MO_TxTruBlu
Well-Known Member
If you know your history and all that, then most of you will have at least heard of the legendary Jimmy Smith,
arguably Rangers greatest ever goalscorer.
Prior to the great Jimmy though, we had another Jimmy Smith on the books.
1926-27 season and Bill Struth gives the 24 year old Jimmy Smith his debut in our second League match of the season v Dunfermline at Ibrox, in place of the legendary Tommy Cairns, who had been our Captain for over a decade.
The forward line that day was Archibald, Cunningham, Doc Marshall, Smith and Morton.
Rangers won 2-0 with goals from Hugh Shaw and Sandy Archibald.
James Smith would make only one more appearance in a Rangers shirt, a month later at Tynecastle.
The forward line that day was Fleming, Smith, Doc Marshall, Cairns and Morton
Another 2-0 win for Rangers with goals from Jimmy Fleming and Tommy Cairns.
That was it, these were the only two games that particular Jimmy Smith played for Rangers.
Having been at Ibrox for just over one year, he was released and transferred down a Division to Ayr Utd at the end of that season.
The following season 1927-28, that very same Jimmy Smith scored a staggering 66 Goals in 38 League Games, as Ayr United stormed to the Second Division Championship.
To this day, some 90 plus years later, it remains a British Goalscoring record, and one that is unlikely ever to be beaten.
He also scored 2 in the Scottish Cup, and 4 in friendlies, taking his total to 72 for the season!
Jimmy Smith was transferred south to Liverpool for £6,000 five games into the 1929-30 season, after Liverpool had desperately lost 3 of their opening 5 fixtures in England's top flight (0-5, 0-3, 0-3).
Smith made his debut for Liverpool at Old Trafford, and instantly became a hero on Merseyside, as he scored both goals in a 2-1 win for Liverpool over Manchester United.
He would be an ever present for the remainder of the season, finishing as Liverpool's top scorer with 23 Goals in 37 Games.
The Following season saw Smith continue his goalscoring form with 14 Goals in 21 Games, before he was surprisingly dropped from the team, midway through the season.
Amazingly, one year later, Smith left Anfield to play amateur for non league Turnbridge Well Rangers, where he reputedly scored 90 goals!
Smith‘s career took a decidedly downward turn after Liverpool. He played one season as an amateur for Tunbridge Wells Rangers in the Eastern Section of the Southern League before joining third division south team Bristol Rovers where he struggled to hold a regular place. Smith scored ten goals in 26 League games for third division Newport County in the 1935-36 season.
He touched down at Notts County before returning to his homeland to Dumbarton in 1937, at the age of 35.
His first season back in Scotland saw the veteran Smith score 29 Goals in 35 Games.
The following season 1938-39 saw Jimmy Smith's playing career come to an end, though he still managed 7 Goals in 11 games.
He took over as Dumbarton‘s manager in 1939.
He was appointed as director in 1941 as the club could no longer afford a manager and stayed in that capacity until 1943.
Meanwhile, during all of this, over at Ibrox, Bill Struth introduced another Jimmy Smith to the Rangers first team in the latter part of the 1928-29 season.
With the League already wrapped up, Rangers who had gone through the entire season undefeated
(30 League Games, 5 Scottish Cup), gave the 17 year old Jimmy Smith his debut in an away match at Hamilton.
The forward line that Wednesday night was Archibald, Muirhead, Smith, McPhail and Morton.
Surprisingly Rangers suffered their only League defeat of the season that night, as they lost 1-3.
Smith would get one more game that season in a 0-0 draw v Ayr Utd.
His record was exactly the same as the previous Jimmy Smith, 2 games, no goals,
but Mr Struth was not about to let this Jimmy Smith go.
Smith made only one appearance the following season 1929-30, scoring once in a 3-1 win v Dundee.
It would be 1930-31 that Jimmy Smith established himself in the Rangers side, and the rest as we know is history.
Over the next 16 seasons 1930-46, our Jimmy Smith would score 364 Goals in 387 Games for Rangers
When Jimmy retired from playing, he stayed another 20 years at Ibrox as Trainer and chief scout, until 1967.
