Sam Smith (footballer, born 1998)

Sam Smith

Sam Smith in 2025.
Personal information
Full name	Samuel Toby Smith [1]
Date of birth	(1998-03-08) 8 March 1998 (age 27) [2]
Place of birth	Manchester, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) [3]
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Wrexham
Number	28
Youth career
2004–2014	Manchester United
2014–2016	Reading
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2021	Reading	8	(1)
2016	→ Bishop's Stortford (loan)	7	(2)
2018–2019	→ Oxford United (loan)	14	(0)
2019	→ Shrewsbury Town (loan)	3	(0)
2019–2020	→ Cambridge United (loan)	28	(7)
2020	→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)	5	(0)
2021	→ Cheltenham Town (loan)	21	(4)
2021–2023	Cambridge United	91	(28)
2023–2025	Reading	59	(26)
2025–	Wrexham	22	(8)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:52, 25 September 2025 (UTC)

Samuel Toby Smith (born 8 March 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Wrexham.

Career

Reading (2016–2021)

Smith signed his first professional contract with Reading in 2016. ^[4] He made his debut appearance during a 2–0 EFL Cup win over Gillingham on 8 August 2017, and scored his first goal for Reading in the cup's second-round tie against Millwall on 22 August. ^[5]

In February 2018, Smith signed a new contract with Reading until the end of the 2020–21 season. ^[6]

Loan periods (2016–2021)

On 26 August 2016, Smith joined Bishop's Stortford on a four-month loan. ^[7] In July 2018 he joined Oxford United of League One on a season-long loan. ^[8] He made his debut as a substitute in the first match of the league season, a 4–0 away defeat to Barnsley. ^[9] His first start and home debut came in the following match, a 2–0 defeat to Fleetwood Town. ^[10] He scored his first goal for Oxford in a 3–0 EFL Trophy win over Fulham Under 21s on 4 September 2018. ^[11] His loan was ended early at the end of 2018, with Smith's record standing at 3 goals (all in the EFL Trophy) in 23 appearances in all competitions. ^[12]

In January 2019, Smith signed for Shrewsbury Town on loan until the end of the 2018–19 season. ^[13] He played the 2019–20 season with Cambridge United in League Two, ^[14] and the first half of the 2020–21 season with Tranmere Rovers. ^[15] After making five appearances, Smith returned to Reading ^[16] before signing a loan deal with Cheltenham Town on 29 January 2021. ^[17]

Cambridge United (2021–23)

On 11 May 2021, Reading announced that Smith would leave the club when his contract expired on 30 June 2021. ^[18] On 7 July 2021, Smith signed a permanent deal with Cambridge United, signing a 2-year contract. ^[19]

He was released at the end of the 2022–23 season. ^[20]

Reading (2023–2025)

On 17 July 2023, Smith returned to Reading, signing a three-year contract with the club. ^[21]

Wrexham (2025–)

On 31 January 2025, Smith joined Wrexham for an undisclosed sum, signing a three-and-a-half year deal with the option to extend. Smith's transfer fee was reported to be in excess of £1 million, a club record fee for Wrexham. ^[22]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 25 September 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Reading	2017–18 [23]	Championship	8	1	1	0	2	1	–		11	2
	Total		8	1	1	0	2	1	0	0	11	2
Bishop's Stortford (loan)	2016–17 [24]	National League North	7	2	0	0	0	0	–		7	2
Oxford United (loan)	2018–19 [25]	League One	14	0	2	0	3	0	4 [a]	3	23	3
Shrewsbury Town (loan)	2018–19 [25]	League One	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Cambridge United (loan)	2019–20 [26]	League Two	28	7	2	1	0	0	0	0	30	8
Tranmere Rovers (loan)	2020–21 [27]	League Two	5	0	0	0	0	0	2 [a]	0	7	0
Cheltenham Town (loan)	2020–21 [27]	League Two	21	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	4
Cambridge United	2021–22 [28]	League One	46	15	4	2	2	0	5 [a]	4	57	21
	2022–23 [29]	League One	45	13	3	1	2	0	2 [a]	0	52	14
	Total		91	28	7	3	4	0	7	4	109	35
Reading	2023–24 [30]	League One	34	15	1	0	0	0	2 [a]	1	37	16
	2024–25 [31]	League One	25	11	1	0	0	0	0 [a]	0	26	11
	Total		59	26	2	0	0	0	2	1	63	27
Wrexham	2024–25 [31]	League One	17	7	0	0	0	0	1 [a]	0	18	7
	2025–26 [32]	Championship	5	1	—		3	1	—		8	2
	Total		22	8	0	0	3	1	1	0	26	9
Career total			256	75	14	4	12	2	16	8	298	89

1. Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

Cheltenham Town

• League Two: 2020–21 ^[33]

Wrexham

• League One Runner Up: 2024-25 ^[34]

References

1. "EFL Released and Retained List 2016–17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
2. "Sam Smith". 11v11. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
3. "Sam Smith – Forward – First Team – Cambridge United". Cambridge United F.C. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
4. "43. Sam Smith". Reading FC. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
5. "Reading 3–1 Millwall". BBC. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
6. "Sam Smith signs new Royals contract". Reading F.C. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
7. "Sam's the man for Blues". Bishop's Stortford F.C. 26 August 2016. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
8. "Sam Smith seals loan switch to Oxford United". Reading F.C. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
9. Williams, Chris (4 August 2018). "REPORT Barnsley 4 Oxford United 0". Oxford United F.C. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
10. Williams, Chris (11 August 2018). "REPORT Oxford United 0 Fleetwood Town 2". Oxford United F.C. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
11. Pritchard, David (4 September 2018). "Oxford United 3–0 Fulham Under 21s". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
12. Pritchard, David (29 December 2018). "Sam Smith leaves Oxford United with Tony McMahon on verge of exit". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
13. "Sam Smith: Shrewsbury Town sign Reading striker on loan". BBC. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
14. "U'S ADD READING STRIKER SAM SMITH ON SEASON LOAN". BBC. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
15. "Tranmere sign Reading striker Smith". BBC Sport. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
16. "Young and Smith return to parent clubs after loan spell at Prenton Park". Tranmere Rovers F.C. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
17. "Robins welcome Smith arrival". Cheltenham Town FC. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
18. "Contracts offered, clauses triggered, loans end and best wishes issued for those set for pastures new…". readingfc.co.uk/. Reading F.C. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
19. "Sam Smith signs for U's". www.cambridge-united.co.uk/. Cambridge United F.C. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
20. "2023 Retained List published". www.cambridgeunited.com. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
21. "WELCOME HOME, SAM! SMITH SIGNS THREE-YEAR DEAL WITH THE ROYALS". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
22. "Wrexham sign strikers Smith and Rodriguez". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
23. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
24. "S.Smith". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
25. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
26. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
27. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
28. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
29. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
30. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
31. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
32. "Games played by Sam Smith in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
33. "Cheltenham 4–1 Harrogate: Michael Duff's Robins clinch League Two title in style".
34. "Hollywood stars and fans celebrate Wrexham promotion".

External links

• Sam Smith at Soccerway