User:Beatpoet/sandboxSmith

Mark David Smith (born 15 December 1995) is an English footballer who plays for club Hanworth Villa as a goalkeeper.

Smith is a product of the Queens Park Rangers academy and following two years as a professional with Brentford, he dropped into non-League football in 2016.

Early years
A goalkeeper, Smith began his career in the academy at Queens Park Rangers and signed scholarship forms in 2012. He was released at the end of the 2013–14 season.

Brentford
After completing a successful trial, Smith moved across West London to sign a one-year Development Squad contract with Championship side Brentford in June 2014. He spent much of the 2014–15 season away on loan and made eight appearances for the Development Squad. Smith was promoted to the first team and signed a new one-year professional contract on 22 June 2015. He won his maiden first team call up for a League Cup first round match versus Oxford United on 11 August, remaining an unused substitute during the 4–0 defeat. An injury crisis saw Smith called up for a league match versus Middlesbrough a month later and he was paired with second-choice goalkeeper Jack Bonham on a six-man bench. Smith spent much of the remainder of the 2015–16 season away on loan and was released at the end of the campaign.

Non-League football
On 2 August 2016, Smith joined National League club Aldershot Town on a one-year contract. During a season in which the Shots reached the National League play-off semi-finals, Smith made 12 appearances and he signed a new one-year contract on 11 May 2017. After making just two appearances so far during the 2017–18 season, Smith joined National League South club Eastbourne Borough on a loan that was turned into a permanent transfer on 15 January 2018. He made 54 appearances before transferring to National League South club Billericay Town on 31 December 2018. Smith made 9 appearances and left the club at the end of the 2018–19 season.

In May 2019, it was announced that Smith has joined National League South club Dartford on a permanent contract. He made 29 appearances during the 2019–20 season and departed Princes Park in August 2020. On 26 September 2020, it was announced that Smith had joined Isthmian League South East Division club Whitehawk. He made two appearances before moving up to the National League to join Woking as backup to Craig Ross on 24 October 2020. He made 16 appearances during two mid-table seasons.

Smith began training with former club Hampton & Richmond Borough during the 2022 off-season. With regular goalkeeper Alan Julian absent with concussion, Smith signed a short-term contract in August 2022 and made six appearances prior to his release on 16 September. After six months without a club, Smith returned to football with Southern League Premier Division South club Salisbury in March 2023. He made 9 appearances during the remainder of the 2022–23 season. In September 2023, Smith transferred to Southern League First Division South club Bedford Town as cover for the injured Nathan McDonald. He served as the club's first choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the Southern League First Division Central playoff-winning season. Smith was named as a substitute in the 2023-24 Southern League First Division Central Team of the Year.

During the 2024 off-season, Smith transferred to Isthmian League South Central Division club Hanworth Villa.

Personal life
Smith lives in Brentford and supports the club. He idolised goalkeeper Paul Smith while growing up.

Honours
Hampton & Richmond Borough Bedford Town
 * Isthmian League Premier Division: 2015–16


 * Southern League First Division Central playoffs: 2024

Individual


 * Hampton & Richmond Borough Player of the Month: December 2014, January 2015
 * Southern League First Division Central Team of the Season: 2023–24