Sam Fisher (Scottish footballer)

Sam Fisher (born 17 May 2001) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Scottish Championship club Dunfermline Athletic.^[1] He came through the youth ranks of Dundee and has also played on loan for East Kilbride, Forfar Athletic (in three separate spells) and Dunfermline, before signing permanently with the latter in 2023.

Sam Fisher

Personal information
Date of birth	(2001-07-26) 26 July 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Tillicoultry, Scotland
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Dunfermline Athletic
Number	15
Youth career
	Alloa Athletic
	Dundee
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2023	Dundee	10	(0)
2019–2020	→ East Kilbride (loan)	3	(0)
2020–2021	→ Forfar Athletic (loan)	6	(0)
2021–2022	→ Forfar Athletic (loan)	4	(1)
2022	→ Forfar Athletic (loan)	6	(0)
2022–2023	→ Dunfermline Athletic (loan)	14	(0)
2023–	Dunfermline Athletic	29	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:00, 28 September 2024 (UTC)

Career

Dundee

2019–20 season

Fisher joined Lowland Football League side East Kilbride on loan in September 2019.^[2] Fisher's season was cut short due to an ACL injury picked up in a reserve game, which required surgery and kept him out for six to nine months.^[3]

2020–21 season

After making his return, Fisher signed a new deal with Dundee, keeping him at the club until 2023. He then immediately joined Scottish League One side Forfar Athletic on loan until January.^[4] Fisher made his league debut in a scoreless draw at home against Dumbarton.^[5] In January 2021, following the three-week suspension of League One by the SFA and SPFL due to the worsening COVID-19 situation in Scotland, Fisher was recalled by Dundee.^[6][7]

Fisher made his first start for Dundee in January 2021, in an away loss to Raith Rovers.^[8] He would come on as a substitute in a home win over Arbroath.^[9] Fisher would make four league appearances in total during the season, and would be an unused substitute when Dundee defeated Kilmarnock to win the Premiership play-offs and achieve promotion to the Premiership.^[10]

2021–22 season

In July 2021, Fisher would return on loan to Forfar Athletic, now in the Scottish League Two.^[11] In August, Fisher would suffer an injury during training which would "rule him out for some time."^[12] After sitting on the bench for the previous few games, Fisher would make his return to the pitch against Angus rivals Arbroath in the Scottish Cup.^[13] After making a league start shortly after, Fisher would again suffer injury misfortune, taking a knock which worried manager Gary Irvine.^[14] Fortunately this time, Fisher would recover much quicker and would return on Boxing Day, scoring his first senior goal for the Loons in a home game against Stenhousemuir.^[15] On 29 January 2022, Fisher was recalled by Dundee.^[16] He returned on loan to Forfar on 3 February for the remainder of the season.^[17]

2022–23 season

On 16 August 2022, Fisher joined Scottish League One side Dunfermline Athletic on a season-long loan.^[18] He would make his debut off the bench on 3 September, in an away league victory over Queen of the South.^[19] Fisher would be named to SPFL's Team of the Week in October after keeping a clean sheet and creating the winning goal in a league victory over F.C. Edinburgh.^[20] After impressing throughout his loan spell with the Pars and helping them top League One, Fisher was recalled by Dundee on 20 January 2023.^[21][22] The following week, Fisher played his first league game of the season for Dundee at right back, and helped defeat league leaders Queen's Park in a 3–0 victory.^[23] Fisher would receive two medals in two weeks at the end of the season, after receiving a league winner's medal from Dunfermline Athletic after playing a part in their Scottish League One triumph, and with Dundee after winning the Scottish Championship with them.^[24]

Dunfermline Athletic

Despite being offered a new deal, Fisher decided to leave Dundee in June 2023 and sign permanently for Dunfermline on a three-year deal.^[25][26] Fisher spent the first half of the season interspersed between starting for the Pars and recovering from injuries, including a bad facial injuries and two concussions in two weeks in a Fife derby against Raith Rovers in January 2024, but would make his return before the end of the month.^[27][28] However, he suffered a calf injury in training within a week of returning, keeping him out until mid-March, when he came on in a win over Dundee United.^[29][30]

