Adam May (footballer)

Adam May

Personal information
Full name	Adam John May [1]
Date of birth	(1997-12-06) 6 December 1997 (age 27) [2]
Place of birth	Southampton, England [3]
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Forest Green Rovers
Number	19
Youth career
2005–2015	Portsmouth
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2020	Portsmouth	15	(0)
2015	→ Gosport Borough (loan)	4	(0)
2016–2017	→ Sutton United (loan)	20	(1)
2018	→ Aldershot Town (loan)	12	(3)
2019–2020	→ Swindon Town (loan)	9	(1)
2020	→ Boreham Wood (loan)	2	(1)
2020–2024	Cambridge United	115	(9)
2024–	Forest Green Rovers	26	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 January 2025 (UTC)

Adam John May (born 6 December 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for National League club Forest Green Rovers.

Club career

Portsmouth

Born in Southampton, May progressed through Portsmouth's youth categories. He signed a two-year scholarship contract on 4 July 2014. ^[3]

May made his League Two debut on 18 April 2015, coming on as a late substitute for fellow youth graduate Ben Close in a 0–1 home defeat against Bury. ^[4] On 1 August he signed a one-year professional deal with Pompey, being promoted to the main squad. ^[5]

Gosport Borough (loan)

On 30 October 2015, May was loaned to Gosport Borough for a month, making four appearances and scoring no goals. ^{[6] [7]}

Sutton United (loan)

In October 2016, May joined National League side Sutton United on loan, initially for one month and later extended to the end of the season. He made his debut for Sutton on 25 October in a 2–2 draw at home against Maidstone United. ^[8]

On 14 January 2017, May scored his first senior goal in an FA Trophy second round away tie against Worthing, a game which ended 2–2; ^[9] he also scored in the replay on 25 January, netting a vital extra time winner for Sutton, capping a man of the match performance. ^[10] He was part of the team which knocked out Championship side Leeds United 1–0 in the fourth round of the FA Cup, putting Sutton into the fifth round of the competition for the first time in the club's 118-year history, ^[11] and appeared in the fifth round tie, a 0–2 defeat to Arsenal on 20 February. ^[12]

On 22 April, May scored his first league goal with a 20-yard strike in a 5–2 victory over Chester. ^[13] At the end of the season May won the Young Player of the Year award. ^[14]

2017–18 season

Following his successful loan spell at Sutton United, May played a prominent part in Portsmouth's 2017–18 pre-season, with new manager Kenny Jackett keen to integrate young players into the first-team squad. Due to the departure of club captain Michael Doyle, May began the new season as first-choice midfield partner to Danny Rose in Jackett's preferred 4–2–3–1 formation.

2018–19 season

At the start of the 2018–19 season, May signed for Aldershot Town on a loan deal until the 5 December 2018. ^[15] He made 12 league appearances for the club before being recalled slightly prematurely by Jackett for Pompey's EFL Trophy round 2 match against Arsenal U21s on 4 December, in which he hit the upright and the crossbar across both halves. ^[16] May was awarded man of the match and Portsmouth went on to win the game 2–1. ^{[17] [18]}

Swindon Town (loan)

In June 2019 he joined Swindon Town on loan. ^[19] He scored his first Swindon goal on his debut in an EFL Trophy tie against Chelsea U21s on 6 August 2019. ^[20] May was recalled in January 2020.

Cambridge United

In September 2020, May joined Cambridge United on a free transfer. ^[21] He scored his first goal for Cambridge, away to Morecambe in a 5-0 win in League Two. ^[22] May was also a huge part of Cambridge success in getting promotion. on 13 May 2022, May signed a new contract. ^[23] During Cambridge's 2-1 defeat to Bristol Rovers in October 2022 May picked up a knee injury which required reconstruction which would keep him out for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. ^[24]

On 1 May 2024 he was transfer listed. ^[25]

Forest Green Rovers

On 3 July 2024, May joined National League side Forest Green Rovers on a free transfer. ^[26]

