It’s a happy 70th birthday to former Huddersfield Town player and manager Steve Smith.

Described by fellow former Town boss Ian Greaves as “the perfect professional”, he was a member of the 1969-70 Division II (now Championship) promotion-winning team.

It was Rawthorpe-born Smith who scored the goal, in a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough, which clinched top-flight football.

Smith’s 381 appearances (with 33 goals) for Town were spread across all four divisions.

The last of them came at the age of 35, by which time he was coaching at Leeds Road following a playing spell at Halifax Town.

He featured in an FA Cup first-round tie at Workington in November 1981 because injury had left Mick Buxton’s side a man short.

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Smith was also Town's first ever substitute , against Preston North End in September 1965.

Having joined Town in 1961 and become a full-time professional two years later, he was granted a testimonial (against Leeds United) in 1974.

After working as youth, then reserve team coach as well as chief scout, he succeeded Mick Buxton as manager in January 1987 after being in temporary charge.

He resigned in October 1987, reverting to his previous duties before joining Bradford City as youth development officer in 1989.

More recently, he had a spell as Town’s head of academy recruitment .

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