Shearer Sammy Image 1 Southampton 1908

Description

Coylton, Ayrshire born inside or outside left Sammy Shearer began his football career with Trabboch from where he was signed by Southern League club Southampton in the summer of 1908 after a trial with the club. Having showed “considerable promise” in the trial matches he was rewarded with a professional contract.He made his Southern League debut for The Saints in the opening match of the 1908-09 season, a 1-1 draw at Brighton, but after four appearances he lost his place to Frank Jordan in mid-September. Described as “naturally skillful”, Shearer was able to keep the ball close to his feet and as a result incurred regular kicks and bruises to his ankles, but his individuality was never properly exploited by his team mates. For the remainder of the season, Shearer was in and out of the side making a total of eleven more appearances, mainly at inside left, but also at inside right and on the left wing.

In the summer of 1909, Southampton signed Sam Brittleton who took over at inside left, before losing out in turn to Bob Carter. Shearer was then third choice for the inside left berth, and it was only in the last month of the season that he made a sustained run in the side with five further first team appearances.

He returned to Scotland in the summer of 1910 to join Nithsdale Wanderers of Dumfries, before returning to England with Bradford Park Avenue in December 1912, making his Football League debut against Grimsby Town the next month, his only first team appearance for the club. After making only one League appearance for Bradford, Shearer left Britain later in 1913 to play in the nascent North American soccer leagues, where his career is uncertain.