Sam Surridge Bio
Samuel William Surridge is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club Nashville SC. Standing 6 ft 3 in tall, he is recognized as a target man who combines physical presence with a strong finishing instinct. Surridge has built his reputation through years of loan moves in English football before eventually establishing himself at the top level. Today, he is one of the key attacking figures for Nashville SC in Major League Soccer.
Early Life and Background
Samuel William Surridge was born on 28 July 1998 in Slough, Berkshire, England. At the age of seven, he moved with his family to Ferndown, Dorset, where he spent most of his childhood. Growing up in Dorset, Surridge developed a passion for football at a young age and joined local club Bournemouth Sports as a youth player. His performances at that level eventually earned him a move into a professional academy setup.
At the age of 14, Surridge joined the AFC Bournemouth academy, leaving Bournemouth Sports to take the next step in his development. He settled into the club’s under-15 squad and quickly established himself as a promising forward. The Cherries soon offered him a scholarship, and he rewarded that faith by scoring freely for the youth team. His form at youth level convinced the club to continue investing in his growth and prepared him for a senior career in the English game.
Path to Professional Soccer
Surridge’s path to professional football was shaped by a series of carefully planned loan spells designed to give him first-team experience. After progressing through the AFC Bournemouth academy, he was sent to Weymouth during the 2015–16 season to gain senior minutes in non-league football. He then moved to Poole Town for the 2016–17 campaign, where he impressed during the club’s debut season in the National League South and caught the attention of recruiters higher up the English football pyramid.
In 2017, Surridge stepped into the English Football League for the first time when he joined League Two side Yeovil Town on loan. He made his Football League debut as a second-half substitute against Luton Town on 5 August 2017 and scored his first goal for Yeovil in an EFL Trophy tie against Exeter City later that month. Across the 2017–18 season, he scored 10 goals in 53 total appearances for Yeovil, marking his arrival as a competitive lower-league striker. Those numbers set the stage for further loans at Oldham Athletic and Swansea City, where he continued to climb toward the Premier League.
Sam Surridge Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Surridge’s senior career began in the lower tiers of English football while he was still under contract at AFC Bournemouth. After short spells at Weymouth and Poole Town, he joined Yeovil Town for the 2017–18 season, where his 10 goals in 53 appearances demonstrated his growing consistency as a striker. The following campaign, he moved to League Two side Oldham Athletic on a season-long loan, and his early form was electric. Five goals in four matches during September earned him the League Two Player of the Month award, and by early January he had registered 12 goals in 20 appearances across all competitions.
One of the defining moments of Surridge’s loan era came in the FA Cup, when he scored a penalty against Premier League side Fulham in a third-round upset win for Oldham Athletic. That performance underlined his ability to perform on big occasions. In early January 2019, Bournemouth recalled him from Oldham, and on 28 February 2019 he made his Premier League debut for the Cherries, coming off the bench in a 5–1 loss to Arsenal. At the end of the season, the club recognized his development by handing him the AFC Bournemouth Under-21 Player of the Year award for 2018–19.
AFC Bournemouth Breakthrough (2019–2021)
The 2019–20 season represented Surridge’s first real push toward regular Premier League football. On 6 August 2019, he was sent on a season-long loan to Championship side Swansea City, where he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 away win at Queens Park Rangers in August 2019. He finished the campaign with 7 goals in 23 appearances for Swansea before being recalled by Bournemouth on 1 January 2020.
Back at the Cherries, Surridge signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract keeping him at the club until the summer of 2024. He scored his first professional goal for Bournemouth in the FA Cup fourth round, netting late against Arsenal in a 2–1 defeat on 27 January 2020. He thought he had finally opened his Premier League account against Southampton late in the 2019–20 season, only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR. Despite the setback, the club publicly praised his work ethic, with coach Mark Molesley highlighting Surridge as a model example for young players climbing the football ladder.
Stoke City Era (2021–2022)
On 4 August 2021, Surridge joined Stoke City on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, marking his first permanent move away from Bournemouth. He made an immediate impact, scoring the winning goal on his debut three days later in a home match against Reading. He also found the net in the first two rounds of the EFL Cup against Fleetwood Town and Doncaster Rovers and scored in the league against Barnsley.
However, his form soon dipped, and he went 15 appearances without scoring before being sent off against Peterborough United following an altercation with Josh Knight. Manager Michael O’Neill allowed him to leave the club in the January transfer window, just six months after signing, explaining that Surridge had struggled to settle into the team. The short spell at Stoke was a difficult learning experience, but it set up his next chapter at another Championship club.
Nottingham Forest Era (2022–2023)
On 31 January 2022, Surridge joined Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee reported to be around £2.2 million. He made his debut on 6 February, coming off the bench in a 4–1 FA Cup fourth-round home win over Leicester City. Less than a month later, he scored his first goal for Forest in a 2–1 home victory over Huddersfield Town in the next round of the tournament.
