Former Mansfield Town manager Dave Smith passes away, aged 88

Ex Stags manager Dave Smith, who guided Mansfield to the Fourth Division title, has passed away this week. Pic: Richard Parkes.

Smith, who enjoyed a brief but memorable spell in charge of Stags during the mid 1970’s, passed away this week aged 88.

Dundee-born Smith played for Burnley for 11 years and then had short spells at Brighton and Hove Albion and Bristol City before moving into coaching.

He helped Newcastle United win the Fairs Cup in 1968–69 as a coach and took his first management job at Fourth Division Mansfield in 1974, where re-election was just avoided.

He enjoyed a memorable following season as Mansfield took the title by six points without losing a game at home.

The following season saw Stags struggle, and it looked as though they would make an immediate return to the Fourth Division, but a run of nineteen games unbeaten saw Mansfield comfortably survive in 11th place.

However, Smith resigned shortly after the end of the season following a dispute with the club's directors.

His next job was at Southend United where in his second season promotion from the Fourth Division was achieved again, this time as runners up to Watford in 1978.