John Smeulders

John Smeulders (born 28 March 1957) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, best remembered for his three spells in the Football League with Bournemouth. He also played League football for Torquay United, Brentford and Peterborough United.

John Smeulders
Personal information
Full name John Smeulders[1]
Date of birth (1957-03-28) 28 March 1957
Place of birth Hackney, England
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
0000–1972 Chelsea
1972–1974 Orient
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1974–1979 Orient 0 (0)
1979–1981 Bournemouth 14 (0)
1981–1983 Trowbridge Town 83 (0)
1983–1984 Weymouth 23 (0)
1984–1986 Bournemouth 75 (0)
1986–1987 Torquay United 18 (0)
1987 → Peterborough United (loan) 1 (0)
→ Poole Town (loan)
1987–1989 Bournemouth 9 (0)
1988 → Brentford (loan) 8 (0)
→ Farnborough Town (loan) 2 (0)
Weymouth 20 (0)
1991–1992 Fareham Town 3 (0)
National team
England Youth
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

A goalkeeper, Smeulders began his career as a youth with Orient.[2] He was unable to displace the number 1 shirt from Ray Goddard and John Jackson and made just a handful of League Cup appearances before departing the Os in 1979.[2] To revive his stalled career,[2] Smeulders began the first of three spells with Bournemouth in July 1979.[3] After failing to break into the first team, Smeulders dropped into non-League football in January 1981 with Trowbridge Town, moving on to Weymouth and then back to Bournemouth in January 1984.[4][5] This time he did establish himself in the first team, making 75 league appearances, setting a then-club record seven consecutive clean sheets and being named the club's 1984–85 Player of the Year.[2][3] Smeulders moved to Torquay United in July 1986,[1] but after failing to hold down a first team place and spending time away from Plainmoor on loan, he returned to Bournemouth for the third time in August 1987.[2][3] He again failed to hold down a regular place and dropped back into non-League football in 1989.[2][6] Smeulders retired at age 38, due to a damaged knee.[2]

Coaching career

Smeulders late returned to Bournemouth as a coach to goalkeepers Neil Moss and Ian Andrews.[2]

International career

Smeulders won caps for England at youth level and played in the same team as Bryan Robson, Ray Wilkins, Glenn Hoddle and Peter Barnes.[2]

Personal life

As of March 1996, Smeulders was working in a bakery in Bournemouth.[2] As of June 2020, he was living in Shaftesbury and working as a delivery driver for Waitrose and Riverford.[3]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Peterborough United (loan) 1986–87[7] Fourth Division 1 0 — — — 1 0
Brentford (loan) 1988–89[8] Third Division 8 0 — 1 0 — 9 0
Career total 9 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 10 0

Honours

References
  1. "John Smeulders". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  2. Griffin Gazette: Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Wrexham. Quay Design of Poole. 9 March 1996. p. 13.
  3. "Bourne Legacy: John Smeulders". AFCB. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  4. "Player Archive". The Terras. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  5. Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 372. ISBN 978-1906796716.
  6. "Fareham Town Appearances, Goals Scored, Clean Sheets". Archived from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. "John Smeulders's Matches For Peterborough". UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  8. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 400. ISBN 0951526200.
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