Every Current Premier League Manager As Footballers Ranked - Worst To Best
16. Dean Smith - Aston Villa
Though Aston Villa currently find themselves in the midst of a relegation battle at the foot of the Premier League table, manager Dean Smith's accomplishments, including earning the club promotion and taking Villa to the final of the EFL cup, have made him a popular figure among supporters.
A reliable centre-half with a propensity for scoring goals, Smith spent almost the entirety of his playing career plying his trade in the fourth tier of English football, turning out for Walsall, Hereford United, and Leyton Orient before retiring at Port Vale in 2005 to take his first coaching job.