Forward
England
Season Overview
16
Appearances
15
Starts
1,341
Mins Played
7
Goals
0
Assists
Striking
Left Foot Goals
4
Right Foot Goals
2
Headed Goals
1
Goalscoring
Goals from Inside Box
7
Goals from Outside Box
0
Hit Woodwork
0
Possession
Touches inside the box
59
Successful dribbles
5
Assists
0
Bio
A former Academy graduate, Smith returned to the Royals in the summer of 2023 after a two-year stint at Cambridge United.
The striker arrived in Reading after an early spell in the youth system at Manchester United and he was handed his first professional contract in the summer of 2016 before enjoying a loan stint at Bishop’s Stortford to earn his first experience of competitive football.
Sam became Academy graduate number 43 when he was earned his professional debut as a Royal; starting in a 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Gillingham at the beginning of the 2017-18 season, he scored his first goal in Reading colours two weeks later when he smashed high past Millwall goalkeeper Tom King in a 3-1 cup win over Millwall in RG2.
Smith made his league debut when he came off the bench in a 2-0 win at Birmingham City, replacing Jon Dadi Bodvarsson at St Andrew’s at the end of that month.
Whilst impressing at Under-23 level, the Manchester-born forward registered a first league start at home to Middlesbrough and his first goal came as a Royal in March 2018 in a narrow 3-2 defeat to Norwich at Carrow Road.
Still learning his trade, Smith embarked on loan spells with Oxford United, Shrewsbury Town, Cambridge United, Tranmere Rovers and Cheltenham Town – but it was his eight goals in 28(+6) appearances at the Abbey Stadium which saw him return to Cambridge United permanently in 2021.
At United, Smith has proven League One pedigree. He scored 35 goals across all competitions during just two seasons with Cambridge – making a staggering 88 (+21) appearances since making his debut in a varsity clash with Oxford on the opening day of the 2021-22 season.
In 2022-23, he scored a 35-minute hat-trick to help United earn three points at home to Burton Albion at the end of August.
And he finished the season in fine goalscoring form, scoring in seven of the League One side’s last nine fixtures including the second in a 2-0 home win over Forest Green on the last day of the campaign. Out of contract at the end of that campaign, Smith opted to return to the Royals.
