J.T. Smart 1880's

[Programme Collector]

Hello there. Some Danish football fan from RSSSF has contacted me regarding a certain JT Smart who played for Dundee Strathmore in the 1880s. He is wanting some information, any information on him and I'm not sure I can find much other than an essay on early Scottish-Danish football connections in which Smart is credited with being a pioneer of the game over there. I have found that there was a Smart on the scoresheet for Strathmore in the Dundee Charity Cup in 1883.

I will endeavour to find out more by researching the Dundee Courier archives but has anyone here heard of this man?

[ScottishFA]

Something doesn't quite add up here.

The JT Smart mentioned in the article was reported to be Denmark in the 1870s. However, the Strathmore player in the 1880s was JY Smart. With a bit of digging I found he was James Young Smart (1862-1921), manager of a jute factory. He was treasurer of Strathmore in 1878, later president, and his address is given in the papers as 10 Milnbank Road.

[Programme Collector]

That's really helpful. I will need to double check all the dates - not sure whether it is a case of mistaken identity.

[Programme Collector]

*EDIT
I've managed to get more info from my guy and he seems satisfied that this is the same person:

"99% is him. He was in Copenhagen for work between 1883 and 1890. He was a pioneer of football in KB.
He was a friend of Alexander Hamilton (Queen's Park Fc) that played a friendly game in Copenaghen in 1898.
I have also a picture of him.
It could be nice to know the exact date of death and search and obituary in the scottish papers. Is it possible?"

It seems he could be reading the same article that the Google search throws up so it doesn't necessarily confirm that the JT Smart from that article and the above JY Smart are the same person.

[ScottishFA]

Yes, it is him. Dundee Advertiser, 18 Feb 1885:

"On Monday evening a number of gentlemen met in the Queen's Hotel and entertained Mr J.Y. Smart to supper on the occasion of his leaving Dundee for Copenhagen."

By the way, in 1898 he is listed as a committee member of Dundee FC.

Can't find a death notice or obituary, though.

[Programme Collector]

Thanks very much. I hadn't expected there to be much info on him. I will have a look at that archives when I get back from work.

[ScottishFA]

I've written about JY Smart on my blog: http://www.scottishsporthistory.com/spo ... nd-denmark (in the second part)

By the way, Programme Collector, if you can get hold of a photo of him that would be very useful. I couldn't find any relevant images.

[Programme Collector]

This was the photo I was sent.(Attached )