Matthew Smith

Smith's current-season form is level with last season (Season 11→11), while his Rating held around 25. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 36).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Newport County · 11th	2	0	0	6.3	25	11
2025/26	Newport County · 20th	21	0	2	6.64	25	11
2024/25	ST Johnstone · 12th	31	0	1	6.81	40	11
2023/24	ST Johnstone · 3rd	35	1	3	6.87	48	28
2022/23	Milton Keynes Dons · 21st	28	2	1	6.62	42	11

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 4 earlier seasons and 8 youth-team spells in the full career.

Wales · international

Side	Apps	G
Wales	16	0
Wales U21	5	1
Wales U19	3	0
Wales U17	8	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthDefensive midfielder

M. Smith is a 26-year-old defensive midfielder at Newport County, rated 25 overall by Field Insider's model. In his prime years, he has been a fringe squad member this season (25.1% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.81 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Smith.

On the season, Smith graded 11 for current form (age-blind), on 0 goals, 2 assists and 3.811 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 11 → 11). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 25. At 26 Smith is in his prime years, and a market index of 2.7 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2020/21 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2020/21Trending downBreakout: 2023/24Stepped up 2021/225 clubs

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

10.7

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

25.1%

Minutes

limited game time

3.81

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Newport County finished 20th of 24 · a lower-table side

Apps

3.81

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.81 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 2 clean sheets across 21 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (20th of 24) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 0 goals and 2 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.17 goal involvements per 90, useful for a defensive midfielder.
Defensive volume. 3.81 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Game time. Only 25.1% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 25 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (3.81 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. In the prime window — at or near peak market value, so the next two seasons are the ones to cash in or build around.

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %25.1%

Available fixtures46 of 46

Goals / 900

Assists / 900.173

Goal contribution / 900.173

Defensive actions / 903.811

Player flow

Goal involvements2

Cards / 900.346

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~3), then tapers with age. At 26, Smith sits on 2.7, at or near its peak. The blue line is Smith's projected Rating — 25 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the League Two with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Passing

Assists2

Defending

Tackles16

Interceptions20

Blocks8

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards4

Red cards0

Transfer history

Newport CountyJul 2025 – nowFree Transfer

SST JohnstoneAug 2023 – Jul 2025

Milton Keynes Donsuntil Aug 2023

Manchester CityJun 2021 – Aug 2023

Doncasteruntil Jun 2021

Milton Keynes DonsJan 2022 – Jun 2021

Manchester City(back from loan)Jan 2022 – Jan 2022

Hull City(on loan)Aug 2021 – Jan 2022

QPR(on loan)Jul 2019 – Aug 2021

Twente(on loan)Jul 2018 – Jul 2019

Manchester Cityuntil Jul 2018

About M. Smith

Matthew Robert Smith is a 26-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Newport County, born on November 22, 1999 in Redditch, standing 175 cm tall. He is from Wales. Newport County currently sit 11th of 24 in the League Two.

This season

In the current season, M. Smith has made 2 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 24 minutes.

M. Smith's next match is on August 29, 2026, when Newport County face Tranmere at home in the League Two.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Smith at 25 with a Season form score of 10.7. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the Eerste Divisie. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 11 recorded seasons, M. Smith has totalled 274 club appearances with 10 goals and 11 assists for 12 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2020/21, with 40 appearances for Doncaster.

M. Smith's career has also included time at SST Johnstone, Milton Keynes Dons, Manchester City, Doncaster, Hull City, QPR and Twente.

On the international stage, M. Smith has represented Wales, Wales U21, Wales U19, Wales U17 — 32 caps and 1 goal in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.