Korey Alexander Sheridan Smith (born 31 January 1991) is an English professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who plays as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

for

Cambridge United Cambridge United Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Cambridge, England. They currently compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed the U’s, the club h ...

. Smith started his career at

Norwich City Norwich City Football Club is a professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The club competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was founded in 1902. Since 1935, Norwich have played their h ...

, making his senior debut in April 2009, he had loan spells at

Barnsley Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The town's population was 71,422 in 2021, while the wider boroug ...

Yeovil Town Yeovil Town may refer to: * Yeovil, a town in Somerset, England, with a council named Yeovil Town * Yeovil Town F.C., an English football team based in Yeovil, Somerset * Yeovil Town W.F.C., an English women's football team affiliated with Yeovil T ...

and

Oldham Athletic Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is a professional association football club in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. As of the 2025–26 EFL League Two, 2025–26 season, the team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the Eng ...

, he would join Oldham permanently in June 2013. A year later, Oldham would sell Smith to Bristol City for an undisclosed fee, where he would make 196 appearances in six years and in his first season at the club would win the

League One League One or League 1 may refer to: Association football * EFL League One, the third tier of football in England. * China League One, the second tier of football in China * K League 1, the top-tier football in South Korea * Lao League 1 * Lea ...

title. Smith joined

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 ...

in August 2020, where he would spend two years, before he joined

Derby County Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club in Derby, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. One of the 12 founder members of the English Football ...

where in his second and final season for the club would help the club gain promotion to the

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 ...

Early life

Smith was "discovered plying his trade on the Sunday league park pitches". He became the captain of Norwich City Academy, and led them on a run in the

FA Youth Cup The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under-18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part. It ...

. He has two younger sisters, Harriet and Alice.http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com/full_article.asp?i=4561&w=25&a=0&part=1 He is of Jamaican descent.

Career

Smith first appeared on the bench for Norwich City in January 2008 as an unused substitute in an

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...

match against

Charlton Athletic Charlton Athletic Football Club is a professional association football club based in Charlton, south-east London, England. The team compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. Their home ground is ...

. He made his professional debut in a 0–1 defeat to

Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an off ...

Carrow Road Carrow Road is a association football, football stadium in Norwich, Norfolk, England, and is the home of EFL Championship club Norwich City F.C., Norwich City. The stadium is east of the city, near Norwich railway station and the River Wensum. ...

on 4 April 2009, as an 82nd-minute substitute for

David Carney David Raymond Carney (born 30 November 1983) is an Australian retired soccer midfielder and former coach. Born in Sydney, he began his playing career with the New South Wales Institute of Sport before moving to England to join Everton. Having ...

. Smith featured regularly in the Norwich team during the 2009–10 season as they won promotion from

to the

as champions. In July 2010, Smith was handed the number 18 shirt and continued to play regularly as Norwich won promotion to the

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 ...

. In January 2012, Smith penned a one-month loan deal at

. He made an instant impact at Oakwell, assisting two goals on debut against

in a 3–2 victory for the Reds on his 21st birthday. In September 2012, Smith signed on a 93-day emergency loan at League One club

, making his debut as a substitute away at

MK Dons Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, usually abbreviated to MK Dons, is a professional association football club based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football leag ...

in a 1–0 defeat. On 15 March 2013, Smith signed on loan with

until the end of the season.

Oldham Athletic

Smith signed a permanent two-year deal with Oldham Athletic on 20 June 2013, after being released by

having been at the club for seven years. Smith was made captain of

after manager Lee Johnson said Smith was as brave as a lion, brave on the ball and can take the ball anywhere. He scored his first goal for the club with a stunning strike in the FA Cup 2013–14 second round against

Mansfield Town Mansfield Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. The team competes in , the third level of the English football league system. The club was formed in 1897 as Mans ...

. Smith scored his first league goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against

Leyton Orient Leyton Orient Football Club, commonly referred to as Orient, is a professional association football club based in Leyton, Waltham Forest, London, England. The team compete in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system. ...

, scoring in added time to bring the scores level and earn the club a point away against the then third in the division Leyton Orient with a fantastic chipped effort from 30 yards out.

