Josh Smith, development squad goalkeeper - fool, clown or hero?

[AZ Gull]

Josh Smith is one of our development squad goalkeepers (he joined us in March 2014 from Leicester where he was coming to the end of his scholarship). This season, he joined Merstham FC on loan back in November, and has been there ever since. I knew he was booked in his second game with them and received a red card in his third against Enfield; Enfield's match report described it thus "Smith raced off his line and flattened Whitely in the penalty area with a dangerous challenge. It was an obvious red card, and thankfully Whitely recovered after treatment."

I just looked at Merstham's site to catch up with his exploits, and saw this from the match report against East Thurrock on February 6:-

In the sixth minute Higgins burst through the Merstham defence and was adjudged to have been brought down inside the box by Isaac Nehemie much to the disgust of the Merstham players. As Higgins was setting up for the penalty Smith rushed off his line and flapped his arms in the face of the Rocks’ striker in an act of one-upmanship and was shown a yellow by referee Anthony Pope for his efforts. Whether or not this rattled Higgins only he will know but the usually reliable penalty taker sliced his shot wide.

The East Thurrock website started their match report like this:-

MERSTHAM’S loanee goalkeeper Josh Smith played the fool, looked a clown and ended Saturday’s Ryman Premier clash as his side’s hero with a matchwinning display.

In total, Smith has received one red card and three yellows in his time at Merstham. Last season, when playing for the Albion U-21s against Reading, he picked up a yellow card and then a straight red just moments later, as the Argus explained:-

Smith ran half the length of the pitch to protest to referee Lloyd Wood about a handball leading up to the corner from which substitute Harry Cardwell nodded Reading into an 87th-minute lead.

Smith was subsequently given a straight red card for bringing sub Tarique Fosu down inside the box.

[Simon] Ireland said of Smith: "The officials are there to try to do the best job they can. They will make mistakes, players make mistakes. You cannot come charging out ranting and raving at the ref, because the laws of the game say it is going to cost you.

It's development football, he's got to learn from that. What you don't want to do then when you are chasing the game anyway is to be chasing the game with ten men late on."

I presume Merstham have, overall, been happy with Smith (because they have extended his initial one-month loan). He clearly has talent, but I wonder how the Albion view his antics and apparent hot-headedness? I think his contract is up at the end of the season, so I guess we will find out then.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Flair

 

[atomised]

Sounds like he has a few rough edges but clearly a member of the goalkeepers union youth division

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

He sounds amazing, I'd love Stockdale to randomly roundhouse kick someone.

 

[nwgull]

Like. The best 'keepers are usually a bit bonkers.

 

[wehatepalace]

Our very own Bruce Grobbelaar.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

He's like a Pocket Mark Beeney. Give him a ten year contract

 

[knocky1]

He is either committed or will be committed. Hope he comes through.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Josh Smith? Sounds like the name of a chavy yob. Stone him........

Merstham? Is there anything actually there? I've been through a trillion times on the train but never had reason to go there. Am I missing anything? Its essential I know....

 

[KZNSeagull]

Late entrant to the who is the flairest of them all poll?

 

[Gwylan]

Merstham? Is there anything actually there? I've been through a trillion times on the train but never had reason to go there. Am I missing anything? Its essential I know....

I know someone who lives there, he speaks highly of the place. Mind you, he comes from Chichester, so everywhere is going to be a step up

 

[Rodney Thomas]

Late entrant to the who is the flairest of them all poll?

Seconded

 

[Surrey_Albion]

I know someone who lives there, he speaks highly of the place. Mind you, he comes from Chichester, so everywhere is going to be a step up

Merstham is very small ,south Merstham is okay but was much better many years ago and very much a village, portland drive area however is a s*** hole and haven for the great unwashed, the pub iron horse(now flattened ) was known as a Millwall pub (even though not in london) and the things that went on in there were truly shocking!
Any given day you get drugs (broad daylight) from portland drive by midday it is awash with Jeremy Kyle rejects! How anyone can speak highly of Merstham amazes me!

 

[Raskolnikov]

He sounds amazing, I'd love Stockdale to randomly roundhouse kick someone.

In a friendly though yeah, not on Monday or against Boro the Saturday after

 

[Biscuit]

Like. The best 'keepers are usually a bit bonkers.

Very much this. He's going to be brilliant.

 

[StonehamPark]

Get him to change his surname to Barthez and put him on the bench on Monday.

 

[Don Tmatter]

Get him to change his surname to Barthez and put him on the bench on Monday.

Depending on how serious Maenpaa's injury is, he might have to be on bench.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

He sounds amazing, I'd love Stockdale to randomly roundhouse kick someone.

But not in the next couple of games PLEASE!