Milton Keynes Dons have announced the signing of New Zealand international centre back Tommy Smith on a free transfer.
After the arrivals of Alex Gilbey, Cameron Norman, Nathan Harness, Craig MacGillivray and MJ Williams, Smith becomes head coach Graham Alexander's sixth signing of the summer window.
Capped 50 times for New Zealand, with whom he featured during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Smith has a wealth of experience in the English Football League, most notably with Ipswich Town and Colchester United.
Smith has also spent time playing in the MLS, making 60 appearances for the Colorado Rapids between 2018 and 2019. Altogether, the 33-year-old has racked up 440 professional appearances across all competitions, scoring 33 goals and providing 18 assists from the heart of defence.
He bolsters a group that features Warren O'Hora, Dean Lewington and Jack Tucker and should be a solid addition to Alexander's side as they look to challenge for promotion at the first time of asking.
Speaking of joining the Dons, Smith commented: "It’s brilliant to get the deal sorted and over the line. I’m delighted to be here and hopefully I can help contribute to a successful season."
"I got a call from the Gaffer to see if I’d be interested in coming in to train and I jumped at the chance. I have enjoyed my couple of weeks here so far, getting to know the manager and the players, so it was an easy decision to sign."
"This is quite a young squad and I know the Gaffer wants me to come in and use my experience as much as I can, on and off the pitch."
"First and foremost, I want to contribute on the pitch and help the team get points on the board but naturally I’ll try and be an experienced voice and help the players around me."
Alexander commented: "Adding Tommy’s abilities on the pitch, as well as his character off it, will be a big thing for us. He’s a no-nonsense defender, who will go in where it will hurt but he’s also someone who is tactically aware and can pass that information on to the team."
"He played in the pre-season game against Barnet and then came with us to Germany. We liked how he trained and how he interacted with everybody. He also showed us how motivated he is to contribute to the team this season."
"Already, in the short space of time that he’s been with us, we have seen him pass on the experience and knowledge he has from playing at a higher level and internationally. However, he’s not coming in to just be a mouthpiece for us – he’s motivated to be a valuable player for us."
