Sam Saunders

Sam Daniel Saunders (born 29 August 1983) is an English professional football midfielder, currently playing for Wycombe Wanderers. He began his career in non-League football and in 2007 was part of the Dagenham & Redbridge side which was promoted to the Football League for the first time in the club's history and later made over 200 appearances for Brentford. He is a set piece specialist.

Early years and non-league

Saunders began his career at Charlton Athletic, spending five years in the club's youth setup at age 15. He spent a year in the academy at Fulham, but was unable to win a contract and dropped into non-League football when he signed for Southern League Premier Division side Welling United's youth team in the summer of 2000. While with Welling, Saunders returned to Fulham briefly to appear in a youth tournament in Marseilles, but was unable to win a scholarship deal. Saunders played sparingly for Welling before moving to Southern League Division One East side Ashford Town on 7 March 2002. Saunders moved to the Isthmian League Premier Division to join Carshalton Athletic in February 2004 and he helped the club to a seventh-place finish. After being allocated to the newly created Conference South, the Robins narrowly avoided relegation during Saunders' solitary full season on the club's the books.

Dagenham & Redbridge

Saunders joined Conference Premier side Dagenham & Redbridge in the summer of 2005 after being spotted by Dagenham scouts while playing for Carshalton Athletic during the 2004–05 season. Injuries disrupted the start of Saunders' first season at Dagenham, but following a starting appearance in a 2–1 league win over Tamworth on 21 January 2006, he became a regular in the first team until the end of the season. Saunders scored his first goal for the club with a Dagenham's second in a 2–2 draw with Stevenage Borough on 18 February 2006 and followed up with his second goal 10 days later in a 4–2 FA Trophy quarter-final replay defeat to Grays Athletic. Saunders made 29 appearances during the 2005–06 season and scored three goals as Dagenham finished in mid-table. Saunders was a virtual ever-present during the 2006–07 season, making 43 appearances and scoring three goals as Dagenham raced to the Conference title and secured promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history.

Into the Football League (2007–2009)

Saunders started each of Dagenham's first 10 games in League Two and played in the club's first ever League Cup tie on 14 August 2007, which ended in a 2–1 defeat to Luton Town. Saunders scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 Football League Trophy shootout defeat to Southend United on 4 September. A medial ligament problem in October saw Saunders miss over two months of the season. Saunders endured another injury-hit spell between late January and early April 2008 and finished the 2007–08 season with 25 appearances and one goal. Saunders began the 2008–09 season in excellent form, hitting his first brace in a 6–0 opening day win over Chester City and following up with three goals in three games from late August to mid September, taking his tally to five goals in seven games. He received the first red card of his career in a 3–2 victory over Rochdale on 24 January 2009. Beginning with an injury time equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Chesterfield on 14 March, Saunders finished the season with a run of six goals in eight games, as Dagenham narrowly missed out on the League Two playoffs. His form won him the League Two Player of the Month award for April 2009. It turned out to be Saunders' final season for the Daggers, in which he made 45 appearances and scored 14 goals. During his four seasons at Dagenham, Saunders made 142 appearances and scored 21 goals.

Brentford

League One (2009–2012)

In June 2009, Saunders (along with Dagenham & Redbridge teammates Danny Foster and Ben Strevens) signed for League One side Brentford on free transfers, with Saunders agreeing a three-year deal. Used as a wide midfield player by Andy Scott, Saunders began the 2009–10 season as a starter, before falling out of favour in October and being used as an impact substitute. Saunders had to wait for his final appearance of the season to score his first Brentford goal, which came via a free kick late in the second half in a 1–1 draw with Yeovil Town on 24 April 2010. Despite being featuring mainly from the bench, Saunders made 30 appearances during the 2009–10 season. Saunders found himself behind Nicky Adams, Robbie Simpson, Sam Wood and Lewis Grabban in the wide-midfield pecking order at the start of the 2010–11 season and didn't make an appearance until 18 September 2010. He requested a loan move, which was rejected by Andy Scott. Saunders had to wait until 9 November to make his first start of the season, in a Football League Trophy quarter-final shootout win over Swindon Town.

Saunders admitted that the first few months of the 2010–11 season were the most difficult of his career. After Andy Scott was sacked in February 2011, teammate Nicky Forster was given the manager's job until the end of the season and immediately reinstated Saunders to the starting line-up. Saunders scored Brentford's first goal in their 2–1 Football League Trophy semi-final second leg win over Exeter City on 7 February, which sent the Bees to the final at Wembley Stadium. He started in the 2011 Football League Trophy Final, but came away empty-handed as Brentford lost 1–0 to Carlisle United. Saunders made 27 appearances during the 2010–11 season, scoring three goals. Under new manager Uwe Rösler, Saunders made regular appearances at the start of the 2011–12 season and scored a brace in a 5–0 drubbing of Leyton Orient on 20 August 2011. He went on a goalscoring run in September and October, scoring four goals in six games, helping Brentford to a winning position in each game. He came into form again in January 2012, scoring three goals in five games. Saunders signed a one-year contract extension in late February 2012 and celebrated by scoring the opening goal in the 2–1 loss to Yeovil Town on 3 March 2012. He finished the 2011–12 season having made 43 appearances, a seasonal-best 12 goals and he was also credited with 9 assists.

