ℹ️ PERS. INFORMATION
Name: Sam Carman
Date of birth: 02/01/2006
Place of birth: Watford hospital
Language: English
Club: Free Agent
Favourite position: Goalkeeper
Favourite foot: Right Foot
⚽️ CLUB HISTORY
| Club | Years |
|---|---|
| Crystal Palace FC | Youth |
| Exeter City FC | Youth |
| Milton Keynes Dons FC | Youth |
| Hemel Hempstead Town FC | Youth – 2024 |
Interview:
Introduce yourself…
I’m a professional footballer that signed his scholarship at 16 and made his professional debut at 17. At 18, I signed my first-team contract with the pros. I have lots of Academy backgrounds, including playing for Crystal Palace FC, Exeter City FC and Milton Keynes Dons FC. I’m also part of Hemel Hempstead Town FC history these days, with whom we ensured penalty runs came against Sheffield Wednesday FC in the FA Youth Cup. I’ve played in Hemel biggest rivalry game versus St Albans City FC, in which I managed to save a penalty at age 17.
How important is football for you?
Football is everything I think about when I’m relaxing. Football will always be in front of me whether I’m playing it or watching it, it’s all I have ever known. It’s a stress relief and distracts me from all of my problems.
What are your specific qualities as a goalkeeper ?
My specific qualities as a goalkeeper are distribution, I like to be an extra player to use at the back line. I also adding to that another great quality as a goalkeeper, which is stopping shots. I’m very flexible and have sharp reactions.
Who are the most important people within your football scenery?
The most important play people in a football environment are your teammates, because they are not only players but also become your family. You build relationships on and off the pitch, which helps relate and understand one another. I would also a one-to-one basis my goalkeeper coach as we spend the most time together. Helping develop and improve my knowledge of the game.
You have been playing at Hemel Hempstead Town FC for several years. How did you end up in Hemel Hempstead Town FC’s youth academy? And who helped you the most?
I end up at Hemel Hempstead Town FC through a trial game, which led me receive a trial at the Hemel Academy. I would say the person that helped me the most is definitely the goalkeeping coach, he taught me everything and more about goalkeeping and how vital. He put pressure on me as he wanted the best for me, he understood me and was always harsh on me, which led me to be mentally strong.
When did you make your debut and how important was that moment for you ?
I made my debut on 8th of july 2023 versus Barnet FC in a cup game. This date is everything I ever dreamed of, everything I ever worked for. Being able to make my debut in front of family, friends and fans was something that will long live forever in my heart. It was a feeling that I always chased as a kid growing up, playing in my garden. It’s all I ever used to talk about it all I ever wanted.
For Hemel Hempstead FC, you are a real key figure within the club’s academy. How important is that to you ?
It feels great being a role model being a key figure within the club Academy as it shows a pathway to other players that may have doubts in their career. I want to show and for them to read about me and understand. I work every minute of my life to become the best player I can be. I want them to realise that nothing is impossible. It doesn’t matter about your race are if your family is financially unstable, all that matters is that you have a dream.
What is your best moment in your football career?
The best moment in my football career has to be saving a penalty in the last minute versus Brighton & Hove Albion FC, which led to us winning the game 1-0. This was my first interaction in the game. This is what got my surname Carman out there. It’s something that I dreamt about day in day out, as a kid and the feeling after saving that penalty I felt unstoppable, I felt hungry. I felt like I wanted more, these moments that I live for. Being able to save a last-minute pen away in front of people that watch you grow up from a small child with a dream to a man stepping out on a lonely pitch and going to war and saving his team, this felt unreal.
What are your personal goals this season?
My personal goals this season are to get minutes under my belt gain experience getting knowledge, work hard, get better settle down into an environment that appreciates me and the work that I put in.
Sam, what’s your ultimate dream?
My ultimate dream, I will let God decide what’s best for me. Everything happens for a reason and if something is meant to be then it will work out if it’s not then it won’t let’s see where I end up.
