Darren Smith (footballer, born 1996)

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Darren Smith
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-03-26) 26 March 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Cape Town, South Africa
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Inter Turku
Number 9
Youth career
0000–2014 Ajax Cape Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 AmaZulu 3 (0)
2015–2016 → Vasco da Gama (loan) 21 (2)
2016–2017 Santos 13 (3)
2017–2019 SuperSport United 5 (1)
2019 → Ubuntu Cape Town (loan) 10 (0)
2020 EIF 22 (18)
2021 Honka 24 (8)
2022 AS FAR 9 (1)
2023– Inter Turku 31 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 April 2024

Darren Smith (born 26 March 1996) is a South African professional soccer player for Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku. He played in a youth sector of Ajax Cape Town, before joining Kwazulu-Natal club AmaZulu in 2014.

Club career[edit]

South Africa[edit]

Smith started his senior career in his native South Africa with AmaZulu in 2014.[1] During his six professional years in his native country, he played mostly in second tier National First Division, and additionally made a total of six appearances and scored once in first tier South African Premier Division. He represented Vasco da Gama, Santos, SuperSport United and Ubuntu Cape Town between 2015 and 2019. In 2017–18 season while playing with SuperSport United, Smith represented his club at CAF Confederation Cup matches.

Ekenäs IF[edit]

In the early 2020, Smith moved abroad for the first time and signed a contract with Finnish club Ekenäs IF (EIF), playing in the second-tier level Ykkönen. In the season, Smith scored 18 goals in 22 matches, making him the top goalscorer in the division. He was named the Ykkönen Player of the Year.[2]

Honka[edit]

On 11 November 2020, FC Honka in Finnish premier division Veikkausliiga announced the signing of Smith for the 2021 season.[3][4] Smith made 24 appearances in the league, scoring eight goals. He also represented Honka in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers in four matches.[1]

AS FAR[edit]

In the early 2022, Smith signed with Moroccan club AS FAR Rabat, playing in Botola Pro, the country's premier division, becoming the first South African football player to sign with Moroccan club.[5] In May 2022, Smith won the title of the postponed 2019–20 Moroccan Throne Cup with AS FAR.[6]

Inter Turku[edit]

In November 2022, Smith returned to Finland and signed a two-year deal with Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga.[7][8][9] During his first season with the club, Smith scored eight goals in 27 league appearances.[10][11] In the 2024 Finnish League Cup, Smith scored five goals in six cup matches as Inter Turku won the Finnish League Cup title on 30 March 2024, by defeating KuPS in the final on penalties.

Career statistics[edit]

As of 26 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Other Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AmaZulu 2014–15 South African Premier Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
2015–16 National First Division 2 0 0 0 — — 2 0
Total 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Vasco da Gama (loan) 2014–15 National First Division 12 1 4 0 — — 16 1
2015–16 National First Division 9 1 0 0 — — 9 1
Total 21 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 25 2
Santos 2016–17 National First Division 13 3 1 0 — — 14 3
SuperSport United 2017–18 South African Premier Division 5 1 1 0 0 0 3[b] 0 9 1
2018–19 South African Premier Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 5 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 9 1
Ubuntu Cape Town (loan) 2018–19 National First Division 10 0 0 0 — — 10 0
EIF 2020 Ykkönen 22 18 5 3 — — 27 21
Honka 2021 Veikkausliiga 24 8 6 2 — 4[c] 0 34 10
AS FAR Rabat 2021–22 Botola Pro 9 1 2 0 — 0 0 11 1
Inter Turku 2023 Veikkausliiga 27 8 1 0 6[d] 1 — 34 9
2024 Veikkausliiga 4 1 0 0 6[d] 5 — 10 6
Total 31 9 1 0 12 6 0 0 44 15
Career total 138 42 20 5 12 6 7 0 177 53
  1. ^ Includes Nedbank Cup, Moroccan Throne Cup and Suomen Cup
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in CAF Confederation Cup
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ^ a b Includes Finnish League Cup

Honours[edit]

AS FAR[edit]

Inter Turku[edit]

Individual[edit]

  • Ykkönen Player of the year: 2020[2]
  • Ykkönen Top Goalscorer: 2020

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Striker reveals why he will never come back to play in the PSL, thesouthafrican.com, James Richardson, 10 July 2022
  2. ^ a b VUODEN PELAAJA DARREN SMITH: ”VOIN KUTSUA TAMMISAARTA TOISEKSI KODIKSENI”, Finnish FA, 4 December 2020
  3. ^ FC Honka hankki Ykkösen maalikuninkaan – espoolaiset tekivät kesällä tarjouksen, suomifutis.com, 11 November 2020
  4. ^ South African striker Darren Smith has found a new European team, snl24.com, 11 November 2020
  5. ^ SA Star Makes History With Latest Move, idiskitimes.co.za, Lorenz Kohler, 31 January 2022
  6. ^ South African striker Darren Smith wins Moroccan Throne Cup with AS FAR Rabat, snl24.com, 16 May 2022
  7. ^ "DARREN SMITH ON FC INTERIN UUSIN VAHVISTUS". Inter Turku (in Finnish). 24 November 2022.
  8. ^ Tuominen, Joni (11 July 2023). "Interin ykköskärki sai tynkäkaudesta Marokossa haluamaansa turvaa, mutta pelillisesti kausi oli haastava - "Tärkeä kokemus päästä näkemään Suomea korkeatasoisempi sarja"". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish).
  9. ^ Darren Smith’s first words on his return to Finland, farpost.co.za, 11 November 2022
  10. ^ Ahola, Harri (26 May 2023). "Kommentti: Inter löysi ykköskärkensä, vaikka jumalaa kiittävän Darren Smithin asema olikin välillä jo hutera". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish).
  11. ^ ""Enemmän maalipaikkoja ja olemme vaarallisia" - Interin Darren Smith uskoo tehoja löytyvän lisää". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). 26 May 2023.
  12. ^ Liigacupin voitto ratkesi rangaistuspotkukisassa: 17-vuotiaasta maalivahdista sankari, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, 30 March 2024

External links[edit]

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