John Smeulders
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 28 March 1957 | ||
| Place of birth | Hackney, England | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1972–1978 | Orient | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1978–1979 | Orient | 0 | (0) |
| 1979–1981 | Bournemouth | 14 | (0) |
| 1981–1983 | Trowbridge Town | 83 | (0) |
| 1983 | Weymouth | 23 | (0) |
| 1983–1986 | Bournemouth | 75 | (0) |
| 1986–1987 | Torquay United | 18 | (0) |
| 1987 | → Peterborough United (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| → Poole Town (loan) | |||
| 1987–1989 | Bournemouth | 9 | (0) |
| 1988 | → Brentford (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| → Farnborough Town (loan) | 2 | (0) | |
| Weymouth | 20 | (0) | |
| 1991–1992 | Fareham Town | 3 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| England Youth | |||
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
John Smeulders is a retired English professional football goalkeeper, best remembered for his three spells in the Football League with Bournemouth.[1] He also played league football for Torquay United, Brentford and Peterborough United.[2]
Club career
A goalkeeper, Smeulders began his career as a youth with Orient.[2] He was unable to displace the number 1 shirt from Ray Goddard and John Jackson and made just a handful of League Cup appearances before departing the Os in 1979.[2] To revive his stalled career, Smeulders began the first of three spells with Bournemouth in 1979.[2] After failing to break into the first team, Smeulders dropped into non-league football in 1981 with Trowbridge Town, moving on to Weymouth and then back to Bournemouth in 1983.[2] This time he did establish himself in the first team, making 75 league appearances and setting a then-club record seven consecutive clean sheets, before moving to Torquay United in 1986.[2] After failing to hold down a first team place and spending time away from Plainmoor on loan, Smeulders returned to Bournemouth for the third time in 1987.[2] He again failed to hold down a regular place and dropped back into non-league football in 1989.[2] Smeulders retired at age 38, due to a damaged knee.[2]
Coaching career
Smeulders late returned to Bournemouth as a coach to goalkeepers Neil Moss and Ian Andrews.[2]
International career
Smeulders won caps for England at youth level and played in the same team as Bryan Robson, Ray Wilkins, Glenn Hoddle and Peter Barnes.[2]
Personal life
As of March 1996, Smeulders was working in a bakery in Bournemouth.[2]