Hereford United
Which team did Ben Smith (footballer, born 1978) play for from 2002 to 2004?
Ben Smith ( footballer , born 1978 ) Benjamin Peter Ben Smith ( born 23 November 1978 ) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder . Career . Born in Chelmsford , Smith began his career at Arsenal where he signed his first professional contract for the 1995–96 season . He never made a first team appearance at the London-based club , although he made 29 appearances and scored four goals for the youth team during that season . He moved to Reading in 1996 and made his senior debut on the final day of the 1996–97 season , coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 away defeat at Manchester City . This turned out to be his only first team appearance for the Royals and he moved to Yeovil Town in March 1998 . Despite being transfer listed in his second season , remained with the club until 2001 . Smith had played a key role in Yeovils challenge for promotion to the Football League , but an agreed new contract offer was withdrawn when manager Colin Addison was sacked . Smith moved to Southend United on a free transfer , joining his former manager David Webb . He struggled to make an impact in his solitary season at Roots Hall and left for Hereford United , for whom he made 52 league appearances and scored 18 goals in a two-season-long spell . An injury to his shoulder meant he required an operation in March 2004 , shortly before joining Shrewsbury Town . He made 24 league appearances for the Shropshire club . He joined Weymouth in January 2006 , playing a significant role in the run in to the Conference South championship . Weymouths first Conference match in 17 years saw Smith score the opening goal , in the first minute against Tamworth . He went on to play in every first team match for the Terras up until the turn of the year , when he scored twice in a 3–2 defeat to Forest Green which turned out to be his last match for the club . The entire Weymouth squad had been transfer listed , due to financial problems , even though Smith had only recently signed a contract extension until 2009 . Five league clubs expressed an interest in signing the Weymouth captain , and on 25 January 2007 , Weymouth confirmed that he had rejoined Hereford United for £20,000 on a 2 and a half-year contract . This was the first transfer fee that the Bulls had paid since the signing of Neil Grayson in 1997 . Smith made an impact on his return to Edgar Street against Notts County , hitting the post in the buildup to the first goal and providing the assist for the second goal . He went on to play in all Herefords remaining matches of the 2006–07 season , scoring at home to Barnet in the process . He also wore the captains armband in many of the matches . Smith started the vast majority of Herefords matches in the 2007–08 season as the Bulls gained promotion to Football League One . He was also a regular fixture throughout the following campaign as the Bulls were relegated back to The Football Leagues basement division . During his two and a half-year stay at Edgar Street , Smith featured in ninety-nine league games , notching seven times . Despite featuring regularly for Hereford United , Smith departed the club in the summer of 2009 . Along with former Hereford teammate Karl Broadhurst , Smith signed for Crawley Town on a one-year contract . Smith was an influential figure during his first season at Crawley , featuring in thirty-four league matches , and scoring seven times , making him the clubs joint-second highest goalscorer for the season . Smith agreed terms to spend a second season with the club . In the 2010–11 season , Crawley were promoted to League Two , the fourth tier of English football , for the first time in their history after winning the Conference Premier with a record 105 points . The club also reached the fifth round of the FA Cup where they lost 1–0 to Premier League club Manchester United – a match in which Smith played . He made 35 appearances for Crawley across the 2010–11 season and scored 6 goals . In September 2011 , Smith joined Kettering Town on a one-month loan . He made 3 appearances for Kettering Town . In November 2011 , he joined Woking on loan . He scored once in 4 appearances for Woking . On 31 January 2012 , Smith joined Aldershot Town on loan until the end of the season . He made 8 appearances for Aldershot Town . Crawley achieved their second consecutive promotion to League One at the end of the 2011–12 season after finishing third in League Two . He scored played 5 times for the club across the 2011–12 season . In May 2012 , Smith was released by Crawley after being deemed surplus to requirements . He joined A.F.C . Sudbury on a one-year deal on 15 August 2012 , however he played only eight games before being released on 25 September 2012 . On 11 October he signed for Thurrock in the Conference South . He suffered an injury in November 2013 , and in early January 2014 was released . In the middle of January he signed for Maldon & Tiptree , but left he club soon afterwards . After leaving the game , Smith worked as a teacher at Maltings Academy in Essex , having earned himself a degree in business management . Now living in West Sussex , he published a book Journeyman : One mans odyssey through the lower leagues of English football . Honours . Crawley Town - Conference National : 2010–11 - Football League Two third-place promotion : 2011–12