Newcastle born inside forward Thomas Potter Smith (sometimes known as Thomas Potter) started his football career with junior club St Peter’s Albion in 1921 before joining Merthyr Town a year later, making his Football League debut at Plymouth Argyle in September 1922. A single season in mid-Wales saw 7 goals in 22 appearances before he joined Second Division Hull City in the summer of 1923. A single season at Boothferry Park produced only 2 goals in 8 appearances and he moved on to Hartlepool United the following summer, scoring 8 goals in 35 games before returning to Merthyr Town in the summer of 1925. After 4 goals in 14 appearances he was signed by First Division Cardiff City in March 1925 but illness and injury restricted his career at Ninian Park and in just over 3 years with The Bluebirds he scored 7 goals in 42 appearances. After Cardiff’s relegation in 1929 he joined Brighton & Hove Albion and had 8 consistent years with The Seagulls scoring 57 goals in 320 appearances before a spell with Crystal Palace in 1937, where he failed to make their first eleven. He then joined non league Gloucester City in 1938 before retirement.
Thomas Potter Smith died in Brighton in 1978 at the age of 77.