smith was born in abbots bromley, staffordshire. 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. he made one england appearance against scotland in 1895.