Dave Smith

1984-1988

Dave Smith, the manager who led Plymouth Argyle to promotion in 1986, brought a wealth of experience as both player and manager to Home Park.

A full-back, Smith was born in Dundee in September 1933. He joined Burnley at the age of fifteen in 1949, signed his first professional contract in 1950, and made his first team debut in 1955. Despite injury problems, he went on to make 99 appearances, scoring what was to be his only professional goal, in a total of eleven years at Turf Moor.

In 1961, Smith joined Brighton and Hove Albion, where he played fifteen matches before transferring to Bristol City. He made just three appearances at Ashton Gate before hanging up his boots in 1962.

Having qualified as a coach in 1957, Smith's first full time coaching job was with the Libyan national side, who reached the final of the Arab Federation Cup under him. Returning to Britain, he held coaching jobs with Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle United before spending three years as Arsenal's reserve team manager.

Dave Smith's first managerial job came in 1974, when he took over at Fourth Division Mansfield Town. Having avoided the indignity of applying for re-election to the League in his first season, he then led the side to promotion as champions in 1974-1975.

In 1976, Smith joined Southend United, where he was to stay until 1983. In his second season, the Shrimpers were promoted from the Fourth Division. They were relegated again two years later, but immediately promoted as champions. Having achieved Third Division safety, Smith then found himself out of work following a takeover of the club.

Smith then spent sixteen months selling insurance until the opportunity to return to football management at Argyle arose. He arrived at Home Park in December 1984, taking over from John Hore, and led the Pilgrims to the runners-up spot at the end of 1985-1986.

In 1986-1987, Argyle finished in a comfortable seventh place in the Second Division. Under Smith, many fans felt, there was a real possibility of the club reaching the top flight for the first time in its history. Sadly for them, however, he received an offer he couldn't refuse - to manage his home town club, Dundee. Smith left Plymouth in 1988.

One year later, he was back in the south west as Torquay manager, building the team that was to go on to promotion from the Fourth Division shortly after his departure.

In 1991, Dave Smith left football management again and established Dave Smith's Soccer Teach-In, coaching programmes for children and young people in the Plymouth area. Now in his 70s, he continues to coach local youngsters and is guaranteed a warm welcome when he visits Home Park.

[Kindly supplied by Peggy Prior, author of The Gaffer Tapes, a series on Argyle's managers that first appeared in matchday programmes in 2007-08]