*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Sam Long
Appearances: 17+5 Goals: 6
Date / Year of birth: 4th September 1990
Position: Midfielder / Winger
Season of first appearance: 2012/13
Season of last appearance: 2012/13
Also played for: Charlton Athletic (0), Gillingham (0), Grays Athletic, Histon, Tonbridge Angels, Croydon Athletic, Dover Athletic, Cray Wanderers, Chelmsford City and Bromley
Bexley-born attacker who started his career with Charlton. Sam formally joined the Addicks in July 2006 having initially been spotted by Charlton's community coaches at the age of seven and progressed through the club's youth ranks, eventually becoming a regular in the reserves.
In March 2009 Sam had a trial with Gillingham where he played in the reserve team and towards the end of that month Charlton loaned him to Conference club Grays.
Sam made six league appearances (three as sub) without scoring for Grays and usually played at right-back for them before returning to Charlton in April 2009.
He was released by the Addicks in June 2009 and during the summer of 2009 Sam featured for Gillingham in five friendlies but he wasn't offered a contract.
At the end of July 2009 he joined Grays on a permanent basis but Sam only played three times (twice as a substitute) before being loaned to Histon for three months in September 2009.
Histon's manager Steve Fallon spoke to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire about Sam and said "He's very enthusiastic and very direct. There's a little bit of work to be done with him but there are signs he can be a good player for us." Sam made six Conference appearances (four as sub) without scoring for Histon before going back to Grays early in January 2010.
A few weeks later he signed for Tonbridge and Sam scored four times in 17 Isthmian League Premier League outings for the Angels before the end of the 2009/10 season. His first goal came in a 3-0 win at Margate on 2.3.10.
In July 2010 he moved on to Croydon Athletic and Sam scored on his debut as they won 2-0 at Folkestone in the Premier Division on 21.8.10. He'd made a total of four league appearances without adding to his goal tally when he was released in September 2010 due to a financial crisis.
Before the end of the month Sam signed for Conference South outfit Dover and scored once from six league outings during the remainder of the 2010/11 campaign. He also started Dover's famous 2-0 win at Gillingham in the FA Cup 1st Round 6.11.10 and then featured as a substitute in both the 2nd Round win over Aldershot at Crabble and Dover's 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield in the 3rd Round.
At the end of June 2011 Kingstonian's official website announced that Sam had signed for them but a few days later there was another announcement on the site which read "Despite agreeing to join the club, winger Sam Long has gone to Cray Wanderers instead.". The K's manager Alan Dowson explained "I went to meet Sam personally and we shook hands on the deal. He said he couldn't make training on Saturday, when we were going to sort the paperwork out, and the next thing I know Ian Jenkins (Cray manager) is on the phone telling me he's signing there instead. It doesn't surprise me that football has come to this when one minute he says he wants to play for us and the next he's off without any explanation. At least we've got this done and out of the way now as I don't want any characters like that in my squad."
Sam became a regular in Cray's side during the 2011/12 season and on 19.11.11 he was sent off in a 2-1 defeat at Lowestoft. He was also dismissed in a 2-1 defeat against Harrow at Bromley on 7.4.12 before scoring as Cray won 3-1 at Margate on 9.4.12. In all Sam scored three times in 41 appearances.
In June 2012 he signed a two-year contract with Margate and Chief Executive Officer Cliff Egan told the club's website "I'm absolutely delighted that we have signed Sam. He is a player that Chris (Kinnear) had identified as someone he wanted to bring to the club." Sam made his debut in midfield as Margate beat Hendon 2-0 in an Isthmian League Premier Division game at Hartsdown Park on 18.8.12 and for the next few weeks he was a fixture in the side.
On 25.8.12 he got his first goal in a 3-3 draw at Kingstonian and the Thanet Times said Sam's strike was "particularly outstanding" as he cut in from the right and "let fly a stunning strike" to open the scoring two minutes into the match. He then made it two goals in two games with another great effort that secured a 2-1 home win over Lowestoft on 27.8.12. Sam beat two defenders as he cut inside from the right wing and then slotted home the winner from what seemed like an almost impossible angle. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said he was "superb" and described Sam's goal as "wonderful". Manager Chris Kinnear told the paper "Sam has been superb in the last two or three games."
Sam was credited with his third goal of the season when his low cross was clearly turned in by a home defender as Margate drew 2-2 at Faversham in an FA Cup tie on 8.9.12 and the Thanet Times said a "great solo run" had led to the goal. Sam was on target again in the replay at Hartsdown Park on 11.9.12, lashing the ball into the top corner of the net to round off a slick passing move that the Isle of Thanet Gazette described as a "wonderful team goal". Chris Kinnear told the paper "Sam Long was impressive in the second half." He got his fifth goal in a 4-1 win at Aveley in the FA Cup on 22.9.12 and the Thanet Times said Sam was "ever influential" but he went off injured and missed the next three games as a result.
Sam returned to action in a home match against Lewes on 13.10.12 and got the Margate goal in a 1-1 draw but after a 3-1 defeat at Canvey Island on 23.10.12 he fell out favour and only featured five times as a substitute in Margate's next nine games.
On 5.1.3 Sam started for the first time in over two months as Margate lost 2-1 at Concord Rangers and he kept his place for the next three matches, the last of which was a 1-0 defeat at Lowestoft on 12.2.13. That turned out to be Sam's final outing for Margate and shortly afterwards his contract was cancelled by mutual consent. Sam had scored six times in 22 appearances (five as sub) before his departure.
After leaving Margate Sam rejoined Cray and in March 2013 he signed for Dover, where Chris Kinnear had recently taken over as manager, under a dual-registration agreement. Sam's second spell with the Conference South club was brief and he was back in the Cray side as they lost 4-0 to Margate at Bromley on 1.4.13. In all he made 11 league appearances for Cray before the end of 2012/13 and scored once.
In June 2013 Sam signed for Conference South outfit Chelmsford and he told the Essex Chronicle "It's a good move for me, I'm very happy. As soon as Dean (Holdsworth) rang me I was really interested. I've been at a lot of other clubs in the past and there's always been problems with the club itself when I've gone there, so I'm looking to hopefully settle down and crack on now for a couple of years. From the couple of times I've met Dean he seems like a top man and it's really pleasing. It's a good incentive to be under someone like that, you always want to impress him and kick on because he knows what it takes."
Sam scored four times from 36 appearances (two as sub) for Chelmsford during 2013/14 and then moved on to their Conference South rivals Bromley in May 2014.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
| |
|
2012/13 (MFC) |
17 (50) |
5 |
6 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (9TH OF 22) |
3QR |
1QR |
2R |
QF |