*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Jack Smelt
Appearances: 13 Goals: 0
Clean Sheets: 3
Date / Year of birth: 25th December 1989
Position: Goalkeeper
Season of first appearance: 2011/12
Season of last appearance: 2011/12
Also played for: Colchester United (0), Croydon Athletic, Guildford City, Gillingham (0), Merstham, Cray Wanderers, Maldon Town, Canterbury City, Ramsgate, Whitstable Town, Tonbridge Angels, Sittingbourne and Grays Athletic
Thanet-born keeper who started his career on a scholarship with Colchester. Jack played for the U's youth team and also occasionally featured in the reserves during the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons. He also made a first team appearance in an Essex Senior Cup tie during 2007/08 and in April 2008 Jack was in the side that lost 3-0 at home to Hull in the Youth Alliance Cup Final. He was released by Colchester shortly afterwards.
Jack started the 2008/09 campaign with Croydon Athletic and he made eight Isthmian League Division 1 South appearances for them during the first half of the season.
In December 2008 he was loaned to Combined Counties League Premier Division club Guildford and Jack spent the remainder of 2008/09 there. He also made a one-off appearance for Gillingham's reserves in March 2009 - playing in a game against Aldershot alongside future Margate player Sam Long.
In the summer of 2009 Jack joined Merstham of Division 1 South but he only made sub appearance there. That came in an FA Cup replay at Faversham on 1.9.09 which the home side won 5-4 on penalties following a 4-4 draw after extra time.
Later in September 2009 Jack signed for Cray and on 29.11.09 he had a great game as they beat Margate 3-2 at Bromley in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The Thanet Times' match report praised him for "superb goalkeeping".
Early in February 2010 Jack moved on to Maldon and he made 14 Division 1 North appearances before rejoining Cray at the end of March 2010. By the end of 2009/10 he'd played a total of 23 times in the league during his two spells with the club.
Jack returned to Merstham for the start of the 2010/11 season but only played once in an FA Cup tie before leaving the club at the end of August 2010.
In October 2010 he had a brief spell with Canterbury and Jack played as they drew 1-1 with visitors Bridon Ropes in the Kent County League on 30.10.10. It was his only outing for the club.
In November 2010 he joined Ramsgate and Jack became the Rams' first-choice keeper for the remainder of the 2010/11 campaign. In March 2011 he won the Division 1 South 'Goalkeeper of the Month' award and by the end of the season Jack had played 26 times in all competitions for the Rams.
In August 2011 he signed for Margate as cover for injured keeper Simon Overland and in doing so Jack followed in the footsteps of his father Lee who'd played in goal for the club in the 1970's and 1980's. His uncle Marc had also played for Margate in the 1980's.
On 13.8.11 Jack saved a penalty in his first outing as Margate won 1-0 in a friendly at Whitstable and manager Chris Kinnear told the club website "We do try and recruit local lads where we can and Jack fits the bill as a goalkeeper and a local lad."
A few days before the start of the 2011/12 campaign Chris Kinnear spoke to the Isle of Thanet Gazette about Jack and said "He knows the art of goalkeeping and he should do having been brought up with it. Everyone says it but if Jack was three inches taller he'd be playing in the league. But he's with us and he has the ability to be here for a long time. If we went back to the Conference he could be with us all the way."
Jack made his first competitive appearance on 20.8.11 as Margate drew 1-1 at Wealdstone in the Isthmian League Premier Division and the Thanet Times said he made an "excellent low save" in the first half and a "brilliant" stop in the second period to cap a "terrific debut". He then started each of the next 12 games.
On 10.9.11 Jack made an error as Margate lost 2-0 to Hendon at Hartsdown Park, fumbling a long hopeful high ball into the net for the visitors second goal, but the Isle of Thanet Gazette praised his display in a 3-1 win at Metropolitan Police on 14.9.11 and said Jack made a "terrific diving save" early in the second half.
He almost scored in a home game against Tooting & Mitcham on 24.9.11 when a booming clearance had to be tipped over the bar by the visitors' keeper and having been a fixture in the Margate side Jack made his last appearance in a 1-0 defeat against Carshalton at Hartsdown Park on 8.10.11. He was then replaced by the fit again Simon Overland and after a few weeks on the subs bench Jack left the club in November 2011 having played 13 times.
He joined Whitstable after leaving Margate and Jack went on to make 11 Division 1 South appearances for the Oystermen during an injury-hit spell with the club.
In March 2012 he moved on to Tonbridge but Jack didn't feature in the Conference South club's first team and he left the Angels at the end of the 2011/12 campaign.
He didn't play senior football during the 2012/13 season but trained with Conference club Welling during the early part of 2013/14.
In October 2013 Jack joined Sittingbourne of the Isthmian League Division 1 South and made his debut for the Brickies as they lost 4-1 in an FA Cup tie at Staines on 12.10.13. Sittingbourne's joint manager Matt Wyatt told the Kentish Football website "I thought Jack Smelt was absolutely superb."
At the end of November 2013 Jack moved on to Grays of the Isthmian League Premier Division.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
| |
|
2011/12 (MFC) |
13 (54) |
0 |
0 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (15TH OF 22) |
3QR |
2QR |
3R |
QF |
|