Club career Smith started his career at
Wakefield Trinity before he was transferred to
Leeds during January 1930 for a record fee of £1,075, (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £307,200 in 2014). Smith played on the in
Leeds' 2–8 defeat by
Hunslet in the
Championship Final during the
1937–38 season at
Elland Road,
Leeds on Saturday 30 April 1938. Smith retired from first class rugby in January 1940 having played for Leeds for 10 years. He had a long-standing plan to retire from rugby so that he and his wife Hilda could focus on running their pub the Butchers Arms on Williams Street in Wakefield but the outbreak of WWII saw him joining the Army at the age of 30. Stan served in the REME seeing service throughout the North African and Italian campaigns and returning home in late 1945.
International honours Stan Smith won
caps for
England while at Leeds in 1931 against Wales, in 1932 against Wales (2 matches), in 1934 against Australia, and France, in 1935 against France, and won
caps for
Great Britain while at Wakefield Trinity in 1929 against Australia, while at Leeds in 1930 against Australia (2 matches), in 1932 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches), and in 1933 against Australia (2 matches). of New Zealand with Bert Cooke approaching in the 1st test of 1932 at Carlaw Park in New Zealand. Stan Smith played twice for a
Rugby League XIII against France. Playing at left-wing on both occasions, the first was at
Wilderspool Stadium,
Warrington on 17 March 1934 when the English team won 32–16, this game was also the first international match played by the
France national rugby league team. The second was at
Headingley,
Leeds just over a year later, on 6 May 1935 when the English side won 25–18.
County honours Stan Smith won
cap(s) for
Yorkshire while at Wakefield Trinity.
County Cup Final appearances Stanley Smith played on the in
Leeds' 14–8 victory over
Huddersfield in the
1937–38 Yorkshire Cup Final during the
1937–38 season at
Belle Vue,
Wakefield on Saturday 30 October 1937. The record for the most tries in a
Yorkshire Cup Final is 4-
tries, and is jointly held by;
Stan Moorhouse,
Alan Smith, and Stanley Smith. ==References==