In the second half of the 2021–22 season, Surridge scored 7 goals in 20 appearances for Forest in the Championship, playing a meaningful role as the club secured promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs. The following season, with Forest in the top flight, his opportunities were more limited. He made 20 league appearances, with only one start, and scored a single league goal on 21 January 2023 in a 1–1 draw at Bournemouth. Even with reduced minutes, his contribution to Forest’s promotion campaign had already cemented his reputation as a proven Championship goalscorer.
Nashville SC Era (2023–Present)
On 25 July 2023, Major League Soccer side Nashville SC announced the signing of Surridge as a Designated Player for a reported fee of $6.5 million, with a contract running until 2026 and an option to extend for the 2027 season. He quickly became a central figure in the team’s attack, wearing the number 9 shirt and leading the line with his physical profile and movement inside the box.
His time in Nashville has been marked by a series of standout individual performances. On 4 May 2024, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 win over CF Montréal, becoming only the second player in club history to hit three goals in a single match after Hany Mukhtar. On 26 April 2025, he went one better, scoring four times in a 7–2 demolition of Chicago Fire. Later that year, on 16 September 2025, Surridge delivered a hat-trick in a 3–1 U.S. Open Cup semi-final victory over Philadelphia Union, sending Nashville to their first-ever U.S. Open Cup final, where he also scored the winning goal from the penalty spot as Nashville lifted the trophy.
Playing Style and Strengths
Surridge is a classic number nine whose main strengths are his aerial duels, hold-up play, and penalty-box finishing. At 6 ft 3 in, he is comfortable winning long balls and serving as a focal point for his team’s attacking play, while also showing tidy link-up play with midfield runners. His movement across defenders, combined with sharp reactions inside the area, has made him especially dangerous in MLS, where he has routinely punished defensive lapses with quick finishes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the highlights of Surridge’s career are his hat-trick against CF Montréal in 2024, his four-goal haul against Chicago Fire in 2025, and his U.S. Open Cup semi-final hat-trick against Philadelphia Union in September 2025. He also played a key role in Nottingham Forest’s 2021–22 Championship play-off promotion campaign and made his Premier League debut for AFC Bournemouth against Arsenal in February 2019.
Sam Surridge Career Wins
Across the English football pyramid and Major League Soccer, Samuel William Surridge has built a strong record as a goalscorer at every level he has played. From his breakthrough loan spells in the lower leagues to his current starring role at Nashville SC, he has consistently delivered important goals. His trophy cabinet now includes the U.S. Open Cup with Nashville SC, along with a Championship play-off winners’ medal from his time at Nottingham Forest.
Club Highlights
Surridge first caught widespread attention during his loan spell at Oldham Athletic, where his goals helped the club pull off a memorable FA Cup upset over Premier League side Fulham. He later scored 7 goals in 23 appearances for Swansea City and played a part in Nottingham Forest’s promotion to the Premier League, finishing with 7 goals in 20 Championship appearances in the second half of 2021–22. At Nashville SC, his hat-trick against CF Montréal in 2024 and four-goal performance against Chicago Fire in 2025 established him as one of the league’s most dangerous strikers.
Other Notable Performances
Beyond his headline hat-tricks, Surridge has produced several crucial match-winning contributions, including the winning goal on his Stoke City debut against Reading and the winning penalty in the 2025 U.S. Open Cup final. His England U21 debut goal against Slovenia in October 2019 also marked him as a forward of international promise at youth level.
Sam Surridge Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public information about Samuel William Surridge’s family background is limited. He was raised in Slough, Berkshire, before moving to Ferndown, Dorset, at the age of seven, where he began his football journey with local club Bournemouth Sports. Beyond these early moves, the footballer has kept details of his parents and broader family out of the public eye.
Personal Life
Surridge maintains a relatively private personal life away from the pitch. He has not publicly disclosed details of a spouse, partner, or children, and prefers to keep his focus on his playing career. His professional base is now in the United States, where he represents Nashville SC in Major League Soccer.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 Major League Soccer campaign has been one of the most productive of Sam Surridge’s career to date. Operating as Nashville SC’s designated striker, he has delivered a series of high-scoring performances, most notably a four-goal display in a 7–2 win over Chicago Fire on 26 April 2025. His output in front of goal has been central to Nashville’s push up the standings and their pursuit of silverware.
Beyond league play, Surridge played a decisive role in Nashville’s U.S. Open Cup run. His hat-trick in the 3–1 semi-final victory over Philadelphia Union on 16 September 2025 sent the club into its first-ever U.S. Open Cup final, before he converted the winning penalty as Nashville lifted the trophy. Those performances have underlined his status as one of the most clinical finishers in Major League Soccer.
With his contract at Nashville SC running until 2026 and an option to extend into 2027, Surridge appears firmly settled in Tennessee. The combination of consistent league form, a major domestic cup triumph, and a clear role as the team’s attacking focal point has set the stage for an even more influential role in the seasons ahead.
