Michael Smith

Michael Smith's early career was defined by loan spells rather than first-team football. Charlton Athletic signed him from Darlington in 2011 for a fee reported at around £80,000, and he was farmed out four times — to Accrington Stanley, Newport County, Colchester United and AFC Wimbledon, where he scored nine goals in 23 games.

He became one of Rotherham United's key forwards after signing in January 2018, scoring 52 goals in 188 appearances. His finest season came in 2021–22: he scored twice in the semi-final as Rotherham won the EFL Trophy, was named the club's Player of the Season, picked up EFL League One Player of the Month awards in October 2021 and January 2022, and was included in the League One Team of the Year.

He joined Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer in June 2022, netting 29 goals in 111 appearances and winning the League One play-offs with the club in 2023 to secure promotion to the Championship. He was named Sheffield Wednesday's Player of the Month twice more and won the EFL Goal of the Month in October 2024, before his contract there was ended by mutual consent in July 2025.

Smith then joined Preston on a free transfer, making 37 league appearances and scoring three goals in the 2025–26 season, before a further free transfer took him to Mansfield Town in July 2026.