In May 1897, he joined Preston North End where another player of the same name was already playing, also as an outside-forward. Smith made four appearances in the Football League First Division, plus one in the FA Cup, before Preston made both players available at the end of the season. The directors of Southampton agreed to sign him, apparently under the misapprehension that they were signing the other player, who had established a reputation for being a "star". (The other Tom Smith went on to have a long career with Tottenham Hotspur, including scoring the second goal as the "Spurs" defeated Sheffield United to win the 1901 FA Cup Final.)