Elisha Bruce Sam (born 31 March 1997) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Cypriot club Enosis Neon Paralimni.[1]

Elisha Sam
Personal information
Full name Elisha Bruce Sam
Date of birth (1997-03-31) 31 March 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Antwerp, Belgium
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Enosis Neon Paralimni
Number 19
Youth career
2003–2007 Vlug Vooruit
2007–2014 Lierse
2014–2019 Standard Liège
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Hapoel Acre 7 (0)
2018Hapoel Nazareth Illit (loan) 15 (1)
2018–2019 FC Eindhoven 33 (8)
2019–2020 Arda Kardzhali 16 (3)
2020–2022 Notts County 49 (9)
2022–2024 Patro Eisden 47 (17)
2024– Enosis Neon Paralimni 5 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 May 2024

Career

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Elisha made his Israeli Premier League debut for Hapoel Acre on 20 August 2017 in a game against Bnei Sakhnin as a 71st-minute substitute for Fejsal Mulić.[2]

On 31 August 2018, he moved to the Netherlands, signing a one-year contract with FC Eindhoven, with the club holding a one-year extension option.[3]

On 26 June 2019, he signed a contract with the newly promoted to the Bulgarian First League team Arda Kardzhali.[4] On 27 July, he scored two goals in a 3–1 home victory over Beroe, contributing to the historic first win for the team from Kardzhali in the top division of Bulgarian football.[5]

On 31 August 2020, he signed for English National League side Notts County.[6] Sam scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw at Halifax Town on 17 November 2020, before scoring again against Wealdstone in a 3–0 win 10 days later. On 27 February 2021, Sam scored a stunning back-heel volley in the club's FA Trophy quarter-final win over Oxford City, with many pundits already calling it the Puskás Award winner for the year.[7][8] Sam was awarded the National League Player of the Month award for February 2022, scoring four goals across the month.[9] On 1 June 2022, Sam had his contract terminated by mutual consent.[10]

On 23 June, Elisha signed a contract with the Belgian team Patro Eisden Maasmechelen, which plays in the Belgian National Division 1.[11]

Personal life

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His two-year younger brother Ephraim Sam played in the youth of K.A.A. Gent, Merksemse Vlug Vooruit and Lierse S.K., as well as senior by Olympic Pirates Deurne Borgerhout and KVC Oostmalle Sport.[12] Their father hails from Ghana, while their mother is from Belgium.[13]

Career statistics

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As of match played 12 December 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hapoel Acre 2017–18[14] Israeli Premier League 7 0 0 0 5 1 12 1
Hapoel Nof HaGalil (loan) 2017–18[14] Liga Leumit 15 1 15 1
FC Eindhoven 2018–19[14] Eerste Divisie 33 8 0 0 33 8
Arda Kardzhali 2019–20[14] Bulgarian First League 18 3 1 0 19 3
Notts County 2020–21[14] National League 26 3 0 0 6[c] 4 32 7
2021–22[14] National League 23 6 2 0 2[d] 2 27 8
Total 49 9 2 0 8 6 59 15
Patro Eisden Maasmechelen 2022–23[14] Belgian National Division 1 16 9 2 2 18 11
Career total 138 30 5 2 5 1 8 6 156 39
  1. ^ Includes appearances in Bulgarian Cup, FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes appearances in Toto Cup
  3. ^ Five appearances in 2020–21 FA Trophy, one appearance in 2019–20 FA Trophy
  4. ^ Appearances in FA Trophy

References

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  1. ^ Elisha Sam at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Game Report by Soccerway". Soccerway. 20 August 2017.
  3. ^ "Spits Elisha Sam naar FC Eindhoven" [Striker Elisha Sam to FC Eindhoven] (in Dutch). FC Eindhoven. 31 August 2018. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  4. ^ Трима футболисти минаха прегледи в АРДА
  5. ^ "Arda Kardzhali vs. Beroe Stara Zagora 3:1". flashscore.com. 27 July 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Sam signs". Notts County FC official club website. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Puskas contender Elisha Sam scores stunning backheel volley for Notts County". The Guardian. 27 February 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Notts County's Elisha Sam scores Puskas contender with incredible back-heel volley in win against Oxford City". Talk Sport. 27 February 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  9. ^ "National League's February Monthly Award Winners Announced!". www.thenationalleague.org.uk. 7 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Elisha Sam departs". www.nottscountyfc.co.uk. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Welkom Elisha Sam". www.patroeisden.be. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  12. ^ "naam Elisha Sam alleen mijn broer Ephraim had gescout", zegt de Merksemnaar". HLN.be.
  13. ^ "Iedereen noemt me Eli." "Mijn vader komt uit Ghana, moeder is Belgische". HBVL.be.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "E. Sam: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 22 May 2022.