Tyler Smith (footballer)
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 Smith with Bradford City in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tyler Gavin Junior Smith[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 4 December 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Sheffield, England | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rochdale | ||
| Number | 38 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2021 | Sheffield United | 0 | (0) |
| 2018 | → Barrow (loan) | 23 | (10) |
| 2019 | → Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2019 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 20 | (3) |
| 2020 | → Rochdale (loan) | 4 | (1) |
| 2020–2021 | → Swindon Town (loan) | 23 | (7) |
| 2021–2023 | Hull City | 37 | (4) |
| 2023 | → Oxford United (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Bradford City | 43 | (5) |
| 2025 | → Barrow (loan) | 21 | (5) |
| 2025– | Rochdale | 17 | (5) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18:06, 22 March 2026 (UTC) | |||
Tyler Gavin Junior Smith (born 4 December 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for National League club Rochdale.
Sheffield United
Born in Sheffield, Smith began his career with Sheffield United.[2] He was a ballboy with the club.[3] He spent the first half of the 2018–19 season on loan at Barrow,[2] before moving on loan to Doncaster Rovers in January 2019.[4] He scored two goals on his debut on 19 January 2019, and was praised by manager Grant McCann as being "a star in the making".[5] In July 2019 he moved on loan to Bristol Rovers for the 2019–20 season.[6] In January 2020 was joined Rochdale on loan.[7]
On 6 August 2020 he moved on loan to Swindon Town for the 2020–21 season.[8] On 8 September 2020 he scored his first goal for Swindon in an EFL Trophy tie against West Bromwich Albion U21s.[9]
Hull City
He signed for Hull City in August 2021,[10] and made his debut for the club on 28 August in a 0–0 home draw against AFC Bournemouth.[11] He scored his first goal for the club within the 1st minute of an FA Cup match against Everton on 8 January 2022.[12]
In January 2023 Smith joined Oxford United on loan until the end of the season.[13][14]
Smith was released by Hull City at the end of the 2022–23 season.[15]
Bradford City
After his release, Smith signed a three-year deal with Bradford City.[16][17][18] After the first few matches of the 2023–24 season, he said he was looking forward to playing more football.[19] He scored his first goal for Bradford on 29 August 2023, in the EFL Cup.[20] He later said the squad was deep enough to cope without injured fellow striker Andy Cook,[21] with Smith himself being injured a few days later.[22] On 31 October he scored a hat-trick in the EFL Trophy, to send the club through to the next round.[23] He later praised teammate Kevin McDonald, who had served as caretaker manager.[3]
After scoring the winning goal in a game against Accrington Stanley, Smith was compared to former Bradford City player Nahki Wells.[24] By December 2023, Smith had scored 6 goals in 4 games in the EFL Trophy for the club.[25] He later spoke positively about his striking partnership with Andy Cook.[26]
After losing his first-team place, on 5 March 2024, Smith scored his first goal for the club since December 2023.[27] On 23 April, in a 10 minute appearance, he scored the winning goal in the penultimate game of the season, to keep the club in contention for the play-offs.[28]
He lost his first-team place again during the 2024–25 season; as of January 2025, he had not been in a matchday squad for two months.[29]
On 17 January 2025, Smith returned to Barrow on loan until the end of the season.[30][31] Ahead of the 2025–26 season, Smith was told by Bradford City manager Graham Alexander that he could leave the club,[32] with former club Barrow said to be interested in signing him,[33] although Smith turned down the chance to return to Barrow.[34] He left the club by mutual consent on 1 September 2025.[35]
Rochdale
On 3 October 2025, Smith returned to Rochdale, now of the National League, on a deal until the end of the 2025–26 season; the move saw him reunite with brother Kyron Gordon, having previously played together at Sheffield United.[36][37]