Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith is a highly experienced goalkeeping specialist whose career spans professional playing, academy leadership, and national coach education, bringing a rounded perspective to goalkeeper development from grassroots through to elite pathways.

He is currently the Goalkeeping Performance & Coach Education Manager at the Scottish Football Association(February 2024–present), based in Glasgow, where he supports the strategic direction of goalkeeper performance services and the education pathway for coaches across the national system. Alongside this role, he is also Director at Cohsport Goalkeeping, reinforcing his commitment to applied goalkeeper development and specialist coach support.

Before moving into the Scottish FA role, Smith spent almost eight years at Rangers Football Club, progressing from Academy Goalkeeper Coach (September 2016–May 2018) to Head of Academy Goalkeeping (May 2018–February 2024). During this period, he led the planning and delivery of the goalkeeping programme across the academy age groups, shaping goalkeeper methodology, supporting coach development, and building a consistent pathway aligned to the club’s performance model.

Smith’s coaching credibility is underpinned by a long professional playing career as a goalkeeper. He began at Kilmarnock FC (June 1999–May 2007) before joining Rangers FC as a goalkeeper (June 2007–May 2009). He then played for St Johnstone FC (June 2009–May 2011) and St Mirren FC (June 2011–May 2012), followed by an extended spell at Peterhead FC (December 2012–May 2017). He also played for Raith Rovers FC (August 2017–May 2018), adding further senior experience across Scottish football.

Across these roles, Smith is recognised for combining first-hand goalkeeper insight with modern coaching structure, with a clear emphasis on goalkeeper performance systems, coach education, and academy-to-senior progression within an organised national pathway.