Complex sentence: Like so many other professionals his career was interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War, Sam kept his eye in during the conflict playing for his own club, Villa, 4 times, Plymouth Argyle, Nottingham Forest and the Royal Naval barracks Plymouth.
Split into simpler sentences: Like so many other professionals, his career was interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War. Hardy kept his eye in during the conflict playing for his own club, Villa, 4 times, Plymouth Argyle, Nottingham Forest and the Royal Naval barracks Plymouth.