Steven Smith

<a href="http://www.portlandtimbers.com/search/apachesolr_search?keys=steven+smith&amp;op=go">Steven Smith News</a><br>

ACQUIRED:  Signed by the Portland Timbers on April 25, 2012

Smith was signed by the Timbers April 25, 2012. He joins the Timbers after playing the previous nine seasons in Europe, where he started his career with Scotland’s Rangers FC. Smith spent seven seasons with Rangers (2003-10) and played the past two campaigns in England with Norwich City FC (2010-11) and Preston North End (2011-12). Smith also has experience in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.

2012: His headed clearance from off the goal line against Vancouver on Aug. 25 won MLS Save of the Week for Week 25 ... Recorded his second MLS assist on the late equalizer by Darlington Nagbe in a 2-2 draw at Toronto FC on Aug. 15 ... Has started in 22 of the club's 27 MLS matches since signing with Portland on April 25, playing the full 90 in 16 league games ... Started six consecutive MLS matches from June 24-July 18, and featured in seven straight matches from July 28-Sept. 5 ... Recorded his first assist of the season in a 2-1 win over Seattle on June 24 ... Assisted on Kris Boyd's first-half goal against Sounders FC ... Missed June 17 match against the LA Galaxy while getting married ... Made his second start for the Timbers on May 15 against Houston ... Played the opening 45 minutes of an exhibition against Spanish club Valencia CF on May 23 ... Made his MLS debut on April 28 against Montreal ... Started and played 90 minutes in a 2-0 loss to the Impact.

2011-12: Prior to signing with the Timbers, played in 13 league games (9 starts) for Preston North End of England’s League One … Registered a two-assist performance during a 4-2 loss to Sheffield United on Oct. 19 … Made his Preston North End debut as a sub in a 1-1 draw against Scunthorpe United on Aug. 13, 2011 … Started in a Carling Cup fixture against Southampton on Sept. 21, in which the club lost 2-1 … Earned the start and played a full 90 minutes of a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy match – a 2-2 draw against Morecambe on Oct. 4.

2010-11: Made the move from Scotland’s Rangers FC to England’s Norwich City FC … Contributed to Norwich City’s promotion to the Premier League, making five appearances (2 starts) … Record an assist in a 3-1 loss to Cardiff City on Oct. 30 … Was loaned to Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen on Jan. 31, 2011, for the remainder of the season … Made 16 league appearances (15 starts) during his loan spell … Also played in four Scottish League Cup games for Aberdeen, aiding in the club’s run to the cup’s semifinals.

2009-10: Played in 12 league games for Rangers, helping the club to a second straight Scottish Premier League championship … Logged an assist on the equalizing goal of a 2-1 road win over Hearts on Aug. 23 … Contributed in the club’s Scottish League Cup title, appearing in three matches during the tournament and aided in shutouts against St. Johnstone (Feb. 3) and St. Mirren (March 21) … Started two Scottish Cup matches against St. Mirren, aiding in a pair of shutouts in Round 5 of the tournament … Started in Rangers’ final Group Stage match of the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League, a 1-0 loss to Spain’s Sevilla … Was an unused sub in the club’s five other Group Stage matches against Sevilla, Stuttgart and Unirea Urziceni … In total, appeared in 55 league games for Rangers during his seven seasons with the club and scored a goal.

2008-09: Contributed to Rangers’ Scottish Premier League championship season … … Due to an injury early in the season, played in five games (all starts) … Made his season debut April 11, 2009, and recorded an assist in a 3-1 win over Motherwell … Made one appearance for the club in Scottish Cup competition, helping Rangers win the tournament for a second straight season … Started in a 3-0 win over St. Mirren in a Round 4 matchup April 25.

2007-08: Returned from injury, which sidelined him for nearly 16 months … Made two appearances for Rangers, both in Scottish Cup matches … Started in a 2-0 shutout road victory over Partick Thistle in a Round 6 fixture April 13, 2008 … Played 90 minutes of a 1-1 draw against St. Johnstone in the semifinals April 20, which Rangers eventually won on penalty kicks … Rangers would go on to win the Scottish Cup championship that season.

2006-07: Played in 17 league matches for Rangers during the Scottish Premier League season … Sustained an injury in December and missed the remainder of the season … Last appearance of the season was Dec. 17 in an Old Firm match against Celtic … Scored his first professional goal in the 77th minute of a 2-0 win over Dunfermline Athletic on Nov. 11, 2006 … Made six starts during the 2006-07 UEFA Cup, now called Europa League … In the games he played, Rangers recorded four shutouts and posted a 4-0-2 record; the club went on to reach the Round of 16 … Started two Scottish Cup contests, including a 2-0 win and shutout Sept. 9 against Dunfermline Athletic.

2005-06: Had a breakout season for Rangers, playing in a career-high 18 league matches (16 starts) … Was named the Scottish Premier League’s Young Player of the Month in April 2006 … Started all five of the club’s matches during the month, in which Rangers posted a 3-0-2 record and two clean sheets … Contributed to Rangers’ 12-game unbeaten streak (9-0-3) to end the campaign, making 10 starts during the final stretch … Debuted in the UEFA Champions League Feb. 23, 2006, starting a Round of 16 match against Spain’s Villarreal CF, in which the clubs played to a 2-2 draw … Appeared in one Scottish Cup tie Jan. 7, 2006, earning the start in a 5-0 Round 3 win over Peterhead.

2004-05: Made his professional debut with Rangers at the age of 19, starting an away tilt against Inverness CT on Dec. 5, 2004 … His debut the first of his two appearances during the campaign, contributing to Rangers winning the 2004-05 Scottish Premier League championship … Also started in a 2-1 league win over Hearts on March 2, 2005 … Was on the match-day roster for a UEFA Cup match against AZ Alkmaar Dec. 2, 2004.

2003-04: Signed by Rangers of the Scottish Premier League after time with the club’s U-19 squad … Did not make a first team appearance during the season.

INTERNATIONAL: Was named to the Scotland B National Team for a friendly against the Republic of Ireland B on Nov. 14, 2006 … Started that match and contributed towards the team’s shutout in a scoreless draw at Dalymount Park in Dublin, Ireland … A member of Scotland’s youth national team system at the U-19 and U-21 levels … Was called up to the Scotland U-21 National Team for the 2006-07 UEFA U-21 Championship qualifiers against Slovenia (Aug. 16, 2006) and France (Sept. 1, 2006); started in the match against France … Spent time with the Scotland U-21 National Team in 2004 as a 19-year old, appearing in three 2004/2006 UEFA U-21 Championship qualifiers against Slovenia (Sept. 7, 2004), Norway (Oct. 8, 2004) and Moldova (Oct. 12, 2004) … Appeared in a series of friendly matches with the U-21s in 2004 and 2006 and earned youth caps against Hungary, Northern Ireland, Spain and Turkey … With the Scotland U-19 National Team, competed in the 2003 Northern Ireland Milk Cup … Named to the Scotland U-19 National Team for UEFA U-19 Championship qualifiers against Faroe Islands, Macedonia and Turkey … Started in the team’s 3-1 win over Faroe Islands in qualifying … Featured in friendly matches against Iceland and two against Portugal for the U-19s in 2003.

PERSONAL: Was teammates with Timbers forward Kris Boyd for four-and-a-half seasons at Rangers from 2006-10 … In the match in which Smith scored his first professional goal on Nov. 11, 2006, Boyd had also scored as the two led Rangers to a 2-0 win over Dunfermline Athletic.