| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Samuel James Hart[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1996-09-10)10 September 1996 (age 29) | ||
| Place of birth | Bolton, England[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back;left-winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Falkirk (on loan fromPort Vale) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Manchester United | |||
| 2013–2016 | Liverpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2017 | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | →Port Vale (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2017–2020 | Blackburn Rovers | 3 | (0) |
| 2018 | →Rochdale (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | →Rochdale (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2019 | →Southend United (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2020 | →Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Southend United | 21 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Oldham Athletic | 31 | (1) |
| 2022–2024 | Sutton United | 50 | (0) |
| 2024– | Port Vale | 22 | (1) |
| 2025– | →Falkirk (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:21, 20 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Samuel James Hart (born 10 September 1996) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as aleft-back forScottish Premiership clubFalkirk, on loan fromEFL League One clubPort Vale.
Hart began his career atLiverpool, where he made his first-team debut in a pre-seasonfriendly in August 2016. He played onloan atPort Vale during the 2016–17 season and was sold on toBlackburn Rovers in August 2017. He joinedRochdale on loan in January 2018 and again for the 2018–19 season. He joinedSouthend United on loan in January 2019 and then loaned out toShrewsbury Town in January 2020. He joinedSouthend United permanently in November 2020 and then signed forOldham Athletic in June 2021. He signed withSutton United in June 2022 and spent two years with the club before he joined Port Vale. He was promoted out ofLeague Two with the club at the end of the 2024–25 season. He joined Scottish Premiership club Falkirk on loan in September 2025.
Hart moved from theManchester United Academy to theLiverpool Academy whilst an under-16 level player.[3] He made his first appearance forLiverpool on 7 August 2016, coming on as a second-halfsubstitute in a 4–0friendly defeat toMainz 05 at theOpel Arena.[4]
In August 2016, Hart joinedLeague One sidePort Vale onloan for the2016–17 season, asmanagerBruno Ribeiro needed cover for injured duoKiko andAdam Yates.[5] He made his debut in professional football on 27 August, coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute forJerome Thomas in a 3–1 win overScunthorpe United atVale Park.[6] With Thomas injured, Hart made his first league start on 27 September, playing at left-wing in a 3–1 home win overMillwall.[7] His performance impressed Ribeiro, who stated that Hart played well enough to guarantee himself either the left-back or left-wing spot in the next game.[8] He scored his first goal in senior football on 29 October, in a 3–1 defeat to hometown clubBolton Wanderers at theMacron Stadium.[9] Hart's loan deal was cut short afterMichael Brown succeeded Ribeiro as manager in January 2017; he had made 12 starts and four substitute appearances for the "Valiants", often out of position on the left and right-wing.[10] He was reportedly targeted byGrimsby Town for a loan deal in July 2017.[11]
On 31 August 2017, Hart signed a two-year deal with League One sideBlackburn Rovers after he was purchased for an undisclosed fee.[12] On 18 January 2018, he joined fellow League One sideRochdale on loan until the end of the2017–18 season, having featured just seven times forTony Mowbray's Rovers.[13] ManagerKeith Hill needed cover at left-back having soldJoe Bunney toNorthampton Town.[14] Hart featured just three times for the "Dale" during his time atSpotland, though came on as a substitute in the final day win overCharlton Athletic that secured the club's League One status.[15]
On 30 August 2018, Hart returned to Rochdale on loan for the remainder of the2018–19 season.[16] He said: "I'm really happy. I have got a bond with the football club and the people here, so I am excited to be back".[17] He made 13 appearances, but did not feature after playing in a 4–2 defeat atOxford United on 27 November, and was recalled to Blackburn on 2 January.[18] On 15 January 2019, he returned to League One, joiningSouthend United on loan until the end of the2018–19 season.[19] He made his "Shrimpers" debut four days later, playing at left-wing-back in a 4–0 win atBradford City; after the game managerChris Powell said that he was pleased with Hart's performance.[20] Hart went on to sign a one-yearcontract extension at Blackburn the following week, keeping him tied to the club until 2020.[21]
