Sam Gale
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sam Rodin Gale | ||
| Date of birth | 1 October 2004[1] | ||
| Place of birth | England | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | centre back, Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Gillingham | ||
| Number | 30 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Arsenal | |||
| Gillingham | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021– | Gillingham | 23 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Sheppey United (loan) | 25 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Hastings United (loan) | 24 | (1) |
| 2024 | → Chelmsford City (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14:28, 31 December 2024 (UTC) | |||
Sam Rodin Gale (born 1 October 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back or defensive midfielder for EFL League Two club Gillingham.
Career
Gale started out at Arsenal as a junior, playing with the London side in their under-9s to under-12s, before being released and shortly afterwards joining Gillingham, where he progressed through the academy.[2]
Gale made his first-team league debut for Gillingham on 23 November 2021, coming on as an 86th-minute substitute for Daniel Phillips in a 2–0 defeat to Cheltenham Town at Priestfield Stadium.[3] On 16 September 2022, he joined Isthmian League South East Division club Sheppey United on loan; player-manager Jack Midson said that "he will come in and do a good job for us at holding midfielder and centre-back cover."[4][5]
Gale signed his first professional contract with Gillingham in June 2023.[6]
On 21 November 2023, Gale joined Hastings United on an initial one-month loan deal.[7]
On 16 August 2024, Gale was once again loaned out, this time to National League South side Chelmsford City on an initial one-month loan.[8] In December 2024, Gale was recalled from his loan at Chelmsford, going on to make his league debut for Gillingham, starting in a 1–0 loss away to AFC Wimbledon on 30 December 2024.[9]
On 4 February 2025, Gillingham confirmed that Gale had signed a new contract until the summer of 2027, with a club option of a further year.[10] Having established himself in the starting XI following his return from Chelmsford City, Gale was named as Gillingham's Young Player of the Year at the conclusion of the 2024–25 season.[11][12]
Career statistics
- As of match played 30 June 2023
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Gillingham | 2021–22[13] | EFL League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022–23[14] | EFL League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Sheppey United (loan) | 2022–23[15] | Isthmian League South East Division |
24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Career total | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
- ^ One appearance in the FA Trophy; one appearance in the Alan Turvey Trophy
Honours
- Gillingham Young Player of the Year: 2024–25[12]
References
- ^ "Sam Gale - Midfielder - First Team - Gillingham". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "Defender well prepared to make an impact at Gillingham". Kent Online. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ Miller, Dave (23 November 2021). "Report | Gillingham 0-2 Cheltenham Town". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ Cawdell, Luke (16 September 2022). "Promising Gillingham youngster hoping to shine at Sheppey". Kent Online. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "GALE ADDS FORCE TO THE ITES". Sheppey United FC. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "Trio sign first professional contracts". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ "Sam Gale joins Hastings on loan". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
- ^ "Sam Gale joins Chelmsford on loan". Gillingham FC. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "AFC Wimbledon 1 Gillingham 0: League 2 match report from the Cherry Red Records Stadium, Plough Lane". KentOnline. 30 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
- ^ "Sam Gale signs new contract". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
- ^ Cawdell, Luke (26 April 2025). "Goalkeeper takes top award during Gillingham award ceremony". Kent Online. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Player of the Year Winners 2024/2025". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. 26 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Games played by Sam Gale in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Sam Gale in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ "Sheppey United | Appearances | Sam Gale | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2022.