Sam Vokes

Samuel Michael Vokes (born 21 October 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Wycombe Wanderers and the Wales national team.

Vokes began his professional career at AFC Bournemouth in League One, making his debut in 2006.

His form there earned a move to Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he helped them win promotion to the Premier League in his first season.

In four seasons at Wolves, he played only 59 games, spending time on loan at six other clubs.

Vokes stepped up into AFC Bournemouth's first team on 5 December 2006 in a 2–0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

His first senior goal came in a 1–1 draw at Gillingham on 16 December.

The club gave him a three-and-a-half-year professional contract during the following month.

Vokes remained at Bournemouth during the 2007–08 season, despite being linked to several other clubs, including Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Everton and Celtic.

He has earned over 60 caps since his debut in 2008, and was part of their team that reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016.

Vokes was born in Southampton and raised in Lymington, and attended Priestlands School in Pennington.

Vokes began playing in the Southampton Academy but was released when he was ten-years-old.

Vokes took a BTEC at Brockenhurst College and was taken on by Bournemouth's Academy.

He also turned down Crewe Alexandra in January 2008 who had made a £200,000 bid.

Vokes was a bright spark in an otherwise tumultuous season for the Cherries as they were embroiled in a club ownership saga.

His 12-goal tally could not prevent Bournemouth from being relegated to League Two.

He eventually signed a four-year contract with Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on 23 May 2008.

Vokes marked his debut for the club by coming off the bench to equalise in a 2–2 draw away to Plymouth Argyle on the opening day of the 2008–09 season.

With the goal-scoring form of Chris Iwelumo and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake firing the club to the top of the table – that they led for almost the entire season – Vokes was mostly only employed as a substitute.

Nonetheless he contributed to eight goals to help the team win promotion to the Premier League as champions.

To gain playing time, Vokes moved to League One side Leeds United in October 2009 on loan until the New Year, making his Leeds debut in a 2–1 victory over Norwich City on 19 October.

He scored once for the club against Bristol Rovers but competition between Leeds strikers meant Vokes returned to Wolves when the deal ended.

Vokes went out on loan once more in August 2010 when he moved to Championship side Bristol City.

He endured a miserable stay, tearing his hamstring within minutes of making his debut in a match against Millwall and re-aggravating the injury in a reserve match in December.

He returned to Wolves when his loan expired in January having played just 13 minutes of first team football.

Once again fit, he moved on a month-long loan to another Championship side, Sheffield United, in February 2011 and made his début the same evening in a 1–1 draw with Reading.

With their other attacking options regaining fitness, the Blades elected not to extend Vokes' loan period, meaning he was instead signed up by promotion-chasing Norwich City on 23 March on an emergency loan for the rest of the season.

However, an injury to Wolves' leading goalscorer Kevin Doyle saw the club recall him after just four appearances for the Canaries, during which he scored once.

Back at Molineux, he made two substitute appearances for the team during the run-in as they narrowly avoided relegation on the final day despite losing 3–2 against Blackburn Rovers.

During the 2011–12 season, he made four Premier League appearances for Wolves, but did not start a league match.

In November 2011 he once more went out on loan to a Championship side, this time joining Burnley until 15 January.

He played nine times for Burnley, scoring twice and impressed manager Eddie Howe.

In 2012, he transferred to Burnley, where he made 258 appearances and scored 62 goals, twice earning promotion to the Premier League.

On 30 January 2012, Vokes joined Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion on loan until the end of the season.

He scored on his full home debut in a 2–2 draw with Millwall on 14 February 2012.

He scored three goals in total during his 14 appearances for the Seagulls.

On 31 July 2012, Vokes joined Championship side Burnley permanently signing a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £350,000.

He made 14 appearances and scored four goals in his debut season as the Cherries finished in 18th spot.

He signed for Stoke City in January 2019.

He has become an established member of the Wales national team, who he has also represented at under-21 level.

Born and raised in England, Vokes is eligible to represent Wales through a grandfather born there.