Harriet (19 August 2018). "MATCH REPORT: LIVERPOOL WOMEN 0 UNITED WOMEN 1". ManUtd.com. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  8. ^ Bath, Adam (9 September 2018). "MATCH REPORT: ASTON VILLA 0 UNITED WOMEN 12". ManUtd.com. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Man Utd Women v Leicester Women match report". www.manutd.com.
  10. ^ "Scotland international Kirsty Smith joins West Ham United Women". www.whufc.com. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Ons Oranje Nederland-Schotland". Archived from the original on 8 April 2016.
  12. ^ "Ladies on high note". Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  13. ^ "Women's World Cup: Shelley Kerr names Scotland squad for finals". BBC. 15 May 2019.
  14. ^ "Heriot Watt University Graduate to star in Women's World Cup". OriamScotland.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  15. ^ Skelley, Jemima (29 August 2023). "Mackenzie Arnold and Kirsty Smith's complete relationship timeline". Nine.com.au. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  16. ^ Kirsty Smith at the Scottish Football Association
  17. ^ "HIBERNIAN LADIES WIN THE SCOTTISH CUP". Hibernian Media. 6 November 2016. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  18. ^ "HIBERNIAN LADIES WIN THE SSE SCOTTISH WOMEN'S CUP". Hibernian Media. 27 November 2017. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  19. ^ "SWPL Cup final: Hibernian Ladies beat Glasgow City". BBC Sport. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  20. ^ Southwick, Andrew (21 May 2017). "SWPL Cup: Hibernian cruise to victory over Celtic to retain trophy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  21. ^ Southwick, Andrew (20 May 2018). "SWPL: Hibernian thrash Celtic 9-0 to win third Women's Premier League Cup in a row". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  22. ^ "Man Utd Women 7-0 Crystal Palace Ladies: Women's Championship title sealed by win". BBC Sport. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.