Sam Surridge Bio
Samuel William Surridge, born on 28 July 1998, is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club Nashville SC. Standing 191 centimeters tall, Surridge has built his career through a steady climb from non-league loan spells to the Premier League and onto the international stage of North American soccer. He is recognized for his finishing ability, consistent goal-scoring record, and role as a Designated Player for his current club.
After progressing through the AFC Bournemouth academy, Surridge gained valuable first-team experience across several English clubs before earning a Premier League debut and eventually securing a major transfer abroad. His performances in the United States have included hat-tricks, deep cup runs, and silverware, marking him as one of the leading English strikers playing outside of England.
Early Life and Background
Samuel William Surridge was born in Slough, Berkshire, England, on 28 July 1998. At the age of seven, his family relocated to Ferndown, Dorset, where he spent his formative years. Growing up in Dorset, Surridge developed an early interest in football and joined local club Bournemouth Sports before taking the next step in his development.
At fourteen, Surridge joined the AFC Bournemouth academy, where he quickly established himself as a promising forward. He returned to the Cherries setup via the under-15s and was soon offered a scholarship, scoring freely for the club’s youth teams. His performances at youth level attracted attention from non-league clubs, leading to his first loan spell and the beginning of his senior career.
Path to Professional Soccer
Surridge’s professional journey began with a loan move to Weymouth in 2015, followed by another loan at Poole Town, where he played a key role during their debut season in the National League South in 2016–17. These early non-league experiences gave him a foundation in senior football and prepared him for the rigors of the English Football League.
On 3 August 2017, Surridge joined League Two club Yeovil Town on loan until the end of the season. He made his Football League debut as a second-half substitute against Luton Town and went on to score ten goals across fifty-three appearances in all competitions for the Glovers. He followed that with a season-long loan at Oldham Athletic in 2018, where he won the League Two Player of the Month award after scoring five goals in four matches in September.
Sam Surridge Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
Surridge’s earliest senior appearances came through loan spells at Weymouth and Poole Town, where he adjusted to the demands of adult football. His move to Yeovil Town in 2017 represented his first taste of the Football League, and he quickly became a regular contributor, finishing the campaign with ten goals in fifty-three matches.
At Oldham Athletic the following season, Surridge emerged as one of the top scorers in League Two. He earned the division’s Player of the Month award in September 2018 and finished the first half of the campaign with twelve goals in twenty appearances. He also scored against Premier League side Fulham in the FA Cup, converting a penalty in a 2–1 upset win before being recalled by Bournemouth in January 2019.
AFC Bournemouth Breakthrough (2019–2021)
Surridge made his Premier League debut for AFC Bournemouth on 28 February 2019, replacing Ryan Fraser in the 80th minute of a 5–1 loss to Arsenal. He was awarded the club’s Under-21 Player of the Year award on 14 May 2019, recognizing his progress across loan spells and his first-team introduction.
On 6 August 2019, Surridge joined Championship club Swansea City on a season-long loan, where he scored seven goals in twenty-three appearances before being recalled in January 2020. He signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with Bournemouth and scored his first goal for the Cherries in an FA Cup fourth-round defeat to Arsenal. Although he appeared to have scored his first Premier League goal against Southampton, the strike was ruled out by VAR.
Stoke City Era (2021)
On 4 August 2021, Surridge joined Stoke City on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee. He made an immediate impact, scoring the winning goal on his debut against Reading and finding the net in early EFL Cup ties against Fleetwood Town and Doncaster Rovers, as well as in a league match against Barnsley.
However, Surridge’s form declined after the opening matches, and he failed to score in his next fifteen appearances. Following a red card against Peterborough United in an altercation with Josh Knight, he was allowed to leave Stoke in the January transfer window after just six months at the club.
Nottingham Forest Era (2022–2023)
On 31 January 2022, Surridge joined Nottingham Forest for a reported fee of £2.2 million. He debuted on 6 February in an FA Cup fourth-round win over Leicester City and scored his first goal for the club in the next round against Huddersfield Town. Across the second half of the 2021–22 season, he scored seven goals in twenty Championship appearances, helping Forest earn promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs.
Following promotion, Surridge remained with Forest for their Premier League campaign but struggled for regular starts, making twenty league appearances with only one as a starter. He scored once, on 21 January 2023, in a 1–1 draw at Bournemouth, before departing the club.
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. He signed a contract through 2026, with an option to extend for the 2027 season, marking a major step in his career.
Surridge quickly established himself as a key figure for Nashville. 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 achieve the feat after Hany Mukhtar. On 26 April 2025, he netted four goals in a 7–2 rout of Chicago Fire, and on 16 September 2025, he delivered a hat-trick in a 3–1 U.S. Open Cup semi-final win over Philadelphia Union, sending Nashville to their first-ever U.S. Open Cup final. Nashville won the final, with Surridge scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Surridge’s most notable achievements are his hat-tricks for Nashville SC, his U.S. Open Cup-winning goal, and his role in Nottingham Forest’s promotion to the Premier League. He also represented England at under-21 level, making a goalscoring debut in a 2–2 draw against Slovenia on 11 October 2019.
Sam Surridge Career Wins
Across his career in English football and Major League Soccer, Sam Surridge has accumulated a steady record of goals through loan spells, league campaigns, and cup competitions. His most significant silverware to date is the U.S. Open Cup won with Nashville SC, where he also scored the decisive goal in the final.
Nashville SC Highlights
Since joining Nashville SC, Surridge has scored multiple hat-tricks, including performances against CF Montréal and Philadelphia Union, as well as a four-goal outing against Chicago Fire. His contributions helped Nashville reach and win the U.S. Open Cup final for the first time in club history.
Other Wins and Performances
Earlier in his career, Surridge won the League Two Player of the Month award while on loan at Oldham Athletic and earned AFC Bournemouth’s Under-21 Player of the Year award in 2019. He also played a supporting role in Nottingham Forest’s promotion campaign from the Championship in 2022.
Sam Surridge Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Samuel William Surridge was raised in Slough, Berkshire, before his family moved to Ferndown, Dorset, when he was seven years old. He began his footballing journey with local club Bournemouth Sports before entering the AFC Bournemouth academy. Public information about his immediate family or personal relationships is not widely documented.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 Major League Soccer season has been a landmark campaign for Sam Surridge and Nashville SC. He opened the year with a four-goal performance in a 7–2 win over Chicago Fire on 26 April, signaling his form at the top of the season.
His most significant contribution came in the U.S. Open Cup, where his hat-trick against Philadelphia Union in the semi-final propelled Nashville into the final. Surridge then scored the winning goal from the penalty spot as Nashville lifted the trophy, marking the club’s first major cup success.
With his contract running through 2026 and an option for an additional year, Surridge remains central to Nashville’s ambitions in both domestic and continental competition heading into the remainder of the season.