# Sam Shearer
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{{short description|Scottish footballer (1883–1971)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Sam Shearer
| image =
| fullname = Samuel Bridgman Shearer
| birth_date = {{birth date|1883|12|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = [Coylton](/source/Coylton), Scotland
| death_date = {{death date and age|1971|09|05|1883|12|29|df=y}}
| death_place = [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh), PA, USA
| height =
| position = [Inside-forward](/source/Inside-forward)
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = –
| youthclubs1 = [Trabboch](/source/Trabboch)
| years1 = 1908–1910
| clubs1 = [Southampton](/source/Southampton_F.C.)
| caps1 = 17
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1910–1912
| clubs2 = [Nithsdale Wanderers](/source/Nithsdale_Wanderers_F.C.)
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1912–1913
| clubs3 = [Bradford Park Avenue](/source/Bradford_Park_Avenue_A.F.C.)
| caps3 = 1
| goals3 = 0
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
}}
'''Samuel Bridgman Shearer''' (29 December 1883 – 5 September 1971) was a Scottish [footballer](/source/association_football) who played at [inside-forward](/source/inside-forward) for [Southampton](/source/Southampton_F.C.) and [Bradford Park Avenue](/source/Bradford_Park_Avenue_A.F.C.) in the early 20th century.
==Football career==
Shearer was born in [Coylton](/source/Coylton) in [South Ayrshire](/source/South_Ayrshire) and started his football career in [Scottish Junior Football](/source/Scottish_Junior_Football_Association) with [Trabboch](/source/Trabboch) before being invited for a trial at [Southampton](/source/Southampton_F.C.) in the summer of 1908. He showed "''considerable promise''" in the trial matches and was rewarded with a professional contract.[{{cite book | title=The Alphabet of the Saints|last= Holley |first= Duncan |last2= Chalk|first2= Gary| publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing | year=1992| isbn=0-9514862-3-3|page=303}}]
He made his debut for the "Saints" in the opening match of the 1908–09 [Southern League](/source/Southern_Football_League) season, a 3–1 draw at [Brighton](/source/Brighton_%26_Hove_Albion_F.C.), but after four appearances, he lost his place to [Frank Jordan](/source/Frank_Jordan_(footballer)) 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.[{{cite book | title=Saints – A complete record|last= Chalk|first= Gary|last2=Holley|first2= Duncan | publisher= Breedon Books| year=1987| isbn= 0-907969-22-4|pages=44–45}}]
In the summer of 1909, Saints signed [Sam Brittleton](/source/Sam_Brittleton) who took over at inside-left, before losing out in turn to [Bob Carter](/source/Robert_Carter_(footballer)). 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 [first-team](/source/first_team_(association_football)) appearances.[{{cite book | title=Saints – A complete record|pages=46–47}}]
He returned to Scotland in the summer of 1910 to join [Nithsdale Wanderers](/source/Nithsdale_Wanderers_F.C.) of [Dumfries](/source/Dumfries), before returning to England with [Bradford Park Avenue](/source/Bradford_Park_Avenue_A.F.C.) in December 1912.