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Darren Smith (footballer, born 1996)

For other people named Darren Smith, see Darren Smith (disambiguation).

Darren Smith
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-03-26) 26 March 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Cape Town, South Africa
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
0000–2014 Ajax Cape Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 AmaZulu 3 (0)
2015–2016 → Vasco da Gama (loan) 21 (2)
2016–2017 Santos 13 (3)
2017–2019 SuperSport United 5 (1)
2019 → Ubuntu Cape Town (loan) 10 (0)
2020 EIF 22 (18)
2021 Honka 24 (8)
2022 AS FAR 9 (1)
2023–2024 Inter Turku 53 (17)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 October 2024

Darren Smith (born 26 March 1996) is a South African professional soccer player who most recently played for Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku. Smith started in a youth sector of Ajax Cape Town, before joining Kwazulu-Natal club AmaZulu in 2014.

Club career

South Africa

Smith started his senior career in his native South Africa with AmaZulu in 2014.[1] During his six professional years in his native country, he played mostly in second tier National First Division, and additionally made a total of six appearances and scored once in first tier South African Premier Division. He represented Vasco da Gama, Santos, SuperSport United and Ubuntu Cape Town between 2015 and 2019. In 2017–18 season while playing with SuperSport United, Smith represented his club at CAF Confederation Cup matches. His contract with SuperSport was terminated in the late 2019.

Ekenäs IF

In the early 2020, Smith moved abroad for the first time, and after a trial with IFK Mariehamn, he signed a contract with Finnish club Ekenäs IF (EIF), playing in the country's second-tier Ykkönen. In his first season abroad, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith scored 18 goals in 22 matches, making him the top goalscorer in the division. He was named the Ykkönen Player of the Year.[2]

Honka

On 11 November 2020, FC Honka in Finnish premier division Veikkausliiga announced the signing of Smith for the 2021 season.[3][4] Smith made 24 appearances in the league, scoring eight goals. He also represented Honka in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers in four matches.[1] However, he asked the club not to exercise his option and left Honka after the season.

AS FAR

In the early 2022, Smith signed with Moroccan club AS FAR Rabat, playing in Botola Pro, the country's premier division, becoming the first South African football player to sign with Moroccan club.[5] In May 2022, Smith won the title of the postponed 2019–20 Moroccan Throne Cup with AS FAR.[6]

Inter Turku

In November 2022, Smith returned to Finland and signed a two-year deal with Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga, starting in 2023.[7][8][9] During his first season with the club, Smith scored eight goals in 27 league appearances.[10][11] In the 2024 Finnish League Cup, Smith scored five goals in six cup matches as Inter Turku won its second Finnish League Cup title on 30 March 2024, by defeating KuPS on penalties in the final. Smith also scored five goals in six matches in the club's 2024 Finnish Cup campaign, as Inter reached the Finnish Cup final in September, where they eventually fell short to KuPS 2–1.

Personal life

Smith was born to a Christian family in Cape Town, South Africa. At the age of 16, Smith suffered a tragic loss when his older brother Keenan was killed in a traffic accident, when a bus driver ran red lights and fatally crashed his car.[12]

While living in South Africa, Smith's other sport was track and field, and especially hurdling. He has also studied to become a personal trainer. After his contract termination with SuperSport and before moving to Finland, Smith worked as a model in commercials.[12]

Smith is married and lives with his wife Courteney in Turku. The couple have a child, a daughter named Uriah, who was born in Turku.[12]

Career statistics

As of 23 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Other Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AmaZulu 2014–15 South African Premiership 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
2015–16 NFD 2 0 0 0 — — 2 0
Total 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Vasco da Gama (loan) 2014–15 NFD 12 1 4 0 — — 16 1
2015–16 NFD 9 1 0 0 — — 9 1
Total 21 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 25 2
Santos 2016–17 NFD 13 3 1 0 — — 14 3
SuperSport United 2017–18 South African Premiership 5 1 1 0 0 0 3[b] 0 9 1
2018–19 South African Premiership 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 5 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 9 1
Ubuntu Cape Town (loan) 2018–19 NFD 10 0 0 0 — — 10 0
EIF 2020 Ykkönen 22 18 5 3 — — 27 21
Honka 2021 Veikkausliiga 24 8 6 2 — 4[c] 0 34 10
AS FAR Rabat 2021–22 Botola Pro 9 1 2 0 — 0 0 11 1
Inter Turku 2023 Veikkausliiga 27 8 1 0 6[d] 1 — 34 9
2024 Veikkausliiga 26 9 6 5 6[d] 5 — 38 19
Total 53 17 7 5 12 6 0 0 72 28
Career total 160 50 27 10 12 6 7 0 206 66
  1. ^ Includes Nedbank Cup, Moroccan Throne Cup and Suomen Cup
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in CAF Confederation Cup
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ^ a b Includes Finnish League Cup

Honours

AS FAR

Inter Turku

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b Striker reveals why he will never come back to play in the PSL, thesouthafrican.com, James Richardson, 10 July 2022
  2. ^ a b VUODEN PELAAJA DARREN SMITH: ”VOIN KUTSUA TAMMISAARTA TOISEKSI KODIKSENI”, Finnish FA, 4 December 2020
  3. ^ FC Honka hankki Ykkösen maalikuninkaan – espoolaiset tekivät kesällä tarjouksen, suomifutis.com, 11 November 2020
  4. ^ South African striker Darren Smith has found a new European team, snl24.com, 11 November 2020
  5. ^ SA Star Makes History With Latest Move, idiskitimes.co.za, Lorenz Kohler, 31 January 2022
  6. ^ a b South African striker Darren Smith wins Moroccan Throne Cup with AS FAR Rabat, snl24.com, 16 May 2022
  7. ^ "DARREN SMITH ON FC INTERIN UUSIN VAHVISTUS". Inter Turku (in Finnish). 24 November 2022.
  8. ^ Tuominen, Joni (11 July 2023). "Interin ykköskärki sai tynkäkaudesta Marokossa haluamaansa turvaa, mutta pelillisesti kausi oli haastava - "Tärkeä kokemus päästä näkemään Suomea korkeatasoisempi sarja"". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish).
  9. ^ Darren Smith’s first words on his return to Finland, farpost.co.za, 11 November 2022
  10. ^ Ahola, Harri (26 May 2023). "Kommentti: Inter löysi ykköskärkensä, vaikka jumalaa kiittävän Darren Smithin asema olikin välillä jo hutera". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish).
  11. ^ ""Enemmän maalipaikkoja ja olemme vaarallisia" - Interin Darren Smith uskoo tehoja löytyvän lisää". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). 26 May 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Darren Smith muutti Etelä-Afrikasta Suomeen – tätä asiaa Suomessa hän ihailee yli kaiken: ”Jokaisessa maassa pitäisi olla”, Ilta-Sanomat, 1 September 2024
  13. ^ Liigacupin voitto ratkesi rangaistuspotkukisassa: 17-vuotiaasta maalivahdista sankari, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, 30 March 2024
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