Sam Gallagher (footballer, born 1995) facts for kids

Samuel James Gallagher (born on 15 September 1995) is an English footballer. He plays as a striker for the club Stoke City.

Sam started his football journey at the Plymouth Argyle youth academy. He then joined Southampton in 2012. He got to play for their main team in the 2013–14 season. Sam also spent time playing for other teams on loan. These teams included Milton Keynes Dons, Blackburn Rovers, and Birmingham City.

In July 2019, he joined Blackburn Rovers permanently. He played there for five years, scoring 37 goals in 188 games. In July 2024, he moved to Stoke City.

Sam Gallagher's Club Career

Sam Gallagher was born in Crediton, Devon, England. He began his football training at the Plymouth Argyle youth academy. He also played for the Devon County Football Association team.

Playing for Southampton

In April 2012, Sam joined Southampton. Other big clubs like Everton and Newcastle United were also interested in him. He made his first team debut for Southampton on 6 November 2013. This was in a League Cup match against Sunderland. He came on as a substitute late in the game.

Later, in December, he scored three goals in a FA Youth Cup game against Portsmouth. Southampton won that game 7–0. Sam kept making appearances as a substitute for the main team. He scored his first senior goal on 25 January 2014. This was in an FA Cup match against Yeovil Town.

He played his first full game for the club on 28 January. This was a league match against Premier League leaders Arsenal. He almost scored his first league goal in that game. On 15 March 2014, he scored his first Premier League goal. This helped Southampton win 4–2 against Norwich City. In May 2014, Sam signed a new long-term contract with Southampton until 2018.

After a good loan spell at Blackburn Rovers, Sam signed another new contract with Southampton. This four-year deal started on 1 July 2017.

Loan to Milton Keynes Dons

On 29 July 2015, Sam Gallagher joined Milton Keynes Dons. This was a loan deal for the whole season. The team played in the Championship, which is the second tier of English football. Sam played his first game for MK Dons on 8 August. They won 4–1 against Rotherham United. However, he did not score any goals in his 15 games for the team. Because of this, Southampton called him back on 6 January 2016.

Loan to Blackburn Rovers

On 11 August 2016, Sam joined Blackburn Rovers on a loan for the season. They also played in the Championship. He scored his first goal for Blackburn on 20 August. It was a 2–2 draw against Burton Albion. Blackburn's manager, Owen Coyle, wanted to sign Sam permanently. This was after Sam scored five goals in nine games. Sam finished the season with 12 goals in 47 games. However, Blackburn was moved down to League One, a lower division.

Loan to Birmingham City

Sam Gallagher joined another Championship club, Birmingham City, on 21 August 2017. This was a loan for the 2017–18 season. He was one of many new players joining the team. The manager, Harry Redknapp, was fired a few weeks later, which made it a tricky start for Sam.

He played his first game on 26 August. Birmingham lost 2–0 at home to Reading. It took him nine games to score his first goal. This happened in a 6–1 loss to Hull City. Sam liked the new fitness training under the next manager, Steve Cotterill. He also accepted that players would be chosen based on how well they could help the team.

Sam started playing on the wing, a position he had played at Blackburn. This happened after another player got injured. He then moved to play in the middle. On 16 December, he was named the best player in a game against Queens Park Rangers. He scored a goal and helped defend. Sam scored again in the next game against Sunderland. He was sent off with two yellow cards in that game.

After his one-game ban, he continued scoring goals. He scored in four of the next six games. This included two wins and a draw in the league. He also scored the only goal in an FA Cup game against Burton Albion. When Garry Monk became manager in March, Sam played as a substitute and then as one of two strikers. He then had a calf injury that kept him out until the last three games of the season. He helped Birmingham stay in the Championship by winning their last game 3–1 against Fulham. His six goals made him the team's top league scorer that season.

Joining Blackburn Rovers Permanently

On 13 July 2019, Sam Gallagher officially joined Blackburn Rovers. He signed a four-year contract. Under the former manager, Tony Mowbray, Sam often played on the wings. This was not his usual central striker position. He played 3,469 minutes on the wing out of 7,429 minutes under Mowbray. Some Blackburn fans were not happy about him playing out wide. This feeling continued when Jon Dahl Tomasson became the new coach.

On 19 September 2023, it was announced that Sam would be out of action for up to two months. He had a calf injury during Blackburn's 2–1 win against Middlesbrough on 17 September.

Moving to Stoke City

On 31 July 2024, Sam Gallagher joined Stoke City. The fee for his transfer was not made public.

Sam Gallagher's International Career

Sam Gallagher's father was from Glasgow, Scotland. Because of this, Sam played three games for the Scotland under-19 team. In February 2014, after his father passed away, Sam decided to play for his birth country, England.

On 24 February 2014, he was called up to the England under-19s. This was for a friendly match against Turkey. He played his first game for England in that match, which England won 3–0.

Honours

Southampton U21

• U21 Premier League Cup: 2014–15

See also

In Spanish: Sam Gallagher para niños

• List of sportspeople who competed for more than one nation