Tyler Smith (footballer)

Tyler Gavin Junior Smith (born 4 December 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for EFL League Two club Bradford City.

Tyler Smith
Personal information
Full name Tyler Gavin Junior Smith[1]
Date of birth (1998-12-04) 4 December 1998 (age 25)
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Bradford City
Number 14
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 Sheffield United 0 (0)
2018Barrow (loan) 23 (10)
2019Doncaster Rovers (loan) 14 (2)
2019Bristol Rovers (loan) 20 (3)
2020Rochdale (loan) 4 (1)
2020–2021Swindon Town (loan) 23 (7)
2021–2023 Hull City 37 (4)
2023Oxford United (loan) 7 (0)
2023– Bradford City 43 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:23, 19 November 2024 (UTC)

Career

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Sheffield United

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Born in Sheffield, Smith began his career with Sheffield United.[2] He was a ballboy with the club.[3] He spent the first half of the 2018–19 season on loan at Barrow,[2] before moving on loan to Doncaster Rovers in January 2019.[4] He scored two goals on his debut on 19 January 2019, and was praised by manager Grant McCann as being "a star in the making".[5] In July 2019 he moved on loan to Bristol Rovers for the 2019–20 season.[6] In January 2020 was joined Rochdale on loan.[7]

On 6 August 2020 he moved on loan to Swindon Town for the 2020–21 season.[8] On 8 September 2020 he scored his first goal for Swindon in an EFL Trophy tie against West Bromwich Albion U21s.[9]

Hull City

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He signed for Hull City in August 2021,[10] and made his debut for the club on 28 August in a 0–0 home draw against AFC Bournemouth.[11] He scored his first goal for the club within the 1st minute of an FA Cup match against Everton on 8 January 2022.[12]

In January 2023 Smith joined Oxford United on loan until the end of the season.[13][14]

Smith was released by Hull City at the end of the 2022–23 season.[15]

Bradford City

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After his release, Smith signed a three-year deal with Bradford City.[16][17][18] After the first few matches of the 2023–24 season, he said he was looking forward to playing more football.[19] He scored his first goal for Bradford on 29 August 2023, in the EFL Cup.[20] He later said the squad was deep enough to cope without injured fellow striker Andy Cook,[21] with Smith himself being injured a few days later.[22] On 31 October he scored a hat-trick in the EFL Trophy, to send the club through to the next round.[23] He later praised teammate Kevin McDonald, who had served as caretaker manager.[3]

After scoring the winning goal in a game against Accrington Stanley, Smith was compared to former Bradford City player Nahki Wells.[24] By December 2023, Smith had scored 6 goals in 4 games in the EFL Trophy for the club.[25] He later spoke positively about his striking partnership with Andy Cook.[26]

After losing his first-team place, on 5 March 2024, Smith scored his first goal for the club since December 2023.[27] On 23 April, in a 10 minute appearance, he scored the winning goal in the penultimate game of the season, to keep the club in contention for the play-offs.[28]

Personal life

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His younger brother is fellow footballer Kyron Gordon.[29] Smith became a father in September 2024, after his wife gave birth.[30]

Career statistics

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As of 19 November 2024.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sheffield United 2018–19[31] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019–20[32] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020–21[33] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021–22[34] Championship 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Total 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Barrow (loan) 2018–19[2] National League 23 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 24 11
Doncaster Rovers (loan) 2018–19[31] League One 14 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 2
Bristol Rovers (loan) 2019–20[32] League One 20 3 3 0 2 2 3 0 28 5
Rochdale (loan) 2019–20[32] League One 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1
Swindon Town (loan) 2020–21[33] League One 23 7 0 0 1 0 2 3 26 10
Hull City 2021–22[34] Championship 23 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 24 2
2022–23[35] Championship 14 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 15 3
Total 37 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 39 5
Oxford United (loan) 2022–23[35] League One 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Bradford City 2023–24[20] League Two 38 5 1 0 3 1 5 6 47 12
2024–25[36] League Two 5 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 7 0
Total 43 5 1 0 3 1 7 6 54 12
Career total 171 32 7 2 6 3 12 9 196 46

References

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  1. ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2019" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Tyler Smith at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  3. ^ a b "From ball boy to team-mate, Tyler Smith remains fan of City midfielder". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Doncaster Rovers: Sheffield United forward Tyler Smith agrees loan until end of season". BBC Sport. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Sheffield United loanee Tyler Smith saluted by Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann after double". Yorkshire Post. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Bristol Rovers: Sheffield United striker Tyler Smith agrees season-long loan deal". BBC Sport. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  7. ^ "Tyler Smith: Rochdale sign forward from Sheffield United". BBC Sport. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Tyler Smith Joins Robins on Loan". Swindon Town F.C. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Swindon Town fall to defeat in opening EFL Trophy game following 3-2 loss to West Bromwich Albion under 21s at the County Ground". Swindon Advertiser. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Hull City sign Blades striker Smith". BBC Sport. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Hull City 0–0 Bournemouth". BBC Sport. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Hull City 2–3 Everton". BBC Sport. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Tyler Smith Joins Oxford United". Oxford United F.C. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Oxford sign Hull City's Smith on loan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Retained List Confirmed". Hull City A.F.C. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  16. ^ "City Snap Up Smith". Bradford City A.F.C. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Bantams snap up sought-after striker Smith after his Hull departure". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 26 June 2023.
  18. ^ "Bradford City sign ex-Hull City striker Smith". BBC Sport. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Smith up for starters' orders after getting Bradford City call". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Games played by Tyler Smith in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Smith backs Bantams strength in depth to meet every challenge". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  22. ^ "Team news: More striker worries for City ahead of TV game with Grimsby". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  23. ^ "REPORT: Smith issues reminder as McDonald ends caretaker run with a win". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  24. ^ "SIMON PARKER'S VERDICT: City graft to deliver some much-needed hope". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  25. ^ "Bantams' forward closing in on record". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  26. ^ "'We know we're good together': Smith and Cook proving double trouble for Bantams". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 24 December 2023.
  27. ^ "Smith hopes to hear starters' orders for Bantams after making his point". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  28. ^ "'We could have folded months ago but we've not': Smith up for final-day drama". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  29. ^ "Family affair for Sheffield United striker Tyler Smith as he looks to make breakthrough at boyhood club". The Star. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  30. ^ "Who's the daddy! Why striker Smith missed City's EFL Trophy tie". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 18 September 2024.
  31. ^ a b "Games played by Tyler Smith in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  32. ^ a b c "Games played by Tyler Smith in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  33. ^ a b "Games played by Tyler Smith in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  34. ^ a b "Games played by Tyler Smith in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  35. ^ a b "Games played by Tyler Smith in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  36. ^ "Games played by Tyler Smith in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2024.