York United FC can confirm the departure of assistant coach Barry Smith after agreeing to a mutual termination of contract.

A native of Paisley, Scotland, Smith joined The Nine Stripes in February 2022 and quickly established himself as a key part of the club's newly-assembled technical team in Martin Nash's debut season as Head Coach.

A trusted voice, Smith's experience and ability ensured he was able to step in and lead the group for a trip to Valour FC in August 2022 when Nash was ruled out due to illness.

"It's been a wonderful time at the club and I've enjoyed it immensely," Smith says.

"Getting to work with a group of terrific players and watch their development over our time together has been genuinely enriching and now we're seeing all of that hard work paying off. It's been a great first half of the season and I know there's plenty more to come from the squad."

"I need to express my deepest gratitude to Martin, who brought me in and trusted me from the very start. It was an honour to stand alongside him, Mauro, Camilo and the rest of the technical staff and I'll look back fondly on what we've accomplished. I'd also like to express my thanks to Angus McNab for affording me this opportunity and to the front office staff for their support too."

"Immersing yourself in a new country can be a difficult process to navigate but a big thank you to the fans for making the transition much easier. Hopefully, we'll all see each other again somewhere down the road."

"The domestic game is growing at a rapid rate in Canada and the CPL has already achieved so much in a very short space of time. I'm proud to have contributed to it and I'll cherish the memories."

Smith was in the dugout for 47 games, with the team winning 18 of them and - most importantly for the former centre-back - they kept 11 clean sheets along the way.

"It was an honour and a privilege to have Barry with us over the past year and a half," says Martin Nash.

"He is a fantastic coach and an even better person who sacrificed a lot to be with us. We wish him all the best in the future."

Smith began his professional playing career as a 17-year-old at Celtic FC before spending over a decade at Dundee FC where he developed into one of the club's most legendary figures as the side claimed the scottish First Division title and later enjoyed a memorable run in the UEFA Cup.

His coaching career also began at Dundee FC, initially overseeing the youth side before taking charge of the senior team at a deeply traumatic time. Owing to their administration struggles, Dundee received a 25-point deduction and were mired at the foot of the First Division table at Christmas. Smith conjured a miracle and somehow the team finished the season in mid-table. The following season, Smith pushed them to promotion to the top tier. After leaving Dens Park, Smith enjoyed coaching stints at other Scottish clubs, with particular success with Alloa Athletic and Raith Rovers.

"Barry has been fantastic to work with and it's been a real pleasure to get to know him more during his time in Canada," says Angus McNab, CEO/President & GM at York United FC.

"His experience as a coach and a player has been a vital part of the club as we have progressed over the last 18 months. It is a real shame he leaves us now but we totally understand that he has a desire to be closer to home and whoever he works with next will be very fortunate and benefit immensely from his insight and knowledge of the game. We wish him the very best and thank him for what he brought to our club."

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