Career statistics

As of 12 November 2024

Club	Season	League			Scottish Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Dundee	2019–20[31]	Scottish Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2020–21[32]		4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
	2021–22[33]	Scottish Premiership	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2022–23[34]	Scottish Championship	6	0	—		2	0	0	0	8	0
	Total		10	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	12	0
East Kilbride (loan)	2019–20[31]	Lowland League	3	0	1	0	0	0	2[a]	0	6	0
Forfar Athletic (loan)	2020–21[32]	Scottish League One	6	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	9	0
Forfar Athletic (loan)	2021–22[33]	Scottish League Two	4	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	6	1
Forfar Athletic (loan)	2021–22[33]	Scottish League Two	6	0	0	0	0	0	2[b]	0	8	0
Dunfermline Athletic (loan)	2022–23[34]	Scottish League One	14	0	1	0	—		2[c]	0	17	0
Dunfermline Athletic	2023–24[35]	Scottish Championship	24	0	1	0	4	1	0	0	29	1
	2024–25[36]	Scottish Championship	5	0	0	0	4	0	2[c]	0	11	0
	Total		43	0	2	0	8	1	4	0	57	1
Career total			72	1	4	0	14	1	8	0	98	2

1. Appearances in the South Challenge Cup.
2. Appearances in the League One play-offs
3. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup

Honours

Dundee

• Scottish Championship: 2022–23^[24]

Dunfermline Athletic

• Scottish League One: 2022–23

References

1. Sam Fisher at Soccerbase
2. "Sam joins East Kilbride on loan". dundeefc.co.uk. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
3. Nicolson, Eric (19 December 2019). "Young Dundee centre-back ruled out for the season as injury situation takes a turn for the worse". thecourier.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
4. "Sam signs new deal and joins Forfar on loan". dundeefc.co.uk. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
5. "Forfar Athletic v Dumbarton". BBC. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
6. "Lower leagues in Scotland suspended for three weeks". Sky Sports. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
7. "Lyall and Sam recalled". dundeefc.co.uk. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
8. "Raith Rovers v Dundee". BBC. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
9. "Dundee v Arbroath". BBC. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
10. "Dundee promoted as Kilmarnock drop down for first time in 28 years". BBC. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
11. "Luke and Sam join Forfar on loan". dundeefc.co.uk. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
12. "Forfar Athletic v Formartine United - Match Details/Preview". forfarathletic.co.uk. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
13. "Arbroath v Forfar Athletic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
14. Lorimer, Scott. "Forfar boss Gary Irvine 'really worried' about injury to Dundee loanee Sam Fisher but provides positive update on other key players". The Courier. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
15. "Forfar Athletic v Stenhousemuir". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
16. Coutts, Christopher. "One in One out at Station Park". www.forfarathletic.co.uk. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
17. Coutts, Christopher. "Sam returns as Steven arrives at Station Park". www.forfarathletic.co.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
18. "Sam Fisher | Dunfermline Athletic Football Club". www.dafc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
19. "Queen of the South v Dunfermline Athletic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
20. "Team of the Week | SPFL". spfl.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
21. Cran, George. "Dundee manager Gary Bowyer keeping tabs on Sam Fisher's 'great' progress at Dunfermline". The Courier. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
22. "Sam recalled". Dundee Football Club - Official Website. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
23. "Dundee v Queen's Park". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
24. "Dundee back in Premiership after eight-goal epic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
25. "Sam Fisher leaves the club". Dundee Football Club - Official Website. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
26. "Athletic move has Sam 'buzzing'". Dunfermline Press. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
27. Collin, Iain (2 January 2024). "Dunfermline Athletic boss James McPake reveals extent of Sam Fisher's latest injury and plans to plug defensive gaps in transfer window". The Courier. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
28. "Dundee Utd go point clear despite draw with Dunfermline". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
29. Cairns, Craig (3 February 2024). "James McPake 'embarrassed' by Dunfermline defeat as Pars boss explains Sam Fisher absence". The Courier. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
30. "Dunfermline ease aside leaders Dundee Utd 3-1". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
31. "Games played by Sam Fisher in 2019/20". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
32. "Games Played by Sam Fisher in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
33. "Games Played by Sam Fisher in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
34. "Games played by Sam Fisher in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
35. "Games played by Sam Fisher in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
36. "Games played by Sam Fisher in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 July 2024.