Powell: Samuel (Sam)

1921-1925 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Holmes, Nr Rotherham: 25-05-1899

Debut: v Cardiff City (h): 29-03-1921

5’9” 11 st 0lb (1922)

United signed Powell from Thornhill United in January 1921, but he spent most of his time in the Reserves. He proved a very good backup for Matt Ellson and Jack Lyon in his first season, then Len Armitage, Jim Moore, Jack Swan and Bill Poyntz and later Percy Whipp, Jack Swan and John Armand. He was sold to Sheffield Wednesday to help raise cash to sign Russell Wainscoat from Middlesbrough in March 1925. It was a familiar story at Hillsborough where he managed only twenty-five League games in four seasons but still notched nine goals. He made his debut in a 0-2 defeat by Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park on 21st March 1925 and he played the remainung eight fixtures to the end of the season. A week after his debut he got the only goal in a 1-0 win at Hillsborough over near neighbours Barnsley. Wednesday went down 0-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molinuex on 4th April and on the following Friday, Good Friday a Jimmy Trotter goal was enough to get a point at Oldham Athletic. The following day, Easter Saturday, was a day for celebration for Powell and the Wednesday supporters as he notched a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Fulham at home and the following Saturday he was on target once more as his goal was sufficient to bring back a point from Portsmouth at Fratton Park. he made it six goals in his last six matches when he got one of the five by which Wednesday beat Hull City at Hillsborough on 25th April 1925 and it must have been somewhat of an anti-climax when Wednesday finished their season with a 0-0 draw at home to Leyton Orient on 2nd May, to leave him with six goals from eight appearances since joining from Leeds. His good form continued in the first game of the following season when he scored Wednesday's third goal in a 3-0 home win over Fulham on the 29th August 1925, but, as with Leeds, he found that his good form could not be sustained. It was not until Easter Tuesday 6th April 1926 that he got his second goal of the season with Wednesday's opening goal in a 2-0 home win over Stoke City and that was his goal contribution for the season in which he made twelve appearances. His only goal in the 1926-27 season came on 22nd January 1927 in a 2-2 home draw with Leicester City when he got Wednesday's second goal but it was his only goal in four League and one F.A. Cup match for the season and in the 1927-28 season he only played one game, his final one for Wednesday, in a 0-1 defeat at Birmingham City on 7th March 1928 as, like at Leeds he found himself playing mostly in the Reserves. He joined Stafford Rangers in 1930, but returned to Wednesday to spend thirty years as one of the backroom staff, including seven as reserve team trainer, before being appointed first team trainer in 1937. He retired in 1959 and died in Sheffield on 21st June 1961 at the age of sixty-two.