Smith Appointed Goalkeeping Coach

Newcastle United are pleased to confirm the appointment of Simon Smith as the Club's new goalkeeping coach.

Fifty-two-year-old Smith replaces Andy Woodman, who left the Magpies last week.

Smith leaves his post with the Football Association to take up a role he previously held with United, as first team goalkeeping coach, from 1999-2004.

The Club would like to thank the FA for their co-operation and goodwill in facilitating this appointment.

Newton Aycliffe-born Smith began his professional career with Newcastle United in 1978, spending four years at St. James' Park before moving on to Whitley Bay and Gateshead, where he played 501 games - including a run of 405 matches in a row - over a ten-year period.

He started his coaching career with Newcastle United in 1993, where he initially worked with the Club's young goalkeepers before becoming the Magpies' first team goalkeeping coach in 1999 under the management of Ruud Gullit and then Sir Bobby Robson.

In 2006, Smith moved to Vancouver to undertake a year-long secondment to research the biomechanics of goalkeeping and during this time he worked as a consultant to the Canadian Soccer Association.

More recently he was employed by the Football Association as the goalkeeping coach for England's youth development teams.