Smith, Robert (1940)

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Fullname: Robert Smith
aka: Robert Smith, Bob Smith, ‘Farmer’
Born: 19 May 1918
Died: […]
Birthplace: Beith
Signed: 1 Mar 1940 (loan)
Left: Summer 1940 (free); 1941 (wartime guest appearance)
Position: Goalkeeper
Debut: Raith Rovers 3-0 Celtic, Scottish War Cup, 2 Mar 1940
Internationals: none

Biog

A wartime loan signing, goalkeeper Robert Smith was previously with Ayr United and Dundee United before temporarily joining Celtic in March 1940. He had been paid off by Dundee Utd, possibly due to the war time situation with the leagues split up geographically to reduce travel, cost & administration issues.

His debut came in a 3-0 Scottish War Cup defeat at Raith Rovers on 2nd March 1940. Not a great start, and to compound the problem, Celtic were put out on aggregate of the cup by 5-4.

He had actually taken over from Donald McKay who had a woeful record in goals, but Robert Smith’s record was to be little better.

Against Hamilton Accies on 3rd April 1940, one of the most bizarre goals in Celtic’s history didn’t help his case. Ex-Rangers player Bertie Harrison (who assisted Celtic in Ireland in 1936) hit a shot straight at Bob Smith, only for the ball to burst in flight and swerve into the back of the net for the first goal of a 5-0 drubbing.

Things didn’t pick up from there, and his last match in season 1939/40 was a 5-1 drubbing by Rangers in the Charity Cup in May 1940. It was a bad tempered match.

He made a total of 15 appearances before joining Arthurlie in the summer of 1940.

He left with a poor record of just one shut-out in 15 matches, 30 goals conceded in 15 games. Celtic finished the league race in 13th place in 1939-40.

Admittedly he played in a very difficult time for a team that was poorly managed and run (due to the board as much as anything else) but he likely wasn’t fit for the role from what has been said. Simply he was out of his depth with little support at a time when Celtic was in decline.

Appears that he played once again likely to assist and fill in on 6 Dec 1941 against Dumbarton according to the Sunday Post and Dundee Evening Telegraph. Celtic won 4-2, but again he conceded goals!

The ‘Farmer‘ nickname likely derives from that he was a meat distributor in Greenock for the government during the war.

Note: it was marked in another external site that Robert Smith also played for Celtic on 6 Dec 1941 v Dumbarton in the league. Earlier research refuted this, but from research by Liam Kelly on Twitter, he confirmed actually appears he did play in that match.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

none

Pictures

• Player Pics

Links

• Celtic & World War Two