Sam Deering

Sam Deering (born 26 February 1991) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Saffron Walden Town.

Sam Deering
Personal information
Full nameSam Deering[1]
Date of birth (1991-02-26) 26 February 1991 (age 33)[2]
Place of birthStepney, England[3]
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[2]
Position(s)Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Saffron Walden Town
Youth career
Chelsea
Charlton Athletic
2006–2008Oxford United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2008–2011Oxford United48(4)
2009Newport County (loan)4(0)
2010Newport County (loan)3(0)
2011Barnet (loan)16(2)
2011–2012Barnet44(3)
2012–2014Cheltenham Town67(0)
2014–2016Whitehawk60(15)
2016–2017Ebbsfleet United43(8)
2017–2019Billericay Town80(15)
2019–2021Dagenham & Redbridge27(2)
2021–2023Farnborough57(4)
2023Bishop's Stortford16(2)
2023–Brentwood Town9(1)
2023Romford (dual registration)8

(4

clubs15 = Saffron Walden Town)
International career
2010England C2(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:00, 4 February 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:52, 26 July 2011 (UTC)

Playing career

Deering spent time as a youth team player with Chelsea and Charlton Athletic before joining Oxford United's academy in 2006.[4]

He was promoted to the first team in 2008 and went on to make his first team debut against Weymouth on 12 August of that year.[5] Deering scored twice in December 2008 before breaking his leg against Salisbury City.[6] He was fined and warned about his future conduct later that week after making racist comments on a social networking website.[7] In a club statement, the Oxford United chairman Kelvin Thomas said: "We take this issue very seriously. I have spoken to Sam personally and he has been made aware that we will not tolerate such comments." Thomas added: "Knowing Sam and his background I am confident he is not a racist. He must understand he is a role model and even his throwaway comments have an impact on people's lives."[8]

Upon returning to action in September 2009, Deering joined Newport County on loan for a month,[9] making four league appearances during his stay with the club.

He made his first appearance for Oxford in ten months against Altrincham on 31 October, and scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season against Histon on 13 February 2010.[10] Deering signed a new contract in March 2010,[11] and helped the club win promotion back to the Football League in the 2010 Conference play-off final at Wembley Stadium, most notably by setting up the final and third goal.[12][13]

In November 2010, he rejoined Newport County on loan. He returned to Oxford on 4 January 2011, having made three appearances whilst on loan.[14] In February 2011, he was loaned to Barnet for the remainder of the season, where he helped them avoid relegation.[15] The move was made permanent at the end of the season.[16]

Deering joined Cheltenham Town on 5 July 2012, spending two years at Whaddon Road before moving to Conference South side Whitehawk in 2014.[17] Deering was named in the Conference South team of the season for 2014–15 alongside teammates Nick Arnold and Lee Hills.[18]

Shortly after Steve King's departure as manager at Whitehawk, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, Deering joined Ebbsfleet United for an undisclosed fee in March 2016.[19] Deering joined Billericay Town for the 2017–18 season.[20][21]

On 14 November 2019, he went back full-time when he signed for National League side Dagenham & Redbridge on a two-year deal.[22] He was released by Dagenham along with five others in June 2021 following the expiration of his contract.[23]

Deering joined Farnborough in July 2021. He went on to win the 2021–22 Southern League Playoffs with Farnborough, scoring the winner in the 86th minute to make it 2–1 against Hayes & Yeading United in the playoff final, earning Farnborough promotion to the National League South.[24]

On 2 February 2023, Deering signed for Bishop's Stortford.[25]

On 10 August 2023, Deering signed for Brentwood Town.[26] Six days later, Romford announced Deering had joined the club on a dual registration deal.[27]

Deering signed for Saffron Walden Town on 23 June 2024.

Career statistics

As of 3 February 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Oxford United2008–09[28]Conference Premier192401[a]0242
2009–10[20]Conference Premier232306[b]0322
2010–11[21]League Two6010101[a]090
Total484801080654
Newport County (loan)2009–10[20]Conference South4040
2010–11[21]Conference Premier302[c]050
Total702090
Barnet (loan)2010–11[21]League Two162162
Barnet2011–12[21]League Two44320106[a]0533
Total605201060695
Cheltenham Town2012–13[21]League Two32030103[d]0390
2013–14[21]League Two35010201[a]0390
Total670403040780
Whitehawk2014–15[20]Conference South369304[e]14310
2015–16[20]National League South246741[c]13211
Total6015104527521
Ebbsfleet United2015–16[20]National League South603[f]090
2016–17[20]National League South378306[g]0468
Total4383090558
Billericay Town2017–18[20]IL Premier Division4312818[c]25915
2018–19[20]National League South282632[c]0365
2019–20[20]National League South9151142
Total801519510210922
Dagenham & Redbridge2019–20[21]National League901[c]0100
2020–21[21]National League182301[c]0222
Total2723020322
Farnborough2021–22[29]SFL Premier Division South414305[h]1495
2022–23[21]National League South160601[c]0230
Total5749060725
Career total449535895052556467

References