FORMER DERBY COUNTY, Queens Park Rangers and Portsmouth manager Jim Smith has died aged 79, English Championship club QPR said last night.
Smith also guided Birmingham City into the old First Division and had several stints at Oxford.
Nicknamed ‘the Bald Eagle’, he also managed Newcastle from 1988-1991 before steering Portsmouth to a 1992 FA Cup semi-final where they took Liverpool to a replay before losing on penalties after extra-time.
Smith became a member of England’s League Managers’ Association’s Hall of Fame 1,000 club and served for a time as the organisation’s chief executive before returning to management and leading Derby into the Premier League.
“I have so many fond memories of Jim as a football manager but foremost as a friend,” said LMA chairman Howard Wilkinson.
“He was intelligent, passionate, determined, honest and always great fun to be with.”
Rest in peace, Jim Smith (1940-2019).
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) December 11, 2019
🖤 pic.twitter.com/X3bi9t4l8A
From leading us to the FA Cup semi-finals to being part of our Division One title-winning campaign, Jim Smith made so many fans fall in love with #Pompey
— Portsmouth FC (@Pompey) December 11, 2019
We have 'the Bald Eagle' to thank for some wonderful memories pic.twitter.com/7exCFPxMqO
