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Samuel John Small joined Rovers at the start of the 1933/34 season. He had previously played for Aston Villa Colts where it was reported he scored 22 goals in 11 games!
He was a goal scoring sensation for the Rovers that season, his only season for the club.
He scored an amazing 40 goals in 26 matches including 6 hat-tricks (or more!) and in the process set the record for goals scored in a season, passing George Bushnells previous best of 34 in the 1927/28 season.
Not surprisingly after such feats he was destined for bigger things. In November 1933, he appeared for Reading Reserves in a trial match and was eventually transferred to Birmingham in March 1934, initially playing for Birmingham "A" in the Combination. Rovers eventually received a donation from Birmingham of £20 for the transfer of Sammy.
In the 1934-35 season he made 6 Football League appearances for the Blues, and he was was the leading scorer for the reserves in the central league in the 1936/37 season before signing for West Ham United in January 1937.
He scored the only goal in the Football League War Cup final against Blackburn Rovers in 1940.
After 116 league and cup appearances and 41 goals for the east London club, Small transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion in March 1948 and made 38 league appearances without return.
He died in Birmingham aged 81 in 1993.
Rovers Stats:
Debut: vs Leamington Town, Birmingham Combination, Victoria Ground, 28 August 1933, 4-0. He scored twice.
Last game: vs Wolverhampton Wanderers "A", Birmingham Combination, Victoria Ground, 3 March 1934, 3-2. He scored.
Five goals in a game:
vs Walsall Reserves, Birmingham Combination, Victoria Ground, 21 October 1933, 6-3.
Four goals in a game:
vs Bournville Athletic, Birmingham Combination, Victoria Ground, 20 January 1934, 6-1.
Hat-tricks:
vs Atherstone Town, Birmingham Combination, Victoria Ground, 9 September 1933, 5-1.
vs Bournville Athletic, Birmingham Combination, Bournville, 16 September 1933, 3-0.
vs Halesowen Town, Birmingham Combination, The Grove, 2 December 1933, 3-1.
vs Darlaston, Birmingham Combination, Victoria Ground, 6 January 1934, 4-4.
1933/34: 26 appearances, 40 goals
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D.O.B:
15/05/1912
Born:
Gosta Green, Birmingham
D.O.D:
19/12/1993
Died:
Birmingham
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