3/1 To Win
Derby County have secured the services of versatile former Bristol City and Swansea City man Korey Smith as the Rams’ squad continues to take shape ahead of the new 2022/23 Sky Bet League One campaign.
The 31-year-old, who has spent the last two seasons in South Wales with Swansea, has signed a two-year contract at Pride Park Stadium.
Here is a little more background on our newest recruit.
Early Achiever
Smith was discovered by a scout at Norwich City by playing football in the park. After being offered a trial at Carrow Road, and having never played in an Academy system before, the midfielder impressed the Canaries’ staff and signed for the club at the age of 16.
He captained the Academy side in his first season with the club as they embarked on an impressive run in the FA Youth Cup. After knocking out Wigan Athletic, Stoke City and Everton, the Canaries faced Manchester City in the quarter-finals, but it proved to be a step too far as they were beaten 1-0.
However, Smith had caught the eye. So much so that in the following season, the 2008/09 campaign, he was awarded his first team debut by then-manager Bryan Gunn. He came off the bench in the 82nd minute in a narrow 1-0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday.
On the final day of the season, Smith would make his first league start for Norwich. He started in midfield and played the full 90 minutes as the Canaries suffered a 4-2 defeat against Charlton Athletic. Former Ram Deon Burton scored a hat-trick for the Addicks that afternoon.
The season would end in relegation for Norwich, but, now in League One and at the age of only 18, Smith played a key integral part of them rising back through the divisions. He scored his first competitive goal on his first start of the 2009/10 campaign as Norwich beat Wycombe Wanderers 5-2.
Now a consistent member of the first team squad, Smith netted his second goal for the club in a 3-0 away victory at Southend United, whilst he scored against Wycombe in the reverse fixture later on in the season. He scored the only goal as Norwich secured their first three points of the new decade in the victory at Adams Park.
He scored once more before the season concluded, this time in a 2-1 defeat against Leyton Orient, but the Canaries did secure promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking. They wrapped up the title, earning 95 points, nine ahead of second-placed Leeds United.
It was a promotion on Smith’s CV at such a young age, and having played 40 games and scoring four goals, he had played a major part in their journey. It was a journey which wasn’t going to stop, either. With Paul Lambert in charge, Norwich would defy the odds during the 2010/11 campaign and claim back-to-back promotions to the Premier League.
Smith made 30 appearances as the Canaries finished second in the table, behind Queens Park Rangers, who were crowned champions. Still only 20, he had huge potential having enjoyed back-to-back success early into his career but his game time during their 2011/12 Premier League campaign was limited.
He played just one game for the Canaries in a League Cup fixture against MK Dons, but was then loaned out to Barnsley in the Championship. Ironically, his first game in a Tykes shirt came against the Rams.
He played 77 minutes as Barnsley beat Derby 3-2 at Oakwell in early 2021. He made a telling impact, too, providing two assists as the Tykes raced into a three-goal lead before Jamie Ward and Tom Carroll reduced the arrears.
Smith went on to play 12 times for Barnsley as they narrowly avoided relegation to the third tier of English football. He would play in League One the following campaign, however, as Smith signed for Yeovil Town, managed by Gary Johnson.
After playing 19 times for the Glovers, his loan spell came to an end in the January. He returned to Norwich but then signed for fellow League One side Oldham Athletic initially on loan for the rest of the campaign. Lee Johnson, Gary’s son, was the manager and the Latics were fighting relegation to the fourth tier of English football.
He played against Yeovil, the team he spent the first half of the season with, and helped secure a crucial 1-0 victory which was enough to keep Oldham in the division. That summer, Smith called time on his spell with Norwich, ending his seven-year association with the club.
Smith turned his loan move into a permanent deal as he joined Oldham on a two-year contract ahead of the 2013/14 season and he was immediately named captain of the team by Johnson. He impressed the Boundary Park crowd with his ability to take the ball in difficult situations and get the Latics moving up the field quickly.
He even pitched in with two goals during the campaign. Whilst he wasn’t known for his goalscoring exploits, both strikes were of unbelievable quality. His first came in an FA Cup clash against Mansfield Town as he rifled home from 30 yards, whilst his second earned him the club’s Goal of the Season award.
He unleashed an unstoppable effort from 35 yards in the final minutes of the game to secure a 1-1 draw against Leyton Orient. His time in the north west would only last one full season, though, as he joined Bristol City for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2014.
Making Bristol Home
It was a big move for Smith, who harboured ambitions of rising back through the divisions, similar to his progression with Norwich earlier in his career. With the likes of Joe Bryan, Aden Flint, Luke Ayling and Luke Freeman in the squad, City were building a side capable of winning the League One title.
