Shane Smeltz

Shane Edward Smeltz (born 29 September 1981) is a New Zealand former professional footballer. He plays as a striker.

Smeltz had spent much of his early career playing in Australia before moving to England where he played for two and a half seasons. He played mostly in the A-League from 2007 onwards, with the exception of brief stints with Gençlerbirliği in Turkey and Kedah FA in Malaysia. He ended his professional playing career with Indonesian team Borneo F.C., before returning to the sport at a semi-professional level.

Smeltz is the all-time second-highest goalscorer in the A-League and was the top-goalscorer for Gold Coast United. He scored 24 goals in 58 international appearances for New Zealand and played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Smeltz was born in Göppingen, West Germany to ethnic German parents with New Zealand citizenship. Six months later he moved to New Zealand. In November 1987, at the age of six, Smeltz moved to the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, where he pursued a career in football through the Queensland Academy of Sport and was brought up for the remainder of his adolescent years while holding a New Zealand visa. Smeltz was granted dual-citizenship at the age of 23, becoming a dual-citizen of New Zealand and Australia. He attended Palm Beach Currumbin High School on the Gold Coast during his teenage years and was classmates with future professional surfers Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson.

Smeltz lives in Sydney with his wife Nikki (who later became a federal election candidate for United Australia Party) and daughters Bonnie and Scarlett but spends the off season on the Gold Coast and still considers it to be his home.

Smeltz currently works player agent, and represents a number of players.

Smeltz played for a variety of amateur and semi-professional Australian clubs before he played a brief five match spell for Mansfield Town in the English Football League Two in 2005. After being released by Mansfield he signed for AFC Wimbledon in March 2005, where he made 60 competitive appearances and scored 26 goals. He played the following season for Halifax Town in the Conference National.

Smeltz returned to New Zealand in 2007, signing a two-year deal with the Wellington Phoenix in the A-League. In his first season, he finished second in the Golden Boot race with nine goals from 19 appearances. In the 2008–09 season, Smeltz scored a record-equalling 12 goals for the A-League season proper, resulting in the A-League Golden Boot 2008-09 and also goal of the season for his winning strike against Melbourne Victory at Westpac Stadium in round 13. In 2008–09 season Smeltz was voted the A-League's best player and was awarded the Johnny Warren Medal.