International Appearances - J.R. Smith

Last updated : 08 February 2008 By Neil Andrews
JR Smith
Reg Smith
England

Caps: 2 (of 2)
Goals: 2

The last Millwall player to be capped by England, J.R. Smith, or Reg to his mates, caught the eye during The Lions' epic F.A. Cup run of 1937 when they became the first team from outside the top two divisions to reach the semi-finals. A year later he was the driving force behind Millwall's impressive promotion campaign that saw the club promoted as Champions to Division Two.

A dazzling left winger of some repute, he was selected for England in the autumn of 1938 and made his debut against Norway at Newcastle. Smith scored twice as the home side ran out 4-0 winners and was selected again the following week for the home International against Northern Ireland. However, on this occasion a right-winger by the name of Stanley Matthews eclipsed his performance on the left, and Smith hardly got a look-in as Matthews tore the Irish to pieces at Old Trafford.

The Second World War interrupted Smith's career but he still found time to play in the odd wartime international for England and turned out on occasion for Millwall in the revised League programme. But the war was to signal the end of his Lions career and all but put paid to any hope of adding to his collection of international caps.

Smith had spent the last few years of the war in Scotland and he was persuaded by Dundee to swap The Den for Dens Park. The move put him out of the spotlight and away from the eyes of England's selection committee.

But that wasn't the end of his Millwall career entirely. Smith returned to manage Millwall at the end of the 1950s and remained a popular figure at the club during his later years until his death at the turn of the century.