He missed the first half of the2019–20 season after picking up ahamstring injury in pre-season.[22] On 17 January 2020, Hart joined League One sideShrewsbury Town on loan until the end of the2019–20 season.[23] "Shrews" managerSam Ricketts signed him to replace recalledWolverhampton Wanderers loaneeRyan Giles.[24] He was released by Blackburn managerTony Mowbray on 24 July 2020.[25]
On 11 November 2020, Hart rejoined Southend United, who were now bottom ofLeague Two, on a permanent deal until the end of the2020–21 season.[26] He wassent off for a strong challenge onDerick Osei during a 0–0 draw withWalsall atRoots Hall on 23 March and handed a three-match ban.[27] However, managerMark Molesley confirmed Southend would appeal the ban.[28] New bossPhil Brown took charge the following month and said Hart was an "outstanding" player who would "definitely be in the standing line up".[29] The club wererelegated out of theEnglish Football League after finishing second-bottom of League Two.[30]
On 22 June 2021, Hart signed a one-year deal – with an option to extend – with League Two sideOldham Athletic.[31] ManagerKeith Curle stated that as a "typical type of wing-back... he'll have an impact on a regular basis in games" and would "become an important part of the team".[32] He scored his second career goal on 20 November, to secure a 3–2 win over former club Port Vale atBoundary Park.[33] Curle was sacked in November and the "Latics" form improved afterJohn Sheridan replacedinterim managerSelim Benachour in January.[34] However, Oldham were relegated at the end of the2021–22 season, and Hart took to social media to say it would "hurt for a long time".[35] TheOldham Times described him as "one of the club's better and most consistent performers".[36] Oldham offered him a new contract, which he turned down.[37]
Hart remained in League Two after he agreed a two-year deal withSutton United on 28 June 2022, with managerMatt Gray looking to provide competition for left-backRobert Milsom.[38] He featured 24 times in the2022–23 campaign and said "it's good being in a winning environment again" in April, though Sutton missed out on theplay-offs.[39][40] He featured 32 times in the2023–24 season and was named as the Supporters' Club Player of the Season.[41][42] Sutton were relegated back intonon-League football at the end of the season and Hart rejected the club's offer of a new contract.[43][44]
On 26 June 2024, Hart agreed to join his former loan club, Port Vale, on a two-year deal.[45] ManagerDarren Moore said that the signing would bring balance to the club's back line.[46] Hart sustained a hamstring injury early in the season and was ruled out of action for what Moore said would be "some considerable time".[47] He played 22 league games in the2024–25 campaign,[48] helping the team to secure an automatic promotion place.[49]
On 3 September 2025, Hart joined newly-promotedScottish Premiership clubFalkirk on loan for the2025–26 season.[50] ManagerJohn McGlynn stated that "he likes to get up and down the flank and we know he'll add real quality and depth to the squad".[51]
Hart was described by theLiverpool website as "a left-back, who relishes going forward and poses a real threat when pushing on down the flank" and someone who "can carry the attack with his fine athletic profile – but he's also very strong in thetackle".[52]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liverpool | 2016–17[53] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Port Vale (loan) | 2016–17[53] | League One | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 0 | 16 | 1 | |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2017–18[54] | League One | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2018–19[55] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20[56] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Rochdale (loan) | 2017–18[54] | League One | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19[55] | League One | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| Total | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Southend United (loan) | 2018–19[55] | League One | 18 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 2019–20[56] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Southend United | 2020–21[57] | League Two | 21 | 0 | — | — | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| Oldham Athletic | 2021–22[58] | League Two | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| Sutton United | 2022–23[39] | League Two | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| 2023–24[41] | League Two | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 0 | ||
| Port Vale | 2024–25[48] | League Two | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| 2025–26[59] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
| Falkirk (loan) | 2025–26[59] | Scottish Premiership | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 176 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 201 | 3 | ||
Individual
Port Vale
