Sam Folarin
{{Short description|English footballer (born 2000)}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Sam Folarin
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname = Samuel Oluwatimilehin Adetokunbo Folarin{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/202021/efl-squad-numbering-11.09.2020.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Middlesbrough |publisher=English Football League |page=41 |accessdate=17 September 2020}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|9|23|df=y}}{{cite web | url=https://www.mfc.co.uk/teams/middlesbrough/sam-folarin | title=Sam Folarin| publisher=Middlesbrough F.C. | accessdate=15 September 2020 | website=mfc.co.uk}}
|birth_place = Lambeth, England
|height =
|position = Winger
|currentclub = Hartlepool United
|clubnumber = 27
|youthyears1 = 2013–2017
|youthclubs1 = Wandsworth Town
|youthyears2 = 2017–2018
|youthclubs2 = Tooting & Mitcham United
|years1 = 2018–2019
|clubs1 = Tooting & Mitcham United
|caps1 = 5
|goals1 = 0
|years2 = 2019–2022
|clubs2 = Middlesbrough
|caps2 = 2
|goals2 = 0
|years3 = 2022
|clubs3 = → Queen of the South (loan)
|caps3 = 7
|goals3 = 0
|years4 = 2022–2025
|clubs4 = Harrogate Town
|caps4 = 73
|goals4 = 9
|years5 = 2025–
|clubs5 = Hartlepool United
|caps5 = 15
|goals5 = 1
|club-update = 20:59, 26 April 2025 (UTC)
}}
Samuel Oluwatimilehin Adetokunbo Folarin (born 23 September 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for {{English football updater|HartlepU}} club Hartlepool United.
Style of play
Folarin originally played at right-wingback when he was at Tooting & Mitcham United but was converted to a striker/right winger after moving to Middlesbrough.{{cite web | url=https://nonleaguedaily.com/i-had-to-get-used-to-the-team-banter-and-the-northern-accents-tooting-to-teesside-for-middlesbroughs-sam-folarin/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426153446/https://nonleaguedaily.com/i-had-to-get-used-to-the-team-banter-and-the-northern-accents-tooting-to-teesside-for-middlesbroughs-sam-folarin/ | url-status=usurped | archive-date=April 26, 2020 | title=Tooting To Teesside For Middlesbrough's Sam Folarin| publisher=Non League Daily | accessdate=15 September 2020 | website=nonleaguedaily.com| date=22 April 2020}}
Club career
Folarin started his career in the youth ranks at Wandsworth Town before moving to Tooting & Mitcham United in search of senior first team football.{{cite web | url=https://www.fwgconsultants.org/an-interview-with-sam-folarin| title=An Interview... With Sam Folarin| publisher=FWG Consultants | accessdate=15 September 2020 | website=fwgconsultants.org| date=4 November 2019}} After a breaking into the first-team in the 2018–19 season, he was offered a trial at Charlton Athletic but was not signed by the London club. After a subsequent trial at Middlesbrough, Folarin was offered a contract along with team-mate Isaiah Jones.{{cite web | url=https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/tooting-mitcham-to-keep-faith-with-blooding-youth-after-deals-done-with-charlton-and-middlesbrough-for-trio/| title=Tooting & Mitcham To Keep Faith With Blooding Youths After Deals Done With Charlton And Middlesbrough For Trio | publisher=London News Online | accessdate=15 September 2020 | website=londonnewsonline.co.uk| date=13 June 2019 }}
On 15 September 2020, Folarin debuted for Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup in a 2–0 defeat versus Barnsley at the Riverside Stadium.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54067172 | title=Middlesbrough 0–2 Barnsley| publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=15 September 2020 | website=bbc.co.uk| date=15 September 2020}} In January 2021, Folarin scored his first senior goal against Brentford in the FA Cup.
On 26 January 2022, Folarin joined Scottish Championship club Queen of the South on loan, for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/sam-folarin-loaned-to-queen-of-the-south |title=Sam Folarin loaned to Queen of the South |publisher=Middlesbrough FC |date=26 January 2022 |accessdate=26 January 2022}}
In August 2022, he joined League Two side Harrogate Town on a full-time basis.{{Cite web |title=Harrogate Town AFC - Sam Folarin |url=https://www.harrogatetownafc.com/Teams/First-Team/Sam-Folarin |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=www.harrogatetownafc.com |language=en}} On 17 May 2024, he signed a new one-year deal with Harrogate.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cv2xgkxylw7o |title=Sam Folarin: Harrogate Town forward agrees new one-year contract |website=BBC Sport |date=17 May 2024 |access-date=19 May 2024}}
On 24 January 2025, Folarin signed for National League side Hartlepool United for an undisclosed fee. {{cite web|url=https://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/sam-folarin-signs-for-pools/|title=Sam Folarin signs for Pools|website=www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk|date=24 January 2025|accessdate=24 January 2025}}
Career statistics
{{updated|26 April 2025}}{{soccerway|samuel-folarin/607523}}
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Hartlepool United F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Folarin, Sam}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Lambeth
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Tooting & Mitcham United F.C. players
Category:Middlesbrough F.C. players
Category:Queen of the South F.C. players
Category:Harrogate Town A.F.C. players
Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players
Category:Isthmian League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Scottish Professional Football League players
Category:Black British sportsmen