The defender suffered a summer of disappointment as following a standout season last term several trials at a number of Football League clubs failed to result in a move into the professional ranks.

Burke says the former Luton Town youngster was at a low ebb when he returned to training with the Canaries at the start of the campaign and the Hitchin boss had to put an arm around his player as he gradually brought him back into the first-team fold, initially in midfield.

But having now moved Smith back into his favoured position, both manager and player are reaping the benefits of Burke’s approach including a superb display in the 1-0 win at Cinderford on Tuesday.

And with Dunstable Town up next at home on Boxing Day (1pm kick-off) Burke is delighted to see his player back to his best.

“Sometimes you have to manage those situations,” Burke told the Comet.

“The lad is a Luton fan and he went through the system there. He was desperate to play for Luton but he had that rejection.

“This was a second chance [at the Football League] and he had gone to all of these clubs. He was at rock bottom and his form dipped.

“It was not the Kane that we had last season when he first came back.”

Burke added: “I didn’t put him in straight away because mentally he wasn’t right.

“Because he had gone away Will Wright had come in at right-back and was doing well, so we tried to accommodate Kane at right midfield.

“I had to have a chat with him. His confidence was low and because he was playing out of position he thought he wasn’t playing as well as he could.

“At Leamington (December 3) I put him in at right-back and that worked out well and he hasn’t looked back.

“At Cinderford he was excellent. He went on some marauding runs down the right-hand side and made one unbelievable tackle where he came from nowhere.

“When he first came into the side he was always good going forward but maybe a bit susceptible at the back, but his defending has got better and better.”