On returning to England, he was bought out of the army by Jimmy Seed and, in 1936–37, began to feature for Bexleyheath & Welling in the Kent League.
On 15 April 1944, he played in Charlton's 3–1 win against Chelsea in the Football League South War Cup Final in front of a crowd of 85,000 at Wembley.
His discharge papers read 'an excellent physical training instructor and an international footballer: an honest, sober and trustworthy man with a most cheerful disposition'.
Although these matches were not recorded as official internationals, the players wore England shirts and received notification of their selection on English Football Association headed paper.
'In March 1945, an FA XI played two games in Belgium, against the national side and against the Diables Rouge, the Belgian parachute brigade.
The full party was: Bert Williams (Walsall), Laurie Scott (Arsenal), Bert Sproston (Manchester City), George Hardwick (Middlesbrough), Matt Busby (Liverpool), George Smith and 'Sailor' Brown (Charlton Athletic), Stanley Matthews and Neil Franklin (Stoke City), Tommy Lawton and Joe Mercer (Everton), Stan Mortensen (Blackpool), Leslie Smith (Brentford) and Maurice Edelston (Reading).
In Bruges, the FA team received a rapturous welcome from thousands of British troops – some of whom had torn down a wooden fence to gain admission – and went on to win 8–1.'
Smith worked as a physical education teacher at St. Joseph's College, Beulah Hill and was unwilling to meet the club's requirements.
He was joined in this decision by other players including Scotland right-half, Archie Macaulay, and Len Townsend, the club's centre-forward and leading scorer who also left.
Brentford transferred Smith to QPR for a fee reputed to be a record for a third division club which according to press reports of the time 'the Rangers do not regret spending one penny of'.
On 26 September 1949, he joined Ipswich Town where he made 8 league appearances and became the club's assistant manager and coach until his resignation in January 1950.
Although committed to a 4-year contract, success brought an offer of professional management from Crystal Palace and Sutton agreed to let Smith go, eventually replacing him with Malcolm Allison.
Andrew Letts wrote of George Smith in the Sutton United Football Club 1898–1973 – 75th Anniversary Souvenir Book: 'We had two very happy years, under inspired leadership, and had been left with a great example.
Field-Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, was the honorary chairman of Portsmouth FC having begun to support them during World War II due to the proximity of his headquarters.
In private correspondence dated 25 April 1962, he wrote to Smith: 'I congratulate you very much on getting Portsmouth out of the Third Division – which was completely a wrong place for a famous team.