{{short description|English footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Use British English|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Lee Smelt | fullname = Lee Adrian Smelt | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|3|13|df=y}}<ref name="Hug">{{cite book | first=Barry J.|last= Hugman | title=Canon League Football Players' Records 1946-1984| publisher=Newnes Books | year=1984| isbn=0-6003-7318-5|pages=436}}</ref> | birth_place = Edmonton, England | death_date = | height = | position = Goalkeeper | youthyears1 = 1975–1976 | youthclubs1 = Colchester United | years1 = 1976 | clubs1 = Margate | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1976–1980 | clubs2 = Gravesend & Northfleet | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1980–1981 | clubs3 =Nottingham Forest | caps3 = 1 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 1981 | clubs4 = → Peterborough United (loan)| caps4 = 5 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 1981–1984 | clubs5 = Halifax Town | caps5 = 119 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 1984–1986 | clubs6 =Cardiff City | caps6 = 37 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 1985 | clubs7 =→ Exeter City(loan) | caps7 = 13 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 1986 | clubs8 =Maidstone United | caps8 = | goals8 = | years9 = 1987 | clubs9 =Welling United| caps9 = | goals9 = | years10 = 1987–1988 | clubs10 =Thanet United | caps10 = | goals10 = | years11 = 1988–1991 | clubs11 =Hythe Town | caps11 = | goals11 = | manageryears1 = 1989–1991 | managerclubs1 = Hythe Town player-assistant manager | manageryears2 = 1991–1992 | managerclubs2 = Margate| }}
'''Lee Adrian Smelt''' (born 13 March 1958) is an English former footballer and author of a goalkeeping coaching book (Practice Keeping: An elite goalkeeper development plan for under 9 to under 21s). A goalkeeper, he played professionally for Nottingham Forest, Peterborough United, Halifax Town, Cardiff City and Exeter City, making a total of 175 appearances in the Football League between 1980 and 1986.<ref name="ATZ">{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player8/leesmelt.html |title=Lee Smelt |work=Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=15 March 2022 }}</ref>
After Cardiff, Lee then went to non-league Maidstone United and from there played at Welling United, Thanet United and Hythe Town.<ref name="LSP">{{Cite web |url=http://www.margatefootballclubhistory.com/leesmelt.shtml |title=Lee Smelt Player Profile |publisher=Margate History Website: margatefchistory.com |access-date=15 March 2022}}</ref> Lee was player-assistant manager in latter part of his time at Hythe Town<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hythetownfc.co.uk/history-1/the-1990s-1/ |title=History: 1990–1991 |publisher=Official website of Hythe Town: hythetownfc.co.uk |access-date=15 March 2022}}</ref> and returned to former club Margate as Manager in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.margatefootballclubhistory.com/smeltboss.shtml |title=Lee Smelt Manager Profile |publisher=Margate History Website: margatefchistory.com |access-date=15 March 2022}}</ref>
He left football in 1992 to join the police.<ref name="LSP"/> He was as of 2018, the Academy Goalkeeping Coach (U9-23) at Charlton Athletic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cafc.co.uk/club/club-overview/the-academy|title = The Academy}}</ref>
His son Jack was a goalkeeper and for a short period in his career followed in his fathers footsteps as a 'keeper for Margate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.margatefootballclubhistory.com/jacksmelt.shtml |title=Jack Smelt Player Profile |publisher=Margate History Website: margatefchistory.com |access-date=15 March 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Margate F.C. managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smelt, Lee}} Category:Living people Category:1958 births Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Enfield Category:People from Edmonton, London Category:Colchester United F.C. players Category:Ebbsfleet United F.C. players Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players Category:Peterborough United F.C. players Category:Halifax Town A.F.C. players Category:Cardiff City F.C. players Category:Exeter City F.C. players Category:Maidstone United F.C. (1897) players Category:Welling United F.C. players Category:Margate F.C. players Category:Hythe Town F.C. players Category:Margate F.C. managers Category:Hythe Town F.C. managers Category:Men's association football goalkeepers Category:English men's footballers Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. non-playing staff Category:English football managers Category:English Football League players