Dean Smith (born 1971)

Dean Smith (born 19 March 1971) is an English footballer turned football manager, who is now in charge of Championship club Brentford.

Starting his playing career with Walsall in 1989, over the course of five years he played 166 league and cup games. Signing with Hereford United in 1994, three years and 146 appearances later he moved on to Leyton Orient. In six years with Orient he made 309 appearances in all competitions, before earning a move to Sheffield Wednesday in 2003. After a season with Wednesday he moved on to Port Vale, retiring in January 2005. He scored 54 goals in 566 league games in a 16-year career in the Football League.

Returning to Leyton Orient, he worked as assistant manager until January 2009. In July 2009, he was appointed as Head of Youth at Walsall, before taking the management reins in January 2011. He took Walsall from relegation certainties to safety in his first four months in charge. He took Walsall to the 2015 final of the Football League Trophy, before leaving the club to manage Brentford in November 2015.