Bristol City

Smith signed a three-year deal with Bristol City on 27 June 2014 for an undisclosed fee. He scored his first goals for Bristol City when he scored twice in a 3–1

Football League Trophy The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from the Premier Le ...

win against

Cheltenham Town Cheltenham Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system. Founded in 1887, ...

on 8 October 2014. He helped

Bristol City Bristol City Football Club is a professional football club based in Bristol, England. The team compete in the , the second level of the English football league system. Founded in 1894, the club competed in the Southern League and Western L ...

to a Football League Trophy and League One double in his first season with the club. Smith started 38 times the following season, as Bristol City finished 18th, meaning they avoided relegation straight back to League One. Smith underwent ankle surgery in April, returning to full training on 5 September 2016. On 20 December 2017, Smith scored a last minute winner as Bristol City upset

side

Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...

2–1 in the

EFL Cup The English Football League Cup, often referred to as the League Cup and currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout competition in men's domestic football in England. Orga ...

quarter-finals at Ashton Gate. Smith left Bristol City on 9 August 2020 after spending six years with the club.

Swansea City

On 14 August 2020, Smith joined

on a two-year contract. It was confirmed that Smith would leave the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2021–22 season.

Derby County

On 16 July 2022, Smith dropped down to League One to join newly relegated

on a two-year contract. Smith would make 48 appearances for Derby County during the 2022–23 season, 40 these in the league, he was ultised as a midfielder as well as a right-back under

Paul Warne Paul Warne (born 8 May 1973) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of League Two club Milton Keynes Dons. Warne started his playing career in his native Norfolk for Great Yarmouth Town, Diss Tow ...

. Smith scored his first goal in nearly six years on 29 July 2023 in a 2023–24 pre-season friendly for Derby against Premier League side Sheffield United, tapping in from close range after a

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing Nathaniel Otis Mendez-Laing (born 15 April 1992) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Midfielder#Winger, winger for club Milton Keynes Dons F.C., Milton Keynes Dons. Born and raised in England to a Jamaican father ...

cross, Derby would go on to lose the game 3-1. Smith scored his first goal for Derby in a competitive fixture during the 2023–24 season, scoring the first goal in a 3–1 League One victory at

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...

on 3 October 2023, he also played a part in the other two Derby goals that night. Smith made 37 appearances for Derby during the season, to go alongside his goal against Blackpool as Derby managed to secure automatic promotion by finishing runners-up in League One. On 18 May 2024, it was announced that Smith would leave Derby at the end of his contract on 30 June 2024, after 85 appearances and one goal over two seasons.

Cambridge United

On 17 July 2024, Smith joined

on a two-year deal.

Personal life

Korey is married to Hattie Bourn with whom he shares three children. His brother in law is England Rugby player

Joe Launchbury Joseph Oliver Launchbury (born 12 April 1991) is a former English rugby union lock. He represented England at international level and previously played for the under-18s and under-20s before making his Test debut in 2012. Launchbury plays ma ...

(their wives are sisters).

Career statistics

Honours

Norwich City *

Football League Championship The English Football League Championship, known simply as the Championship and for sponsorship purposes as Sky Betting & Gaming, Sky Bet Championship, is a professional association football league in England and Wales. Contested by 24 clubs, i ...

second-place promotion:

2010–11 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 ...

Football League One The English Football League One, known as Sky Bet League One for sponsorship reasons, or simply League One, is a professional association football league in England. EFL League One is the second-highest division of the English Football League an ...

: 2009–10 Bristol City *Football League One: 2014–15 *

: 2014–15 Derby County *League One second-place promotion: 2023–24 Individual *

PFA Team of the Year The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year (often called the PFA Team of the Year, or simply the Team of the Year) is an annual award given to a set of 55 footballers across the top four tiers of men's Football in England, En ...

: 2014–15 League One

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Korey 1991 births Living people Footballers from Hatfield, Hertfordshire English men's footballers Men's association football midfielders Norwich City F.C. players Barnsley F.C. players Yeovil Town F.C. players Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players Bristol City F.C. players Swansea City A.F.C. players Derby County F.C. players English Football League players Black British sportsmen English people of Jamaican descent Sportspeople of Jamaican descent 21st-century English sportsmen