- Cherno Samba
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Cherno Samba 
Personal information Date of birth 10 November 1985 Place of birth Banjul, Gambia Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Playing position Forward Youth career 2000–2002 Millwall Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2002–2004 Millwall 0 (0) 2004–2005 Cádiz 0 (0) 2005–2006 → Malaga B (loan) 4 (0) 2006–2008 Plymouth Argyle 13 (1) 2007 → Wrexham (loan) 3 (0) 2008–2009 Haka 7 (0) 2010 Panetolikos 0 (0) National team 2000–2001 England U16 13 (0) 2002 England U17 1 (0) 2002–2003 England U18 4 (0) 2003 England U19 3 (0) 2005 England U20 1 (0) 2008– Gambia 4 (1) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).Cherno Samba (born 10 November 1985) is a Gambian footballer who plays as a forward. His last club was Panetolikos in Greece. He represented England at every youth level up to the under-20 team,[1] having moved to England at an early age.[2] He earned his first full cap for Gambia in 2008. Samba began his career with Millwall before moving to Spain to join Cádiz. He spent time on loan with Malaga B before returning to England to play for Plymouth Argyle. He played on loan for Wrexham and then moved to Haka in Finland.
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Early life
His father was a keeper for the Gambian national team and his family moved to Watford, England when he was six, and then to Peckham, South London and was educated at the St Joseph's Academy, Blackheath.
Career
He came to prominence when as a 13-year-old, he scored 132 goals in 32 games for the St Joseph's Academy, Blackheath soccer team.[3]
He started his career at Millwall. His prolific form continued, and he was allowed to talk to other clubs by Millwall - both Manchester United and Liverpool showed interest, but Millwall turn down a Liverpool offer of £2 million pounds. In return, Millwall agreed a contract, whereby he was guaranteed three-years of football at senior team level, on him signing full school boy forms.[2]
In the summer of 2004 he joined Spanish club Cádiz CF,[4] and was then loaned out for season 2005–06 to Málaga CF B.[5] He returned to English football after Ian Holloway signed him on a free on transfer deadline day, August 2006 for Plymouth Argyle,[6] signing him to a two year contract. Samba made his Football League debut on 30 September 2006 as a second half substitute (74th minute) at the Ricoh Arena against Coventry City, and within eight minutes he scored his first League goal in a 1–0 win for Argyle.
In January 2007, he joined Wrexham on loan for a month, with the option to extend to the end of the season. [7] Samba returned to Plymouth on 26 February.[8]
On 8 August 2008, Samba signed an 18 month contract with Finnish side FC Haka.
In 2009 he returned to England and went on trial with various English clubs including Norwich City and Portsmouth.[9] He signed a two-year contract with Greek Second Division club Panetolikos in February 2010.[10]
On 26 July 2011, Samba joined English Conference National side Forest Green Rovers on trial for a game against Bristol City.[11] Samba however failed to earn himself a contract. Samba then joined another Conference club on trial, Alfreton Town.
In October 2011, he was on trial at Mansfield Town.[12]
International
He represented England at every youth level up to under-20[13] and later decided that he wanted to play for Gambia national team.
In August 2008, he was called up to the Gambia squad for the 2010 World Cup qualifying match against Liberia and on 6 September 2008, he made his first appearance for Gambia as he played the final minutes of the match.[14] He scored his first goal for the Scorpions in a friendly against Tunisia on 9 January 2010 when he headed in a Sanna Nyassi cross to open the scoring.[15] The goal was made all the more special for Samba as it came on the eve of his 25th birthday. His most recent international appearance was versus Mexico in June 2010. He was named in squad for 2010/11 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
International goals
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 9 January 2010 Tunis, Tunisia 
Tunisia1-0 2-1 Friendly Background
The Gambia football school, "Cherno Samba Academy of Football", from the Academy was coupled out the professional team Samger FC, is named after him.[16]
Career statistics
(correct as of 7 May 2007)
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Millwall 2002–03 — — — — — — — — 2003–04 — — — — — — — — Total — — — — — — — — Cádiz CF 2004–05 — — — — — — — — Total — — — — — — — — Málaga CF B 2005–06 4 0 — — — — 4 0 Total 4 0 — — — — 4 0 Plymouth Argyle 2006–07 13 1 1 — — — 14 1 Total 13 1 1 — — — 14 1 Wrexham 2006–07 3 0 — — — — 3 0 Total 3 0 — — — — 3 0 FC Haka 2008–09 7 0 — — — — 7 0 Total 7 0 — — — — 7 0 Career Total 27 1 1 — — — 28 1 References
- ^ "Cherno Samba". The Football Association. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
- ^ a b Panja, Tariq (13 February 2005). "Samba sets up for the last dance". London: The Guardian. http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1411968,00.html. Retrieved 4 September 2007.
- ^ Cheese, Caroline (2007-09-04). "Man Utd video star faces tough task". news.bbc.co.uk. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/skills/6927568.stm. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
- ^ "Samba earns Cadiz deal". sky sports.com. 2007-09-06. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12411_2312909,00.html. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
- ^ "Samba set for loan". sky sports.com. 2007-09-06. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12411_2340283,00.html. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
- ^ "Samba dancing again". news.bbc.co.uk. 2007-09-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/5360054.stm. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
- ^ "Wrexham strengthen with loan pair". news.bbc.co.uk. 2007-09-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wrexham/6309857.stm. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
- ^ "Wrexham line up striker Paterson". news.bbc.co.uk. 2007-09-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wrexham/6395401.stm. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
- ^ http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/frattonlatest/Fantastic-Freddie-fires-timely-reminder.5689373.jp
- ^ "Cherno Samba signs in Greece". Gambia Sports. 2 March 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
- ^ "Samba set to star for Rovers". forestgreenroversfc.com. 26 July 2011. http://www.forestgreenroversfc.com/news/showItem.asp?id=1436. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
- ^ http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/stags_defender_thompson_on_the_comeback_trail_1_3892998
- ^ "Whatever Happened To: Cherno Samba". squarefootball.net. 2007-09-04. http://articles.squarefootball.net/squarefootball/2006/07/3419-whatever-h.html. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
- ^ "FIFA Player Statistics: Cherno Samba". www.fifa.com. 2008-09-06. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=197743/index.html. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- ^ "10 Man Gambia beat Tunisia". www.gambiasports.gm. 2010-01-10. http://www.gambiasports.gm/portal/football/1083.html. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ African Football News – Football Academy To Boost Gambian Soccer from 29. October 2003
External links
Categories:- 1985 births
- Living people
- People from Banjul
- English people of Gambian descent
- English footballers
- Gambian footballers
- English expatriate footballers
- Association football forwards
- Millwall F.C. players
- Cádiz CF footballers
- Málaga CF footballers
- Plymouth Argyle F.C. players
- FC Haka players
- Panetolikos players
- The Football League players
- Veikkausliiga players
- The Gambia international footballers
- Black British sportspeople
- People educated at St Joseph's Academy, Blackheath
- Expatriate footballers in Greece
- Expatriate footballers in Spain
- Expatriate footballers in Finland
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