Former Arsenal, Wigan and Doncaster midfielder Matt Smith has been confirmed as the trialist playing for the Imps against Grimsby Town this evening.
Smith was recognised as a trialist on the team sheet / during the warm-up this evening, prompting internet sleuths to begin speculating as to who it might be. It is 25-year-old Smith, a player who has an FA Cup winners’ medal for Arsenal, but who saw his contract run out with Wigan last season. They were negotiating with him, but it seems he is seeking pastures new, with the Wigan Today reporting the Latics had ‘moved on’ this summer.
Smith came through Arsenal’s academy after joining the club at the age of seven, progressing through the youth ranks before signing his first professional contract. He was part of the Gunners side that reached the 2017/18 FA Youth Cup final and later stepped up to Under-23 football, with his performances earning recognition in the shape of a Premier League 2 Player of the Month nomination in January 2020.
His progress also brought him into the first-team picture at the Emirates. Smith trained under Mikel Arteta following the interruption to the 2019/20 season and was named among the substitutes for several Premier League fixtures. He was also on the bench for Arsenal’s FA Cup final victory over Chelsea, earning a winner’s medal despite never making a senior appearance for the club.
First-team football instead came through a series of League One loans. Smith joined Swindon Town in August 2020 and made 27 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice and providing three assists before Arsenal recalled him in February. He spent the remainder of that season at Charlton Athletic, featuring eight times, before linking up with Richie Wellens again during a season-long loan at Doncaster Rovers.
Smith became a regular at Doncaster, making 49 appearances in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign. He returned to Arsenal afterwards but remained outside the senior side and eventually left when his contract expired in the summer of 2023.
Wigan Athletic offered Smith the opportunity to establish himself permanently in the EFL, and he joined the Latics in July 2023. He has since made 99 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring three goals, and featured 43 times during the 2025/26 season. His early period with the Latics was disrupted by two spells on the sidelines, a hernia injury and another, longer spell out because of a torn hamstring. He was sent off twice last season, limiting his appearances to 43 when he would have been ever-present.
Primarily a deep-lying midfielder, Smith is most comfortable collecting possession from the defence and helping his side progress the ball. His game is built around awareness, composure and passing, whether switching play or attempting to break opposition lines from a deeper position.
It’s likely Smith’s trial will also see him play a role in one of the weekend fixtures against Barnsley and Doncaster, before a decision is made on his future.
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