Sam Wood (footballer)

**Samuel James Wood** (born 9 August 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays for Dover Athletic. Wood is a left-sided and right-sided player who can play either at full back or on the wing.

## Playing career

### Early career

Sam Wood started playing football for Long Lane before joining Cray Wanderers. He progressed through the ranks at the club before joining the reserve team in 2002 and eventually making his first team debut in 2003. During his time at Cray, he became a fans' favourite, helping the club to the quarter-final of the FA Vase, and promotion to the Isthmian League for the first time in the club's history, in the 2003–04 season, and scoring Cray supporters' goal of the season to clinch a 2–0 victory against AFC Wimbledon to end their 78-game unbeaten run. He finished his Cray career with 8 goals from 94 games, and then signed for Bromley, the club whose ground Cray shared, in 2005. While a non-league footballer, he also worked as a body double (for the likes of Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Cristiano Ronaldo), for USC at Bluewater and in advertisement for Nike and Adidas.

At Bromley, Wood won the Supporters' Player of the Year award in 2006 and the Club Player of the Year in 2007, and scored 21 goals from 159 appearances.Template:Citation needed His performances attracted interest from professional clubs, and after trials with clubs including Gillingham, Charlton Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wood joined League Two club Brentford in May 2008.

### Brentford (2008–2012)

After impressing in pre-season, Wood made his Football League debut for Brentford against Bury, but picked up an injury in their 1–0 loss which kept him out for a few weeks. He proved his fitness by playing the full 90 minutes – and scoring – in a practice game, and returned to the first team as a substitute in the 1–1 draw with Lincoln City. He scored his first goal for the club on 28 December against Exeter City, and played regularly for the first team, helping the Bees to the 2008–09 League Two title, as well as scooping several individual awards including the supporters' Player of the Season.

In his second season, Wood lost his place on the left wing due to the form of Myles Weston, but was a regular in the team, either playing on the right wing or at left-back in place of the injury-prone Ryan Dickson.

Wood spend the majority of the 2011–12 season on loan at Rotherham United, making 26 appearances and scoring one goal. At the end of the season he was released by Brentford.

### Wycombe Wanderers (2012–2017)

In July 2012 Wood signed a two-year deal with Wycombe Wanderers, after interest from AFC Wimbledon. He scored a 35-yard volley on his debut. which was later named as Wycombe's 'Goal of the Season'. Like at Brentford, Wood played at either left-back or left midfield. His versatility was recognised supporters as they named him their player of the season.

Wood continued to hold down a regular place in his second season with the club. Despite avoiding relegation to the non-league on the final day of the season, Wood was rewarded with a new two-year contract taking him to July 2016. During the 2014-15 League Two play off final Wood had his penalty saved during the shootout, resulting in Southend United gaining promotion.

At the end of the 2016–17 season, Wood left Wycombe Wanderers after his contract was not renewed.

## Career statistics

Template:Updated

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

1. ↑ Appearances in Isthmian League Cup
2. ↑ Appearances in Isthmian League play-offs
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Appearances in EFL Trophy
4. ↑ Appearances in EFL League Two play-offs
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Appearance in FA Trophy
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## Honours

Cray Wanderers
* Kent League (2): 2002–03, 2003–04

Bromley
* Kent Senior Cup (2): 2005–06, 2006–07
* Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs (1): 2006–07

Brentford
* Football League Two: 2008–09

## References

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1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 History Boys: Sam Wood (en-gb). Retrieved on June 20, 2019.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cray Wanderers – A Complete Statistical Record. Cray 150 Publications (2014). Retrieved on October 31, 2014.
3. ↑ Goringe, Pete. Looking Back in Amber 2003–04. Cray Wanderers F.C. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved on November 4, 2009.
4. ↑ Goringe, Pete. Looking Back in Amber 2004–05. Cray Wanderers F.C. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved on November 4, 2009.
5. ↑ [Wycombe Wanderers: Lionel Messi's body double & fame in Singapore]
6. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
7. ↑ Midweek Update. Brentford F.C (10 September 2008).
8. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
9. ↑ Wickham, Chris (28 December 2008). Exeter 0–2 Brentford. Brentford F.C.
10. ↑ Wood Wins Player of the Season. Brentford F.C (10 May 2009).
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Template:Soccerbase season
12. ↑ York 1–3 Wycombe 18 August 2012
13. ↑ Lewis & Wood pick up fan awards 29 April 2013
14. ↑ Sam Wood signs new contract 23 May 2014
15. ↑ Ainsworth reveals contract decisions. Wycombe Wanderers F.C.. Retrieved on May 9, 2017.
16. ↑ SoccerFacts UK Player Details.
17. ↑ football.mitoo.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 football.mitoo.
19. ↑ Conference South guide – Bromley (17 May 2008).
20. ↑ Template:Soccerbase season
21. ↑ Template:Soccerbase season
22. ↑ Template:Soccerbase season
23. ↑ Template:Soccerbase season
24. ↑ Template:Soccerbase season
25. ↑ Template:Soccerbase season
26. ↑ Template:Soccerbase season
27. ↑ Template:Soccerbase season
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 Template:Soccerway
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## External links

* Template:Soccerbase

Template:Brentford F.C. Player of the Year
Template:Dover Athletic F.C. squad