Colchester United hero Nicky Smith who was part of the club’s famous non-league double winning side in 1992 has died with tributes flooding in for the football legend turned policeman
A non-league football legend who made history at Wembley and served as a police officer in the town where he later played has died aged 57.
Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Smith started his career at Third Division outfit Southend United in the mid 1980s, before becoming a hero at then non-league and now League Two club Colchester United. The left sided midfielder and fullback was a key part of the U’s famous double-winning side in the 1991-92 season, as Roy McDonough’s men lifted the GM Vauxhall Conference and FA Trophy – with Smith scoring in a triumph over Witton Albion at Wembley.
After a short spell in Division Three with Northampton Town, he joined non-league Sudbury Town in 1995, and reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history. Smith then starred for non-league clubs Cambridge City, Braintree Town, Maldon Town and Witham Town – all the while working as a policeman and captaining, coaching and managing the England Police Team.
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Smith later re-joined Sudbury, becoming their player-assistant manager, then manager, before coaching with Saffron Walden Town. Colchester United FC Former Players Association posted on Facebook: “We have learned today of the sad news that Nicky (Smudger) Smith has lost his long and brave fight with cancer.
“Anyone who knew Nicky will know how loved he was on and off the field and will be so sadly missed. At this sad time our thoughts are with his family, friends and former team-mates RIP Nicky – your smile and humour will be missed.”
Colchester United later wrote on X: “Colchester United are saddened to learn of the passing of former midfielder Nicky Smith. Our thoughts are with his family and friends in this sad time.”
One fan wrote: “Remember watching Nicky nipping down the wing in 92 the glory years for col u then had the privilege of playing with him at witham town. Then dodging arrests when he was a football copper. A true col u legend and great guy RIP.”
Speaking to Col U TV about his achievements with ‘The Boys of 92’, three decades later in 2022, Smith said: “The memories are still stuck in there… it was a wonderful time. We had such belief in the team…
“We had a few dips in the season – one was when we played Welling away and got beat 4-0. We had a big dust up in the dressing room but from then on, we didn’t lose a game. From then on, we were just sticking together.”
Colchester clinched the GM Vauxhall Conference title with a 5-0 win over Barrow, as Smith scored. And he bagged again in the 3-1 win over Witton Albion at Wembley to lift the FA Trophy and complete a non-league double.
He said: “It was every schoolboy’s dream to play at Wembley. It was my dream to play there with England but to play there with Colchester and to score as well was the ultimate.”
The dad, who was stationed as an operational football officer in Braintree, was later diagnosed with cancer. In 2022 he teamed up The Pavers Foundation – the charitable wing of the footwear retailer Pavers – alongside his wife Tanya, who managed the Braintree outlet, to raise £3,000 for the Essex-based Helen Rollason cancer charity.
In a statement, Braintree Town said it was “extremely saddened” to learn of the passing of their ex-player and local police officer. The club wrote on X: “Nicky joined Braintree in 1998, at the age of 29, initially on loan from Cambridge City.
“He had previously enjoyed a career in the Football League with Southend United, Colchester United and Northampton Town before playing locally with Sudbury Town.
“He was virtually an ever-present in our team over the next four and a half years, making the central midfield role his own. He was a member of the 2000-01 team that won promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division, our first time at Step Two, as it then was.
“Nicky left for Maldon Town at the end of the 2001-02 season having started 208 competitive games, appeared as a sub a further 9 times, and scored 23 goals.
“Living in the town, Nicky continued to be a frequent visitor and friend of the club over the intervening years. The club send our condolences to Nicky’s family and friends at this sad time. R.I.P. Nicky”