Smith started his career at Wakefield Trinity before he was transferred to Leeds during January 1930 for a record fee of £1,075,[5] (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £307,200 in 2014).[6] Smith played on the wing in Leeds' 2–8 defeat by Hunslet in the Championship Final during the 1937–38 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Saturday 30 April 1938.[7]
Smith retired from first class rugby in January 1940 having played for Leeds for 10 years.[8] He had a long-standing plan to retire from rugby so that he and his wife Hilda could focus on running their pub the Butchers Arms on Williams Street in Wakefield but the outbreak of WWII saw him joining the Army at the age of 30. Stan served in the REME seeing service throughout the North African and Italian campaigns and returning home in late 1945.
International honours
Stan Smith won caps for England while at Leeds in 1931 against Wales, in 1932 against Wales (2 matches), in 1934 against Australia, and France, in 1935 against France,[2] and won caps for Great Britain while at Wakefield Trinity in 1929 against Australia, while at Leeds in 1930 against Australia (2 matches), in 1932 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches), and in 1933 against Australia (2 matches).[3]
Smith being tackled by Claude List of New Zealand with Bert Cooke approaching in the 1st test of 1932 at Carlaw Park in New Zealand.
Stan Smith played twice for a Rugby League XIII against France. Playing at left-wing on both occasions, the first was at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on 17 March 1934 when the English team won 32–16, this game was also the first international match played by the France national rugby league team.[9] The second was at Headingley, Leeds just over a year later, on 6 May 1935 when the English side won 25–18.[10]
County honours
Stan Smith won cap(s) for Yorkshire while at Wakefield Trinity.
Stan had family links to several well known rugby players, notably in the Batten and Metcalfe families. Stan's mother Selena and Billy Batten's wife Annie were sisters so Billy was Stan's uncle by marriage and Billy's rugby playing sons, Billy (Jr), Eric and Bob, and his grandson Ray were Stan's cousins.
Whilst a player at Trinity Stan became good friends with his teammate Jimmy Metcalfe the son of James Davis Metcalfe who played at full back for Trinity in the period 1897-1911. Jimmy (Jr) introduced Stan to his sister Hilda and the two were married in 1932. Jimmy's (Jr) son Donald Metcalfe, played for Trinity in the 1950s and was Stan's nephew by marriage.[citation needed]
Note
During the late 1950/60s there was a rugby league footballer who played for Wakefield Trinity, and Bramley, who was also called Stanley "Stan" Smith. These Stanley "Stan" Smith's are clearly not the same person and they are not related.
^ ab"England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