When Jimmy passed away in Dec 2003 at the age of 92, he was the oldest living Ranger.
arguably Rangers greatest ever goalscorer.
Prior to the great Jimmy though, we had another Jimmy Smith on the books.
1926-27 season and Bill Struth gives the 24 year old Jimmy Smith his debut in our second League match of the season v Dunfermline at Ibrox, in place of the legendary Tommy Cairns, who had been our Captain for over a decade.
The forward line that day was Archibald, Cunningham, Doc Marshall, Smith and Morton.
Rangers won 2-0 with goals from Hugh Shaw and Sandy Archibald.
James Smith would make only one more appearance in a Rangers shirt, a month later at Tynecastle.
The forward line that day was Fleming, Smith, Doc Marshall, Cairns and Morton
Another 2-0 win for Rangers with goals from Jimmy Fleming and Tommy Cairns.
That was it, these were the only two games that particular Jimmy Smith played for Rangers.
Having been at Ibrox for just over one year, he was released and transferred down a Division to Ayr Utd at the end of that season.
The following season 1927-28, that very same Jimmy Smith scored a staggering 66 Goals in 38 League Games, as Ayr United stormed to the Second Division Championship.
To this day, some 90 plus years later, it remains a British Goalscoring record, and one that is unlikely ever to be beaten.
He also scored 2 in the Scottish Cup, and 4 in friendlies, taking his total to 72 for the season!
Jimmy Smith was transferred south to Liverpool for £6,000 five games into the 1929-30 season, after Liverpool had desperately lost 3 of their opening 5 fixtures in England's top flight (0-5, 0-3, 0-3).
Smith made his debut for Liverpool at Old Trafford, and instantly became a hero on Merseyside, as he scored both goals in a 2-1 win for Liverpool over Manchester United.
He would be an ever present for the remainder of the season, finishing as Liverpool's top scorer with 23 Goals in 37 Games.
The Following season saw Smith continue his goalscoring form with 14 Goals in 21 Games, before he was surprisingly dropped from the team, midway through the season.
Amazingly, one year later, Smith left Anfield to play amateur for non league Turnbridge Well Rangers, where he reputedly scored 90 goals!
Smith‘s career took a decidedly downward turn after Liverpool. He played one season as an amateur for Tunbridge Wells Rangers in the Eastern Section of the Southern League before joining third division south team Bristol Rovers where he struggled to hold a regular place. Smith scored ten goals in 26 League games for third division Newport County in the 1935-36 season.
He touched down at Notts County before returning to his homeland to Dumbarton in 1937, at the age of 35.
His first season back in Scotland saw the veteran Smith score 29 Goals in 35 Games.
The following season 1938-39 saw Jimmy Smith's playing career come to an end, though he still managed 7 Goals in 11 games.
He took over as Dumbarton‘s manager in 1939.
He was appointed as director in 1941 as the club could no longer afford a manager and stayed in that capacity until 1943.
Meanwhile, during all of this, over at Ibrox, Bill Struth introduced another Jimmy Smith to the Rangers first team in the latter part of the 1928-29 season.
With the League already wrapped up, Rangers who had gone through the entire season undefeated
(30 League Games, 5 Scottish Cup), gave the 17 year old Jimmy Smith his debut in an away match at Hamilton.
The forward line that Wednesday night was Archibald, Muirhead, Smith, McPhail and Morton.
Surprisingly Rangers suffered their only League defeat of the season that night, as they lost 1-3.
Smith would get one more game that season in a 0-0 draw v Ayr Utd.
His record was exactly the same as the previous Jimmy Smith, 2 games, no goals,
but Mr Struth was not about to let this Jimmy Smith go.
Smith made only one appearance the following season 1929-30, scoring once in a 3-1 win v Dundee.
It would be 1930-31 that Jimmy Smith established himself in the Rangers side, and the rest as we know is history.
Over the next 16 seasons 1930-46, our Jimmy Smith would score 364 Goals in 387 Games for Rangers
When Jimmy retired from playing, he stayed another 20 years at Ibrox as Trainer and chief scout, until 1967.
When Jimmy passed away in Dec 2003 at the age of 92, he was the oldest living Ranger.