Steve Cotterill was the Robins boss and he guided his side to promotion back to the Championship with an impressive 99 points return. Smith played an integral role in the squad, playing 54 times in all competitions in the season. He was an energetic and reliable source in midfield as the Reds everyone away to race away to the title.
Smith managed only two goals in his first season, both of which came in a EFL Trophy clash against Cheltenham Town as Bristol City won 3-1, but now he was back in the Championship and it was another chance to test himself in the second tier of English football.
The Robins did struggle slightly on their return to the Championship. There wasn’t much of a bounce effect from promotion which cost Cotterill his job, but Smith was set to link up with a familiar face as his former Oldham boss Lee Johnson was handed the managerial reigns at Ashton Gate.
City did move away from danger as they finished the season in 18th place. Smith played 38 times in total, but his season was cut short following a red card received against Blackburn Rovers which ruled him out of the final three games of the season.
Smith made 24 appearances during the 2016/17 campaign, but it would be the 2017/18 season where the now 31-year-old really made a telling impact on the team. With Johnson rebuilding his squad after losing several key faces, Smith was one of the first names on the teamsheet ahead of the campaign.
He scored his first goal in just under two years in a convincing EFL Cup victory over Plymouth Argyle, whilst he scored his first league goal for Bristol City in October 2017 in a 2-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. It was a big moment for Smith, who hadn’t registered a league goal for more than three years.
However, his biggest goal in a Red shirt was saved for a special night in Robins history as they defeated Manchester United in the EFL Cup. After beating Watford, Stoke City and Crystal Palace, the Robins were drawn against the Red Devils in the Quarter Final stage of the competition.
Ashton Gate was a sell-out, and the hosts were determined to put on a show for their supporters against Jose Mourinho’s United outfit. Johnson’s men took the lead early in the second half through Joe Bryan, whilst Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalised just before the hour mark.
And, with the game looking like it was heading to extra-time, Smith would steal the headlines as he scored in the 90th minute to secure a famous victory and a place in the Semi-Finals of the EFL Cup against Manchester City. Smith played in both legs against Pep Guardiola’s side as the Robins pushed them all the way, narrowly losing 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in the First Leg, whilst the visitors won 3-2 in the Second Leg at Ashton Gate.
It was a progressive season in the league, too, as the Robins finished 11th and flirted with the play-offs on occasions throughout the campaign, but they fell just short. In the following season, 2018/19, they would make their charge as they chased the Rams all the way to sixth spot.
They fell just short again, as Frank Lampard’s Derby side pipped them to the post. It was a season of disappointment and frustration for Smith personally who missed the majority of the campaign through injury. He suffered the injury in August 2018 and returned to action in March 2019 but made only six appearances in total.
He suffered another setback ahead of the 2019/20 campaign and didn’t make his first appearance of the season until November. With Johnson still the manager, he kept faith with Smith as he worked his way back into the first team fold and was a regular before the COVID-19 pandemic halted football for three months.
Following the return to action, Smith played in City’s final eight games of the campaign. However, following a run of bad results, Johnson was dismissed as manager. That signalled the end of his spell at Ashton Gate, as his six-year association with the club came to an end ahead of the 2020/21 season. In total, he played 196 times for Bristol City, scoring five goals.
A New Challenge
Smith did not move far as he hopped across the Severn Bridge to join Swansea City on a two-year deal in the summer of 2020. Steve Cooper was the manager and they had aspirations of reaching the Premier League and almost reached that feat in Smith’s first season with the club.
He made his Swans debut in a 2-0 defeat against League Two side Newport County in the EFL Cup, whilst his league debut followed seven days later as they got the better of Preston North End at Deepdale.
Smith was a key performer as he made 40 appearances in all competitions for the Swans. He featured against his former club Bristol City in a 1-1 draw, whilst he played in both fixtures against Rams during the 2020/21 campaign.
He helped guide Swansea to a place in the Championship Play-Off Final, as they beat Barnsley at the Semi Final stage, however, Smith would be an unused substitute in the Final at Wembley Stadium as they were beaten 2-0 by Brentford.
Cooper left the club at the end of the campaign, with MK Dons’ Russell Martin taking over. He incorporated a different style of play which suited Smith’s ability on the ball. His calmness on the ball made him a key man for the Swans as they gradually built throughout the campaign.
He played 37 times and featured in both of Swansea’s victories over Cardiff City as the Swans created history by recording the double over their fiercest rivals for the first time in their history. However, he would call time on his spell with the Swans at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.
Smith made 77 appearances in total over his two years with the club, but now faces another new challenge as he has signed a two-year contract with Derby which will keep him with the club until the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
