The famous G. O. Smith was a tall footballer, yet very thin, always seemed fragile and without any strenght. Due to his weak physique, many could foul him. However, it was difficult to do that, he was very resourceful, had amazing balance and was hard to be found. Smith was ambidextrous, however his heading game was weak due to him not being adept of the aerial game. Smith enjoyed to play the ground game. For England, G. O. Smith made a total of 19 appearences and scored 11 goals.

The Old Carthusian was an elegant footballer, full of class in all of his movements. He played with full enthusiasm and modesty at the same time. Quickly he made his decisions above everything else. An unfselfish footballer, G. O. Smith would seek to create the plays instead of scoring the goals himself. His style was different from most of the others centre-forwards. His game was full of cleverness and gracefullness with the ball, as Smith made the ball obey him. His style was adaptive to the playing style of the team. Smith's balance was extraklassisz, always keeping himself up and not even losing control of his individual actions. As Johnnie Goodall often mentioned: "JO was easy to play with".

With Smith on the offensive line, it was organized in such a way that offensive actions seemed to flow naturally. Smith was definitely a team-player; always aiming for the best for his team rather than just himself.



Smith had his passing as his characteristic above everything else. Short, long, quick passing game did not matter to him, as Smith could adapt himself. His quick thinking and punctual passes were enough to open plays to the insiders & outsiders. He was the master of combinations.

Among his other characteristics were his advanced repertoire of offensive and artistic dribbling, in addition to his unparalleled ability to finish in any situation from far away. Due to his own characteristics, it was very common to see Smith shoot from more than 20 meters away from the opponent's goal. His physique didn't show it, but his shot, in addition to being very accurate and fast, was strong, very strong.


Of quite different style was G. O. Smith, the famous old Carthusian’s amateur, with whom I was associated in many a hard-fought international game. Yet the genius of Smith will never be dimmed. sometimes played with all tbe dash and enthusiasm for which amateurs are noted, yet could always fit his style into the style of the professionals, who largely made England's elevens. If quick, sharp, ground passing was the game, G. O. could do it: if the long-passing game was the paying plan G. O. would follow it with zest which inspired his colleagues. And he could do that lovely movement, so elusive and so pretty, the "body swerve" — round an opponent, a quick touch of the ball and hefty shot, and the welkin would ring as often as not for the great goal had scored.

Steve Bloomer.


This amateur was a genius at finding space and getting out of being marked by his opponent. Smith frequently would drop deep to find space to receive the pass or to get his marker out of position, thus creating space for others. JO was a professor at positioning himself, as his game sense towered above most of the players. Compared to the other forwards, Smith, who was constantly scheming the next forward movement, almost never charged. His was the man behind the front-line — almost creating a line of one man and another line of four forwards.

G. O. Smith moved all over the field, but always in a very well placed position to receive the pass. One of his tactics was to move to the side of the field, therefore attracting the opposing mark and creating defensive holes. Always hiding his true intentions, it was difficult for an opponent to predict what the famous centre-forward would do.