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English clubs running rule over Smith

Jonté Smith

Jonté Smith has attracted the interest of several English clubs since his release from Sky Bet League One side Oxford United.

League Two sides Stevenage and Cheltenham Town, as well as non-League teams Woking and Darlington are running the rule over the Bermuda forward.

The 24-year-old is in pre-season training at Stevenage and has featured in three of their friendly games, including a 1-1 draw at home draw against Peterborough United on Tuesday.

“Pre-season has been going well,” Smith said. “I’m familiar with the environment at Stevenage because I came here at the end of last season once I was released from Oxford.”

Smith also spent a week at Stevenage after his release from Oxford in May. He signed for Oxford from non-League Lewes until the end of the season in February and made one first-team appearance for the club as a substitute against Blackpool. He also scored six goals in seven appearances for the club’s under-23 side.

Smith caught the eye of Oxford’s coaches when he scored a hat-trick against them in a friendly match while on trial at League Two Swindon Town.

He then scored twice for Oxford during a friendly against Championship side Reading before signing a short-term deal.

Smith rejoined Stevenage for pre-season training being part of Bermuda’s Concacaf Gold Cup campaign last month.

He came on a substitute against Haiti in San José, Costa Rica, and Costa Rica in Frisco, Texas.

Bermuda finished third in group B behind Haiti and Costa Rica to miss out on advancing to the quarter-finals.

“I felt as a team the Gold Cup went well,” Smith said. “We played great football at times and showed how capable we are against the best teams in our region.

“From a personal standpoint, I was disappointed to not have started a few games. But when you have a Premier League striker like Nahki [Wells] in front of you it’s tough to warrant [a start], so it’s something you have to take on the chin.”

Since being released by Crawley Town in 2014, Smith has had six clubs and played in three different countries.

He had two goal-laden years in Scandinavia at Kemi Kings of Finland and Norwegian side Floy before returning to England in 2015 after joining Gloucester City in the Vanarama National League North.