Salford strengthen dugout with experienced assistant
Salford City have appointed Matt Smith as assistant manager, reuniting him with new head coach Peter Cklamovski following their previous work together with the Malaysia national team. The move comes weeks after Salford’s push for promotion ended in a League Two play-off defeat to Notts County, sharpening the club’s focus on going one better in the new campaign.
Smith, who studied for an MSc in Sports Management at Hartpury University after arriving from Australia in 2007, captained the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) side during his time there and led Hartpury to its first universities title. His coaching appointment adds international experience and leadership pedigree to Salford’s technical staff as pre-season preparations intensify.
‘Attacking and aggressive’ identity targeted
The former defender — who started his professional playing career at Portsmouth, later captained Brisbane Roar to A-League success and represented Australia — emphasised both culture and clarity of purpose in his first comments since joining the Ammies.
“We want to achieve silverware and success, and to get the club promoted, and to do that it’s about creating the right environment and building a foundation. That is what I’m most looking forward to, and I feel very privileged to be part of it. The people I’ve met so far across the whole Club are very positive and have great ambition.”
“Peter has shown throughout his career that he has a high level of experience in building successful environments, and having worked with him over the last couple of years I have seen that first hand. It is very clear where the Club wants to go, and I think it is important that everyone understands those objectives and targets. The way we want to play is to be attacking and aggressive, so pre-season is going to be a great foundation for that.”
Hartpury University also marked the appointment, saying:
“Everyone at Hartpury wishes Matt the best of luck in his new role at Salford City.”
Why this matters for Salford
After falling short in the play-offs, City have moved quickly to reinforce their technical area with a deputy well-versed in shaping high-performance environments. Smith’s recent collaboration with Cklamovski should enable swift alignment on training standards, match strategy and player development — critical components for a squad intent on mounting another promotion challenge.
Supporters will note the emphasis on a front-foot style: Smith signalled an “attacking and aggressive” approach, with pre-season earmarked as the bedrock for that identity. For a side that finished within reach of automatic promotion pace last term before being edged out in the post-season, marginal gains in preparation and in-game management could prove decisive.
Matt Smith at a glance
| Role | Assistant Manager, Salford City |
|---|---|
| Previous collaboration | Worked with Peter Cklamovski with the Malaysia national team |
| Education | MSc Sports Management, Hartpury University |
| University honours | Captained BUCS side; led Hartpury to first universities championship |
| Playing career highlights | Portsmouth (start of pro career); Captain, Brisbane Roar (A-League success) |
| International | Represented Australia |
What supporters can expect next
- Clear philosophy: A defined, possession-positive and proactive game plan, with physical and tactical foundations laid in pre-season.
- Continuity in the dugout: Existing rapport between Cklamovski and Smith should reduce bedding-in time and support consistent messaging across the squad.
- Promotion focus: With last season’s near-miss still fresh, objective-setting and performance benchmarks are likely to be explicit from the outset.
Salford’s appointment also underscores a broader trend of drawing on global coaching networks to add perspective and structure at EFL level. Smith’s path — from postgraduate study in Gloucestershire to international football and now a key role in Greater Manchester — brings a mix of academic grounding and elite dressing-room experience to Moor Lane.
Local links and pathway
Smith’s long-standing connection to Hartpury, where he combined study with high-level football and leadership responsibilities, is a reminder of the routes that can lead into professional coaching. His emergence from the UK university system to top-flight success overseas and international caps adds variety to the Ammies’ staff room, which in turn may influence how young players are mentored and progressed through Salford’s set-up.
With the coaching team now taking shape under Cklamovski, attention will turn to how the pair translate their shared principles into results. The immediate task is embedding that identity through training and friendlies, before the grind of League Two resumes and the club aims to convert promise into promotion.
