NEW ARRIVALS
CAMMY SMITH
It has been something of a whirlwind couple of weeks for Scottish attacker Cammy Smith. The 24-year-old - who trained with the Dundalk squad at their pre-season training camp in Spain last month - arrived from Dundee United on Monday, February 3rd, putting pen-to-paper on a loan deal until June. Less than two hours after getting off the ferry from Scotland, Smith boarded the team bus for the friendly against Crusaders in Belfast, playing 45 minutes in the 2-1 win over the Danske Bank Irish Premiership side.
Described by his former manager Craig Brown as the ‘Bergkamp of Aberdeen’, Smith offered the Dundalk supporters a little glimpse of what he can do by playing the pass for Patrick Hoban’s opener and he said is hoping to supply plenty more ammunition in the months ahead. “I work hard but I play in the forward areas and I’m hoping to chip in with goals and create chances,” he said. “I like to play more centrally but I can play narrow off the sides and I think I can add something at the top end of the pitch.”
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Smith featured in Dundalk’s friendly with CFR Cluj in Spain and he said that the week in Alicante would be hugely beneficial in helping him to settle into his new surroundings in Dundalk. “Yeah, it was a great help,” he said. “I had a proper look at the lads and they had a proper look at me. You’re living with each other and you see what everybody else is up to and it was good to get into training and to meet the staff.” After making his debut for Aberdeen at the age of 16 in 2012, Smith went on to make 76 league appearances for the Dons, picking up a League Cup winners medal against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2014. Loan spells at Dundee United and St Mirren followed before he joined the Paisley club on a permanent basis ahead of the 2017-2018 season. Ten goals in 34 league appearances followed as St Mirren won the Championship, earning Smith the club’s Player of the Year award. Smith returned to Dundee United last January but fell out of favour at Tannadice and Lilywhites manager Vinny Perth is hoping that the move to Oriel Park will help him reignite his career. “Cammy has a huge reputation in Scotland,” said Perth. “His career has stalled over the past couple of months for various reasons but he is ready to kick on now and we feel this is an opportunity for him to reignite his career.”
