He showed great footballing promise in his school days at Southesk and Montrose Academy, earning two Scottish schoolboy caps at aged 14.
Alongside Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Eddie Turnbull, and Willie Ormond, Smith became part of the "Famous Five", the most celebrated forward line in Hibs' history.
Smith was to again confound contemporary wisdom, signing for Dundee and forming a part of their league winning side in 1962.
At the age of 38, Smith had achieved the unique distinction of being the only player to win the league title with three different teams, none of them with either half of the traditionally dominant Old Firm.
After leaving Dundee, he played briefly for Drumcondra in the Republic of Ireland, before finally retiring at the end of the 1963–64 season.
Smith was compared with his English contemporaries Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney,[2][6] but he did not appear to have a "big-match temperament".