St. Pauli announce new contract for Smith

FC St. Pauli have announced a contract extension for defensive leader Eric Smith.

The contract extension was announced on Monday afternoon, with St. Pauli keeping the length of the new contract undisclosed.

“Eric is incredibly important for the team,” St. Pauli director of sport Andreas Bornemann was quoted as saying by the club. 

"With his football intelligence and exceptional passing ability, he's a key player for us in the Bundesliga whose word has weight in the dressing room. 

"His seeing his future with us is a great signal and we're delighted to have reached an early agreement."

Smith, who scored his first goal of the season in St. Pauli's 2-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Friday, said:

"I stressed how comfortable I feel at FC St. Pauli when I signed my new contract last year and my family really enjoy life in Hamburg, too. 

“Getting promoted was the achievement of a major ambition for me and I'm very grateful to everyone who supported the team. New targets emerge from that, so I'd like to help write the next chapter and establish the club in the Bundesliga.”