Stevenage have completed the signing of former Arsenal and Wigan Athletic midfielder Matt Smith on a free transfer.
The 25-year-old had been without a club since leaving Wigan at the end of last season, but has now secured his immediate future with Alex Revell’s League One side.
The length of Smith’s contract has not been disclosed. However, he arrives with significant experience at this level, having made 159 League One appearances across spells with Swindon Town, Charlton Athletic, Doncaster Rovers and Wigan.
Smith joined Arsenal at the age of seven and progressed through the club’s academy system. Although he did not make a competitive first-team appearance, he was regularly named among the substitutes during the closing stages of the 2019/20 campaign.
He was also part of the matchday squad when Arsenal beat Chelsea in the 2020 FA Cup final, earning a winners’ medal despite not featuring at Wembley.
The midfielder gained his first senior experience during a loan spell with Swindon in 2020/21. He made 27 appearances across all competitions, scoring twice and providing three assists, before spending the remainder of the campaign with Charlton.
A season-long loan at Doncaster followed, with Smith making 49 appearances in all competitions. He returned to Arsenal before leaving permanently when his contract expired in the summer of 2023.
Smith subsequently signed for Wigan, where he made 99 appearances and scored three goals across three seasons. He was offered a new contract at the end of the 2025/26 campaign but departed after failing to agree fresh terms.
He also spent a short period on trial with Championship side Lincoln City during the summer, appearing in two pre-season fixtures before moving on.
Typically deployed as a deep-lying midfielder, Smith is comfortable collecting possession from his defenders and using his range of passing to build attacks.
His arrival at Stevenage gives Revell another experienced option in midfield as the club continue their League One campaign.