Career statistics

As of match played 27 April 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Portsmouth	2014–15 [27]	League Two	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2015–16 [28]	League Two	1	0	1	0	0	0	1 [a]	0	3	0
	2016–17 [28]	League Two	0	0	0	0	1	0	2 [b]	0	3	0
	2017–18 [29]	League One	13	0	0	0	1	0	4 [b]	0	18	0
	2018–19 [30]	League One	0	0	1	0	0	0	4 [b]	0	5	0
	Total		15	0	2	0	2	0	11	0	30	0
Gosport Borough (loan)	2015–16 [28]	National League South	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Sutton United (loan)	2016–17 [31]	National League	20	1	4	0	0	0	5	2	29	3
Aldershot Town (loan)	2018–19 [30]	National League	12	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	3
Swindon Town (loan)	2019–20 [32]	League Two	9	0	0	0	1	0	3 [b]	1	13	1
Boreham Wood (loan)	2019–20 [32]	National League	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
Cambridge United	2020–21 [33]	League Two	38	3	1	0	2	0	5 [b]	0	46	3
	2021–22 [34]	League One	38	5	5	1	2	0	5 [b]	0	50	6
	2022–23 [35]	League One	13	1	0	0	1	0	2 [b]	0	16	1
	2023–24 [36]	League One	26	0	2	0	0	0	2 [b]	0	30	0
	Total		115	9	8	1	5	0	14	0	142	10
Career total			177	14	14	1	8	0	33	3	232	18

1. Appearance in Football League Trophy
2. Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

Portsmouth

• EFL Trophy: 2018–19 ^[37]

Cambridge United

• EFL League Two second-place promotion: 2020–21

References

1. "EFL: Club list of registered players" (PDF). English Football League. 20 May 2017. p. 88. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
2. "Harris: Others can follow May's Pompey footsteps". Portsmouth News. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
3. "Pompey sign new batch of scholars". Portsmouth FC. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
4. "Portsmouth 0–1 Bury". BBC Sport. 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
5. "May pens pro deal". Portsmouth FC. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
6. "Pompey midfielder joins Gosport Borough". Portsmouth News. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
7. Adam May at Soccerway
8. "Sutton United 2 Maidstone United 2". BBC Sport. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
9. "Worthing earn late Trophy replay in front of bumper crowd". Worthing Herald. 14 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
10. "Sutton boss praises Worthing after FA Trophy thriller". Worthing Herald. 25 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
11. "Sutton United 1 Leeds United 0". BBC Sport. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
12. "Sutton United 0 Arsenal 2". BBC Sport. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
13. "Sutton United 5–2 Chester". BBC Sport. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
14. "Player of the Year awards". Sutton United FC. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
15. "Shots loan midfielder". Aldershot Town F.C. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
16. "Player Update". Aldershot Town F.C. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
17. Brawn, David (4 December 2018). "Midfielder pleased with professional Portsmouth showing against Arsenal". Portsmouth News. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
18. Mason, Lewis (7 December 2018). "Jackett: Adam May can become a Portsmouth regular". Portsmouth News. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
19. "Adam May: Swindon sign Portsmouth midfielder on loan". BBC. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
20. "Flashes of excellence, but Swindon Town lose to Chelsea U21s in EFL Trophy opener at the County Ground". swindonadvertiser.co.uk. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
21. "Midfielder May signs for the U's". Cambridge United. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
22. "Match Report: MORECAMBE 0-5 CAMBRIDGE UNITED". Cambridge United. 19 September 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
23. "Adam May extends U's stay". Cambridge United. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
24. "U's midfielder ruled out for remainder of season". Cambridge Independent. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
25. "Cambridge United: Ryan Bennett, Lyle Taylor among seven to leave". BBC Sport. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
26. "Adam May joins FGR". www.fgr.co.uk. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
27. "Games played by Adam May in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
28. "Games played by Adam May in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
29. "Games played by Adam May in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
30. "Games played by Adam May in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
31. "Games played by Adam May in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
32. "Games played by Adam May in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
33. "Games played by Adam May in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
34. "Games played by Adam May in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
35. "Games played by Adam May in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
36. "Games played by Adam May in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
37. Williams, Adam (31 March 2019). "Portsmouth 2–2 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 May 2019.

External links

• Adam May at Soccerway
• Adam May at Soccerbase