# Darren Smith (footballer, born 1996)

Darren Smith (born 26 March 1996) is a South African professional soccer player who plays for Detroit City in USL Championship. Smith started in a youth sector of Ajax Cape Town, before joining Kwazulu-Natal club AmaZulu in 2014.

## Club career
### South Africa

Smith started his senior career in his native South Africa with AmaZulu in 2014. During his six professional years in his native country, he played mostly in second tier National First Division, and additionally made a total of six appearances and scored once in first tier South African Premier Division. He represented Vasco da Gama, Santos, SuperSport United and Ubuntu Cape Town between 2015 and 2019. In the 2017–18 season while playing with SuperSport United, Smith represented his club at CAF Confederation Cup matches. His contract with SuperSport was terminated in late 2019.

### Ekenäs IF

In early 2020, Smith moved abroad for the first time, and after a trial with IFK Mariehamn, he signed a contract with Finnish club Ekenäs IF (EIF), playing in the country's second-tier Ykkönen. In his first season abroad, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith scored 18 goals in 22 matches, making him the top goalscorer in the division. He was named the Ykkönen Player of the Year.

### Honka

On 11 November 2020, Honka in Finnish premier division Veikkausliiga announced the signing of Smith for the 2021 season. Smith made 24 appearances in the league, scoring eight goals. He also represented Honka in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers in four matches. However, he asked the club not to exercise his option and left Honka after the season.

### AS FAR

In early 2022, Smith signed with Moroccan club AS FAR Rabat, playing in Botola Pro, the country's premier division, becoming the first South African football player to sign with a Moroccan club. In May 2022, Smith won the title of the postponed 2019–20 Moroccan Throne Cup with AS FAR.

### Inter Turku

In November 2022, Smith returned to Finland and signed a two-year deal with Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga, starting in 2023. During his first season with the club, Smith scored eight goals in 27 league appearances. In the 2024 Finnish League Cup, Smith scored five goals in six cup matches as Inter Turku won its second Finnish League Cup title on 30 March 2024, by defeating KuPS on penalties in the final. Smith also scored five goals in six matches in the club's 2024 Finnish Cup campaign, as Inter reached the Finnish Cup final in September, where they eventually fell short to KuPS 2–1.

### Detroit City

On 29 January 2025, Smith signed for Detroit City in USL Championship on a two-year deal.

## Personal life

Smith was born to a Christian family in Cape Town, South Africa. At the age of 16, Smith suffered a tragic loss when his older brother Keenan was killed in a traffic accident, when a bus driver ran red lights and fatally crashed his car.
While living in South Africa, Smith's other sport was track and field, and especially hurdling. He has also studied to become a personal trainer. After his contract termination with SuperSport and before moving to Finland, Smith worked as a model in commercials.
Smith is married and lives with his wife Courteney in Turku. The couple have a child, a daughter named Uriah, who was born in Turku.

## Career statistics

    As of 11 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| AmaZulu | 2014–15 | South African Premiership | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| AmaZulu | 2015–16 | NFD | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| AmaZulu | Total | Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Vasco da Gama (loan) | 2014–15 | NFD | 12 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 |
| Vasco da Gama (loan) | 2015–16 | NFD | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 1 |
| Vasco da Gama (loan) | Total | Total | 21 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 |
| Santos | 2016–17 | NFD | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 3 |
| SuperSport United | 2017–18 | South African Premiership | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| SuperSport United | 2018–19 | South African Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SuperSport United | Total | Total | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| Ubuntu Cape Town (loan) | 2018–19 | NFD | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| EIF | 2020 | Ykkönen | 22 | 18 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 21 |
| Honka | 2021 | Veikkausliiga | 24 | 8 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 34 | 10 |
| AS FAR Rabat | 2021–22 | Botola Pro | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Inter Turku | 2023 | Veikkausliiga | 27 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 34 | 9 |
| Inter Turku | 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | — | — | 38 | 19 |
| Inter Turku | Total | Total | 53 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 28 |
| Detroit City | 2025 | USL Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 161 | 50 | 27 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 207 | 66 |
* ↑ Includes Nedbank Cup, Moroccan Throne Cup and Suomen Cup
* ↑ Includes Finnish League Cup
* ↑ Appearance(s) in CAF Confederation Cup
* ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League

## Honours

AS FAR
* Moroccan Throne Cup: 2019–20
Inter Turku
* Finnish Cup runner-up: 2024
* Finnish League Cup: 2024
Individual
* Ykkönen Player of the year: 2020
* Ykkönen Top Goalscorer: 2020