In this series at Everything Orient, we take a look back at ex-Orient players and see where their careers have taken them since their departure from Brisbane Road.
Player Profile
Jimmy Smith has played over 400 matches in his career, playing in all of England’s top four divisions. This included four years as an Orient player, and also representing England at three different levels. His career has now led him into management, currently in League Two.
Where Have They Been?
Jimmy started his career at Chelsea, joining their academy aged 9. He only played 1 a single game for Chelsea, coming on as a substitute in a Premier League fixture versus Newcastle.
His five years at Chelsea saw him spend a lot of time on loan at other clubs, including QPR, Norwich City and Sheffield Wednesday. In these three years on loan, he managed 6 goals in 50 appearances.
In 2009, Jimmy Smith was sent out on his final loan spell from Chelsea, as he arrived at Leyton Orient in February. His loan at the O’s was for the remainder of the season, with Kevin Nugent currently in charge at Brisbane Road. In his three-month stay, Orient went from relegation battlers to mid-table finishers.
Smith then extended his contract for another three years where, in total, he made 189 appearances for the club, scoring 22 goals. Within his stay at Orient, he managed to score the winning goal in an FA Cup victory against Swansea, which later led them to the famous fifth round tie against Arsenal.
However, at the end of the 2012/13 season, Jimmy was released by Orient. He later joined fellow League One side Stevenage on a free transfer. In addition to this, he made 47 appearances for Stevenage, scoring only three and finishing bottom of the league that season.
Where Are They Now?
Following this relegation, Smith joined League One side Crawley Town for an undisclosed fee in 2014. He played 153 games overall and scored 20 goals for the Reds from 2014 to the present day.
The 31-year-old midfielder is now the captain of Crawley and has recently extended his contract until 2020, however, he unfortunately suffered an injury ruling him out for the rest of the season. Following this injury, Smith has now joined the coaching team and is a co-caretaker of the Sussex side.
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