Early life
Smith was born in Aberdeen in summer 1844, the son of Robert Smith and Barbara Abercrombie. His father was the gardener to the James Duff, 4th Earl Fife, Earl of Fife, who was then based at Mar Lodge on River Dee, Aberdeenshire, Royal Deeside. His father was later the head gardener on the Duke's estate at Innes House, near Elgin. James Smith then attended Fordyce Academy.Football career
Smith was one of the founder members of the Queen's Park F.C., Queen's Park club, based in Glasgow. In his "Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches" written in 1890, David Bone describes Smith thus:The least known, perhaps, of the original international men, but one whose name will ever be honoured by many of the older school of players, and locally Queen's Park members, is Mr. James Smith, who died some years ago in London. Mr. Smith was, in conjunction with his brother Robert, early associated with the game in Scotland, and was an original member of the Queen's Park. Mr. Archibald Rae, the first secretary of the Scottish Football Association, and at one time an active member of the Queen's Park (and a beautiful dribbler in his day), tells an amusing anecdote of Smith, while playing against the Hamilton Club, leaping on the top of a hedge to win a touch-down, which in those days counted a point in the game. This entirely coincided with poor Smith's play, as he was sometimes very impetuous.By November 1870, Smith had moved to London and, although he retained his membership of Queen's Park, was also a member of South Norwood F.C., South Norwood, for whom he played in the FA Cup. Smith, along with his elder brother Robert Smith (footballer born 1843), Robert, was named amongst 16 selected players in the publicity for the England v Scotland representative matches (1870–1872), unofficial international match played on 24 February 1872, but neither actually played. In November 1872, the 1872 Scotland v England football match, first officially recognised football international was arranged between Scotland national football team, Scotland and England national football team, England; unlike the earlier representative matches, all of which had been played at the Kennington Oval in London, this match was played at West of Scotland Cricket Club's ground at Hamilton Crescent in Partick, Glasgow. The match was organised by the Queen's Park club (the Scottish Football Association was not founded until the following year), who decided that only Queen's Park members should be selected. Smith started the match as a half-back. Smith's brother, Robert, played in the match on 30 November 1872 as one of six forwards; thus, he and Robert were the first pair of brothers to play together at international level. Scotland played a 2–2–6 formation (with two backs and two half-backs) while England favoured a more attacking 1–1–8 formation with only two defenders; despite this, the match ended in a 0–0 draw.
Life after football
By profession, Smith was a salesman for artists' supplies. He died, aged 32, at his parents' home at Urquhart, Moray, Urquhart in County of Moray, Morayshire on 20 September 1876 from a stroke, after a long illness.Notes
:A. The match between Scotland and England on 30 November 1872 was the first officially recognised international football match. Apart from James and Robert Smith, none of the other players were brothers. Thus they were the first pair of brothers to play international football.References
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