Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
coach and former player, who is the manager of
Scottish League One
The Scottish League One, known as William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill League One for sponsorship reasons, is the third tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association football, foot ...
side
Stenhousemuir
Stenhousemuir (; ) is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies within the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The town is north-northwest of Falkirk and directly adjoins to Larbert in the west, where the nearest rail access is located ...
.
Naysmith, who played as a
left-back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Defenders fall into four main categ ...
or left-winger, started his senior career with Hearts. Naysmith moved to England to sign with
Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
club Everton, where he stayed for seven seasons. Naysmith was capped 46 times by the Scotland national team between 2000 and 2009. After spells with
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The club competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football. They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history ...
and
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. They compete in , the third tier of English football league system, English football.
Huddersfield Town we ...
, Naysmith returned to Scotland with
Aberdeen
Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
.
In the summer of 2013, Naysmith signed with part-time club East Fife, and was then appointed as
player-manager
A player–coach (also playing coach, captain–coach, or player–manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. Player–coaches may be head coaches or assistant coaches, and they may make chang ...
in December. He managed
Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this sys ...
club Queen of the South from December 2016 to May 2019. He was appointed manager of Edinburgh City in March 2021, but was sacked a year later. Naysmith became Stenhousemuir manager in January 2023 and led them to promotion in the 2023/24 season.
Playing career
Club
Heart of Midlothian
Naysmith started his senior career with Hearts, whom he joined from local side Whitehill's Colts team. Naysmith made his professional debut, aged only 17, several months later in a League Cup tie with
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
. His opportunity arose from a suspension crisis, the Maroons having no fewer than four defenders (
Bruno
Bruno may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname
* Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880)
* Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologn ...
,
Weir
A weir or low-head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...
,
Ritchie
Ritchie may refer to:
People Surname
Given name
Fictional characters
*Ritchie, a character in the 1986 American science fiction movie ''Howard the Duck''
*Ritchie Tozer, on the TV series ''It's a Sin'' (TV series)
* Robert Ritchie (''The Wes ...
and
Pointon
Pointon is a village in the civil parish of Pointon and Sempringham, in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. In 2021 the parish of "Pointon and Sempringham" has a population of 533. The majority of the parish's population live ...
) sent off in their previous match at
Rangers
A ranger is typically someone in a law enforcement or military/paramilitary role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called "ranging" or "scouting". The term most often refers to:
* Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with prot ...
. Despite the patchwork nature of their defence, Hearts defeated Celtic 1–0, with Naysmith earning plaudits for his mature display. Within a year he had established himself as the side's first-choice left back, displacing Neil Pointon, and in 1998 helped the Tynecastle club end their 36-year trophy drought by lifting the
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year.
A transitional season followed as the loss of Weir,
McCann McCann may refer to:
* McCann (surname)
* McCann (company), advertising agency
* McCann Worldgroup, network of marketing and advertising agencies
* Marist College athletic facilities
** McCann Arena
** James J. McCann Baseball Field
* McCann Res ...
(both transferred) and Colin Cameron (injured) destabilised the side. Naysmith himself had to adapt to a change in the levels of expectation placed upon him, no longer allowed the defence of youthful naïveté. By the 1999–2000 season he had rediscovered his confidence and was being touted for an international call-up. A particular highlight of that season was his display in a 3–2 defeat of Celtic at
Parkhead
Parkhead () is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet (place), hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road (now the Gallowgate and Tollcross Road) and Westmuir Street. Glasgow's Eastern Necro ...
in February 2000. Hearts had trailed 2–0 before battling back to victory, with Naysmith striking a spectacular equalising goal.
As one of Hearts' most valuable assets, Naysmith was also the subject of transfer speculation. Financial concerns at the club heightened these and in October 2000 it appeared that Naysmith was bound for the West Midlands when
Coventry City
Coventry City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Coventry, West Midlands. The club plays in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club is nicknamed The Sky Blues after the sky blue colou ...
bid for him. However, their offer was bettered by Everton at the eleventh hour, and Naysmith moved to Merseyside instead, in a £1.7 million deal.
