Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton scored a brilliant goal against Birmingham City in the Second City Derby.
Smith was appointed the Villa manager in October following his departure from Championship rivals Brentford and after the exit of Steve Bruce from Villa Park.
Hutton has been playing well for the Villans in recent times, and the 33-year-old former Rangers right-back scored a stunning solo goal in their 4-2 victory over Birmingham City at Villa Park in the Second City Derby on Sunday afternoon.
Smith has praised the Scottish right-back, and has said that the former Tottenham Hotspur star has been exceptional under him.
“He’s scored some good goals in training and is a strong finisher,” Smith told Villa’s official website about Hutton.
“He’s got great application and quality. He’s been exceptional since I’ve been here and I’m really pleased for him.”
Important player
Hutton has been on the books of the Villans since the summer of 2011 when he joined from Tottenham Hotspur for a transfer fee reported by The Guardian to be worth £3 million.
The Scottish defender was linked with moves away from Villa in the summer transfer window before he signed a new contract with the Championship club, with The Birmingham City reporting that returning to Rangers was an option for the right-back and The Nottingham Post claiming that Nottingham Forest wanted him.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
