[3] He played for Aston Villa from 1893 to 1901, helping them to win the Football League title in 1893–94, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1898–99 and 1899–1900, as well as the 1895 FA Cup Final.

Although Villa also won the cup in 1897 (thereby taking the "double"), Smith was not selected to play in the final although he made four appearances in the earlier rounds.

In 1906 he was appointed to the role of player-manager of another Southern League club, New Brompton,[3] a position he held until 1908.

A particularly close dribbler, with a fine turn of speed, he was only robbed of the ball with difficulty, and with anything approaching a chance would centre most accurately.

Being on the small side, he often suffered from the lungeous opponent, and while with the Villa received more than his share of hard knocks.