Challenging for promotion (2012–2014)

Saunders began the 2012–13 season as a first-choice at the top of a midfield diamond formation, but was dropped to the bench in mid-September following the return of the injured Harry Forrester. He scored his first goal of the season in a 1–0 Football League Trophy second round win over Crawley Town on 9 October. Still featuring mainly from the bench, Saunders had to wait till 26 February 2013 for his second goal of the season, which came again against Crawley Town in a 2–1 league win. He scored the only goal on 16 March versus Preston North End, to take his tally to two goals in three games. Saunders appeared in each of Brentford's three end-of-season playoff games as a substitute, but he was unable to help the Bees to victory in the 2013 League One Playoff Final. Saunders was rewarded in June 2013 with a new two-year contract. He made 44 appearances and scored three goals during the 2012–13 season.

Saunders began the 2013–14 season with starting roles in cup games and substitute cameos in the league. He had to wait until 22 October 2013 for his first goal of the season, which came in a 2–1 away victory over Bristol City. An illness suffered by George Saville brought Saunders into the game as a first-half substitute against Preston North End on 21 December and late in the second half he capped a fine Brentford performance by scoring the third goal in a 3–0 victory. He went on to score in four consecutive games and Saunders' form garnered him the December 2013 League One Player of the Month award. Saunders was sidelined with a knee problem in mid-January 2014, which required surgery in February and ended his season. In his absence, the Bees went on to win automatic promotion to secure a place in the Championship for the 2014–15 season.

Championship (2014–present)

Saunders travelled with the Brentford squad to the IMG Academy in Florida in the summer of 2014 for a pre-season training camp, revealing on 6 July that his injured knee was "fine". The knee subsequently became inflamed and he failed to return to full training until 14 October. Saunders made his first competitive appearance in 11 months with a late cameo in a 3–2 victory over Millwall on 8 November. He failed to appear again until Boxing Day, but made his presence felt, scoring two late goals after coming on for Alan Judge in the second half of a 4–2 defeat to Ipswich Town. Saunders signed a one-year contract extension on 15 January 2015. He finished 2014–15 with just six appearances and two goals and spent the final three months of the season away on loan.

A hamstring injury suffered while on loan in May 2015 prevented Saunders from appearing at all in Brentford's 2015–16 pre-season and he returned to full training in early August. He made his first appearance of the campaign as a late substitute for Konstantin Kerschbaumer in a 3–1 defeat to Reading on 29 August, but was ruled out again after the match for a period of further rehabilitation. He returned in November, making frequent second-half substitute appearances under interim heach coach Lee Carsley and his replacement Dean Smith. Saunders made his first start in almost exactly two years when he played the opening 63 minutes of a 1–0 defeat to Middlesbrough on 12 January 2016. After two further starts, he scored his first goal of the season in a 1–1 draw with Leeds United. On 5 February, Saunders signed a new one-year contract, which will keep him at Griffin Park until the end of the 2016–17 season. He lost his starting berth to Konstantin Kerschbaumer in February, but regained it in March and scored goals in wins versus Ipswich Town and West London rivals Fulham in April. Saunders finished the 2015–16 season with 25 appearances, his highest tally since 2012–13.

After 67 minutes of a league match versus Ipswich Town on 13 August 2016, Saunders came on as a substitute for Maxime Colin to make his 200th appearance for Brentford. By mid-January 2017 and having failed to make an appearance in nearly three months, co-director of football Rasmus Ankersen revealed that the club were open to offers for Saunders and he departed Griffin Park on 20 January 2017. During seven-and-a-half years with Brentford, Saunders made 206 appearances and scored 30 goals.

Wycombe Wanderers (loan and permanent transfer)

On 27 February 2015, Saunders joined League Two side Wycombe Wanderers on a one-month loan, linking up with fellow Brentford loanees Alfie Mawson and Nico Yennaris. He made his debut the following day with a start in a 2–2 draw with Stevenage. After four further starts, Saunders' loan was extended until the end of the 2014–15 season. He celebrated his extension by scoring his first goal for the club in a 3–2 victory over Luton Town on 24 March and he netted again four games later, with the opener in a 2–1 win over Exeter City. Saunders' season ended in double heartbreak, as he was substituted with a torn calf less than a minute into the Chairboys' shootout defeat to Southend United in the playoff final. He made 14 appearances and scored two goals during his spell at Adams Park.

Nearly two years after he initially joined the club on loan, Saunders signed an 18-month permanent contract with Wycombe Wanderers on a free transfer on 20 January 2017.

As a player

Dagenham & Redbridge

• Football Conference Premier: 2006–07

Brentford

• Football League One runner-up: 2013–14

As an individual

• Football League One Player of the Month: December 2013
• Football League Two Player of the Month: April 2009

Before becoming a professional footballer, Saunders worked as an electrician for the London Underground. Looking back in 2011, he remarked "it was a horrible job but it was money and gave me the opportunity to go out and play. I used to start work at half 10 at night and get in at five or six in the morning. I would go training in the evening then go straight into work again. When John Still came calling I couldn't say no, even though I had to take a pay cut to get back into football. My parents told me they would have my back which was great, but luckily the gamble paid off. I enjoy every second of it and don't want it to stop. I appreciate the position I'm in being able to earn a living from doing something I love". Saunders was invited by the Hounslow Chronicle to write a column during Brentford's 2013–14 season, which ran from August 2013 until June 2014. Saunders has undertaken occasional television work, appearing on BBC Late Kick Off in April 2014 and as a pundit for Sky Sports' Football League coverage. Saunders co-owns custom swimwear company Thomas Royall with fellow footballers Liam Ridgewell and John Terry.

As of match played 21 January 2017.