Let's talk about Matt Smith, a chipper young lad born on the 22nd of November, 1999. England bred and the ripe age of 25, this strapping gent roams the green as a central midfielder for the illustrious St Johnstone.
A compact specimen standing proud at 5ft 8in (or 1.75m, for you mainland types). Footy enthusiasts can readily spot Smith on the pitch, donning the number 22 jersey and tipping the scales at a meaty 11st 2lb (that's 71kg if metric's more your jam).
As per the well-informed folks at Transfermarkt, Smith carries a market value of a tidy sum, estimated at around £340k. Not exactly Ronaldo money, but certainly not loose change. His contract with St Johnstone has but half a year left, set for termination on the 31st May 2025. Tick-tock.
Popping back to July 2013, when the untested lad began his stint at Manchester City. A trainee barely out of his teens and ready to conquer the Premier League, eh?
A whistle-stop tour around Europe followed, with Smith trotting off to FC Twente in the Netherlands on loan in July 2018. Looking back at his 2018 - 2019 season at Twente, we see he made 34 first team appearances and notched a couple of goals in league matches.
Merely a year later, Smith found himself another loan to Queens Park Rangers in England. A difficult season ensued; he saw the field only eight times in league matches. Brief, like a spell of English sun.
2020 saw our lad on the move again, pulling on the jersey for Charlton Athletic in England's League One after yet another loan from Manchester City. A dreary season saw him step onto the pitch a meagre two times in league matches.
Manchester City shuffled him off once more in October 2020, with Smith plying his craft at Doncaster Rovers in England's League Two on loan.
Unfortunately, 2021 saw Smith tossed around like a hot potato yet again, as he wound up on loan to Hull City, another Championship outfit. He saw a bit more of the action, taking the field 9 times in the 2021 - 2022 season.
Finally, Smith shook off the loanee tag. In January 2022 he found a new home, M.K. Dons snapping him up for an undisclosed fee. Paying his dues, he made 21 appearances and two goals in the 2022 - 2023 season.
He levitated a rung up the footballing ladder once more in August 2023, this time to the frozen north. Smith jumped ship to St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership, again for an undisclosed fee. Over the 2023 - 2024 season, he made 34 first team appearances and potted one lonely goal in league matches.
Not one to rest on his paltry laurels, Smith has already made 13 first team appearances as the current 2024 - 2025 season draws on. He also got his hands slightly dirty in the League Cup 2024 - 2025 and Scottish Cup 2023 - 2024 with St Johnstone with a few starts and a smattering of substitute appearances.
Alas, no mention of a glorious Celtic stint, thus no lavish detail to regale you with. Pity.