Everton
Naysmith first became a regular under
Walter Smith
Walter Ferguson Smith (24 February 1948 – 26 October 2021) was a Scottish football player, manager and director, primarily associated with his two spells as manager of Glasgow club Rangers.
A defender, Smith's playing career consiste ...
and then remained under his successor
David Moyes
David William Moyes (born 25 April 1963) is a Scottish professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Association football, player, who currently manages Premier League club Everton F.C., Everton. He was the 2003, 200 ...
. His early performances led to Everton fans nicknaming "El Blanco Carlos", after the Brazilian left-back
Roberto Carlos
Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha (born 10 April 1973), often known as Roberto Carlos and sometimes ''RC3'', is a Brazilian former professional association football, footballer. He has been described as the "most offensive-minded left-back in the ...
. He made 152 appearances for Everton, scoring six goals, although his Everton career was disrupted by injury. In December 2002 he was the victim of a "blood curdling, x-rated" tackle by Liverpool's
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE (born 30 May 1980) is an English professional football manager and a former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time and one of Liverpool's greatest ever players, A long term ankle injury in 2005 meant that Naysmith lost his first-team place at Everton to Alessandro Pistone in the 2004–05 season, and in the 2005–06 season Portuguese international
Nuno Valente
Nuno Jorge Pereira da Silva Valente (; born 12 September 1974) is a former Portuguese professional footballer who played as a left-back or a winger. He later became a manager.
He played professionally in Portugal and England for Sporti ...
claimed the left back slot at Goodison Park.
Naysmith recovered from ankle surgery in time for the start of the 2006–07 season and an injury to Valente in the season's opening game saw him restored to the starting eleven. He kept his place after Valente returned to fitness, however it was not long before injury befell him again, a medial ligament strain in the game against
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Since th ...
on 24 September 2006 keeping him out for two months.
At the end of the 2004–05 season, he signed a new three-year contract with the Blues. On 5 May 2007, Naysmith scored the third goal in a 3–0 victory over
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
The win practically guaranteed that Everton would be playing in Europe during the 2007–08 season. Naysmith made over 130 Premier League appearances for the Toffees before leaving the club to join
Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this sys ...
side Sheffield United for £1 million in July 2007 as part of an exchange deal with
Phil Jagielka
Philip Nikodem Jagielka ( or ;, ; born 17 August 1982) is an English former professional Association football, footballer who played as a centre-back. He is primarily known for his lengthy tenures at Sheffield United and Everton.
Jagielka cam ...
.
Sheffield United
As part of the deal that took
Phil Jagielka
Philip Nikodem Jagielka ( or ;, ; born 17 August 1982) is an English former professional Association football, footballer who played as a centre-back. He is primarily known for his lengthy tenures at Sheffield United and Everton.
Jagielka cam ...
to
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a Association football, football stadium in Walton, Liverpool, Walton, Liverpool, England, it was the home of Premier League club Everton F.C., Everton from 1892 until 2025. It is now the home of Everton F.C. (women), Everton's ...
, Naysmith was given permission to speak to
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The club competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football. They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history ...
to discuss a possible move. He was signed by ''The Blades'' and agreed a three-year deal at
Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane is a association football, football stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which is the home of Sheffield United F.C., Sheffield United.
The stadium was originally a cricket ground, built on a road named after the Bramall ...
, thus ending a six-and-half-year stay with Everton.
Naysmith made his first team début in the opening game of the 2007–08 season in a 2–2 home draw with
Colchester United
Colchester United Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Colchester, Essex, England. The team competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system.
Founded in 1937, the club spent its ea ...
and quickly cemented his place in the side becoming the first choice at left back throughout the rest of the season. Naysmith started 42 games in his first season, 38 of them in the league.
Naysmith started the 2008–09 season as first choice left back, playing 43 games until he suffered serious cruciate ligament damage which ruled him out for the final weeks of the season, thus missing the club's unsuccessful play-off campaign. He made his first start of the season on the opening day in United's 1–0 loss at
Birmingham City
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. The team compete in the ...
. Naysmith started 37 league games and made a further two appearances from the bench.
