- Date of Birth12 / 08 / 1855
- Died16 / 11 / 1937
- Lions Tours1888
- Lions Origin SchoolsAyr Academy
- Lions Origin ClubsEdinburgh Wanderers, Edinburgh University, Corinthians
While many of the 1888 British & Irish Lions who toured Australia and New Zealand had a background in cricket, John Smith was primarily a footballer – representing Scotland ten times.
The Kirkcaldy forward played for Mauchline, Edinburgh University, Queen’s Park and Corinthian FC, where he scored eight goals in 17 games.
Smith scored 10 international goals, including a hat-trick against England at the Oval in 1881.
He also played rugby for Edinburgh University and was once on the brink of a Scotland call-up, before getting the nod from the Lions for the Tour to Australia and New Zealand – where he played nine times.
Smith, who played as a forward in rugby, was a practicing physician in Kirkcaldy, while he also refereed football.