{{short description|Welsh footballer}} {{Use British English|date=June 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Fred Smallwood |image = |fullname = |birth_date = {{birth date|1910|09|16|df=y}} |birth_place = Brynteg, Wales |death_date = {{death date and age|1965|12|1|1910|09|16|df=y}} |death_place = Durham, England | height = {{height|ft=5|in=5}}<ref name="FATS" /> |position = Outside forward |youthyears1 = |youthclubs1 = Llanerch Celts |years1 = 1933–1934 |clubs1 = Wrexham |caps1 = 1 |goals1 = 1 |years2 = 1934–1935 |clubs2 = Chester |caps2 = 1 |goals2 = 0 |years3 = 1935–1936 |clubs3 = Macclesfield Town |caps3 = 42 |goals3 = 26 |years4 = 1936–1938 |clubs4 = Southampton |caps4 = 48 |goals4 = 10 |years5 = 1938–1940 |clubs5 = Reading |caps5 = 43 |goals5 = 12 |years6 = |clubs6 = Wrexham (wartime guest) |caps6 = |goals6 = |years7 = |clubs7 = Newcastle United (wartime guest) |caps7 = |goals7 = |years8 = |clubs8 = Sunderland (wartime guest) |caps8 = |goals8 = |years9 = |clubs9 = Hartlepool United (wartime guest) |caps9 = |goals9 = |nationalyears1 = |nationalteam1 = Wales amateur |nationalcaps1 = |nationalgoals1 = }} '''Frederick Smallwood''' (16 September 1910 – 1 December 1965)<ref name = FATS>{{cite book| last1=Chalk|first1=Gary |last2=Holley|first2=Duncan |last3=Bull |first3=David |title=All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC|year=2013|location=Southampton|publisher=Hagiology Publishing |isbn=978-0-9926-8640-6|page=173}}</ref> was a Welsh professional footballer who played as an outside forward for Southampton and Reading in the 1930s.
==Football career== Smallwood was born in Brynteg, near Wrexham in North Wales<ref name = Joyce>{{cite book|title=Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939|last=Joyce|first=Michael |year=2004 |publisher=Tony Brown|location=Nottingham|isbn=1-899468-67-6|page=240}}</ref> and worked as a coal-miner in the nearby Gresford Colliery. He played for Llanerch Celts before joining Wrexham as an amateur in September 1933. During his time at Wrexham, he gained caps as an amateur for Wales.<ref name=ABC>{{cite book |title=The Alphabet of the Saints|last= Holley |first= Duncan|author2=Chalk, Gary|publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing|year=1992|isbn=0-9514862-3-3|page=313}}</ref>
In September 1934, he moved to Chester, signing as a professional in October. After a year with Chester, in which he made one appearance in the Football League Third Division North,<ref name = Joyce/> he dropped down to non-league football with Macclesfield Town.
In June 1936, he was recruited by Southampton of the Football League Second Division. He was one of several players recruited by new manager George Goss and replaced Laurie Fishlock, who was unavailable as he was on a tour of Australia with the England cricket team.<ref name=ABC2>{{cite book |title=The Alphabet of the Saints|last= Holley |first= Duncan|author2=Chalk, Gary|publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing|year=1992|isbn=0-9514862-3-3|page=122}}</ref> Smallwood made his debut for the Saints in the opening match of the 1936–37 season, scoring in a 3–2 victory over Chesterfield.<ref name = Chalk97>{{cite book | title=Saints – A complete record|last= Chalk|first= Gary|author2=Holley, Duncan |publisher= Breedon Books|year=1987|isbn= 0-907969-22-4|page=97}}</ref> Described as "a small but nippy left-winger",<ref name=ABC/> Smallwood only missed one match in his first season at The Dell and scored ten goals.<ref name = Chalk97/>
Smallwood was a superstitious player, who would always carry a lucky rabbit's foot in the pocket of his shorts on match days.<ref name=ABC/>
In the summer of 1937, he was injured in a pre-season warm-up match and lost his place to Harry Osman.<ref name=ABC/> In the 1937–38 season, Smallwood managed only eight appearances, usually playing at outside left.<ref name = Chalk99>{{cite book | title=Saints – A complete record|page=99}}</ref> At the end of the season, he refused a new contract and moved to Reading of the Football League Third Division South.<ref name=ABC/>
He remained with Reading until the start of the Second World War, making 43 league appearances, scoring 12 goals.<ref name = Joyce/>
==Later career== Smallwood retired from professional football during the war, but made guest appearances for Wrexham, Newcastle United, Sunderland and Hartlepool United.
He settled in the Sunderland area after the war where he played in a small dance band.<ref name=ABC/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.11v11.com/players/frederick-smallwood-47924/ Career details on www.11v11.com]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smallwood, Fred}} Category:1910 births Category:1965 deaths Category:Footballers from Wrexham Category:Welsh men's footballers Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players Category:Chester City F.C. players Category:Macclesfield Town F.C. players Category:Reading F.C. players Category:Southampton F.C. players Category:Wrexham F.C. wartime guest players Category:Newcastle United F.C. wartime guest players Category:Sunderland A.F.C. wartime guest players Category:Hartlepool United F.C. wartime guest players Category:English Football League players Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Wales men's amateur international footballers