Due to an injury suffered towards the end of the 2008–09 season, Naysmith missed the majority of the 2009–10 season. He returned to the side in December 2009 and was listed as an unused substitute three times before making a successful return to the side for the last two games of the season, the first in The Blades 2–0 win over
Swansea City
Swansea City Association Football Club ( ; ) is a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. It competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Swansea have played their home matches at ...
, the second in their final day 3–0 win over
Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town Football Club is a professional football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. The club currently competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.
Ipswich Town were founded in 1878 but did not turn ...
.
Huddersfield Town
Naysmith rejected a new deal at Bramall Lane, opting to sign a two-year deal with Yorkshire neighbours
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. They compete in , the third tier of English football league system, English football.
Huddersfield Town we ...
on 4 June 2010 on a free transfer. Naysmith revealed that he turned down offers from Premier League clubs where he would have had the chance to be a squad player to move to the Galpharm Stadium.
On 7 August 2010, Naysmith debuted for the ''Terriers'' in the 3–0 win versus
Notts County
Notts County Football Club is a professional association football, football club in Nottingham, England, which competes in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of Football in England, English football, following promotion and relegation, promotion ...
at
Meadow Lane
Meadow Lane is a football (soccer), football stadium in Nottingham, England. It is the home ground of Notts County F.C., Notts County, who have played there since it opened in 1910. The stadium was also home to Notts County Ladies F.C. from 201 ...
. On 14 August 2010, Naysmith was then sent-off in his home debut for the ''Terriers'' versus
Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are a professional association football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The team competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system.
Founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club, they ...
, as the match ended in a 0–0 draw. On 25 August 2010, Naysmith then suffered a toe injury in a League Cup second round 5–1 away defeat at his former club Everton, which caused him to miss the next five months of the season, as he eventually returned to play in a 2–0 home win versus
Carlisle United
Carlisle United Football Club ( , ) is a professional association football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, England. The team currently compete in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system.
They have played their ...
in the league.
Naysmith departed the club in June 2012 after not being offered a new contract by the ''Terriers'' manager,
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson (born 16 December 1969) is an English professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Association football, player who is head coach of National League (division), National League club Hartlepool ...
.
Aberdeen
Naysmith returned to Scotland to train with
Aberdeen
Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
in July 2012, joining the club on a pre-season tour of Germany. After a successful trial and impressing in games against
Werder Bremen
Sportverein Werder Bremen von 1899 e. V. (), commonly known as Werder Bremen, Werder or simply Bremen, is a German professional sports club based in Bremen. Founded on 4 February 1899, Werder are best known for their professional association foo ...
and
FC St. Pauli
Fußball-Club St. Pauli von 1910 e.V., commonly known as simply FC St. Pauli (), is a German professional association football, football club based in the St. Pauli district of Hamburg. The team plays in the Bundesliga from the 2024–25 Bundesli ...
, Naysmith signed a one-year deal on 1 August, but expressed a desire to earn an extension beyond the summer. On the opening day of the
2012–13
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
. Naysmith was named in the starting team that narrowly lost out 1–0 at
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a Soccer-specific stadium, football stadium and the home of Scottish Premiership team Celtic F.C., Celtic, in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, Scotland. With a capacity of 60,832, it is the largest List of football stadiums in Sco ...
. It was announced on 13 May 2013 that Naysmith's contract along with another six players would not be extended.
International
Naysmith represented Scotland at under-21, B and full international levels. He made his full Scotland debut in May 2000, in a 2–1 victory over the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...
in
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, and earned 46 caps up to 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2013. His only international goal arrived in 2002, during a
UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; ; ) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Turkey, Azerbaijan ...
game versus
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
; he scored the second goal in a 2–0 win, with a right-footed volley from the edge of the
penalty area
The penalty area or 18-yard box (also known less formally as the penalty box or simply box) is an area of an association football pitch. It is rectangular and extends to each side of the goal and in front of it. If any part of the ball is ove ...
.
Naysmith also represented Scotland B on one occasion on 20 May 2003, in a 2–1 home win versus Northern Ireland B.
