Dougie Smyth was born in Belfast and joined the R.U.C. in 1942. An outstanding right winger with great pace Smyth made his debut for the R.U.C. on 20th.October 1942 against an army team with the title “V.R.E.,s (Movement Control)” at the Barbour’s grounds, Whitehouse. In goal for the R.U.C. was Fred McCurry.with the R.U.C. winning 8-5.

Stationed in Glenravel St. which was then the Old Peoples Home in Clifton St. Smyth went on to represent the R.U.C. in inter force games with Glasgow City Police and the Sheffield Police. He also played for the R.U.C. in Police “Internationals” against the Welsh, Scottish and English Police. This resulted in him being selected to represent the British Police in Holland in 1946 accompanied by Martin Murphy and George Brown and then in the European Police Championships in Edinburgh in 1951.

On the local scene he had some outstanding games for Cliftonville before joining Brantwood where with his great friend Martin Murphy he was to win a number of Intermediate Trophies.

With the purchase of Newforge the R.U.C. made their debut in the Northern Ireland Amateur League in August 1956 against 49th.O.B. Smyth played centre-forward in a 5-2 defeat.

Sadly the years were now catching up with him and he finished his long career after the R.U.C. went down 8-2 to Shorts in November of the same year. Along with other great police footballers of that period such as Martin Murphy, Denis Moloney, George Brown, Fred McCurry, Bap Dunlop and Bob Johnston Smyth helped lay the foundations of Police Soccer for the future.