Smith was an amateur during his stay at Liverpool employed as a public schoolteacher. He led Liverpool's forward-line in the opening two games of the 1903/04 season, which would end in relegation to the Second Division after just nine of the 34 League matches were won. Smith scored on his debut at Nottingham Forest but his strike ten minutes from time was not enough to salvage a point as the hosts had scored twice themselves during the opening period. Smith retained his place when Sheffield Wednesday were the visitors to Anfield a week later but after another defeat he was replaced by John Carlin for the next three fixtures. All those were lost too and Carlin was immediately replaced by Jack Parkinson but the form shown in the opening five league fixtures when no points were won and 14 goals conceded left the team with too much ground to make up. Smith scored plenty of goals for Southport Central in the Lancashire Combination.