Coaching career
East Fife
On 31 October 2013 Naysmith agreed to stay with League One East Fife until the end of the season in a player-assistant manager role. When manager Willie Aitchison left the club on 28 November, Naysmith was made caretaker manager, and was subsequently appointed as manager on a permanent basis on 18 December.
On 1 December 2016 and after three and a half seasons as player-manager of part-time club East Fife, Naysmith signed for
Scottish Championship
The Scottish Championship known as the William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association footb ...
Dumfries
Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...
.
Naysmith's intention was to finish his playing career and his time as the
Methil
Methil () is a coastal town in Fife, Scotland.
Methil has ancient origins: two Bronze Age cemeteries have been discovered which date the settlement as over 8,000 years old. The town was first recorded as "Methkil" in 1207, and belonged to ...
club's player-manager by taking charge of the club's
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,Edinburgh City on 5 December 2016. However, as the match was postponed until 7 December 2016, Naysmith departed East Fife earlier than planned to be in charge of Queens' league match versus St Mirren on 6 December 2016 instead.
Queen of the South
Naysmith signed a contract with
Scottish Championship
The Scottish Championship known as the William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association footb ...
club Queen of the South on 1 December 2016. After becoming team manager in the following week, Naysmith decided to end his playing career.
Naysmith was named Scottish Championship Manager of the Month for January 2019. On 4 May 2019, after the ''Doonhamers'' were defeated 3–0 at home versus
Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football, football club from Glasgow, Scotland and currently plays in the . Despite their name, the club are based at Firhill Stadium in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not ...
and finished in the relegation play-off place in the Scottish Championship, Naysmith parted company with the
Dumfries
Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...
club.
In August 2019, Naysmith returned to Hearts in a newly created role of managing players loaned out to other clubs.
Edinburgh City
Naysmith was appointed manager of
Scottish League Two
The Scottish League Two, known as William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill League Two for sponsorship reasons, is the fourth tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association football, foo ...
club Edinburgh City in March 2021. He was sacked in March 2022, with the team sitting in 4th place of the
2021–22 Scottish League Two
The 2021–22 Scottish League Two (known as cinch League Two for sponsorship reasons) was the ninth season of Scottish League Two, the fourth tier of Scottish football. The season began on 31 July.
Ten teams contested the league: Albion Rovers ...
table.
Stenhousemuir
On 3 January 2023, Naysmith was named as the new manager of
Scottish League Two
The Scottish League Two, known as William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill League Two for sponsorship reasons, is the fourth tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association football, foo ...
side
Stenhousemuir
Stenhousemuir (; ) is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies within the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The town is north-northwest of Falkirk and directly adjoins to Larbert in the west, where the nearest rail access is located ...
. In his first full season in charge he led
Stenhousemuir
Stenhousemuir (; ) is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies within the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The town is north-northwest of Falkirk and directly adjoins to Larbert in the west, where the nearest rail access is located ...
to the
Scottish League Two
The Scottish League Two, known as William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill League Two for sponsorship reasons, is the fourth tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association football, foo ...
title, helping the club achieve their first ever title after 140 years.
Career statistics
Club
International
International goals
:''Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.''
Managerial record
As of match played 10 May 2025
* Edinburgh City statistics include forfeit win over Falkirk in the Scottish League Cup on 21 July 2021.
* Initially caretaker of East Fife and appointed permanently on 18 December 2013.
Honours
Player
Heart of Midlothian
*
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,1997–98
Huddersfield Town
*
Football League One play-offs
The EFL League One play-offs are a series of play-off matches contested by the association football teams finishing from third to sixth in the EFL League One table and are part of the English Football League play-offs. , the play-offs comprise tw ...
:
2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
East Fife
*
Scottish League Two
The Scottish League Two, known as William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill League Two for sponsorship reasons, is the fourth tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association football, foo ...
Kirin Cup
The is an association football tournament organised in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan national football team, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 then known as Japan Cup (Internatio ...
: 2006
Manager
East Fife
*
Scottish League Two
The Scottish League Two, known as William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill League Two for sponsorship reasons, is the fourth tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association football, foo ...