Sam Byram

Sam Byram

Byram playing for Leeds United in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Samuel Mark Byram[1]
Date of birth	(1993-09-16) 16 September 1993
Place of birth	Thurrock, Essex, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Playing position	Right Back/ Winger
Club information
Current club	Leeds United
Number	25
Youth career
2005–2012	Leeds United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2012–	Leeds United	58	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:30, 9 December 2013 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Samuel Mark "Sam" Byram (born 16 September 1993) is an English footballer who plays for Leeds United. The versatile youngster is comfortable in both a defensive or attacking position at right back or right-wing or central midfield^[3] In May 2013, Byram was called up to the England Under 20 team.

Youth career

Byram was born in Thurrock, Essex before moving North where he attended Ralph Butterfield Primary School, Haxby, and then Joseph Rowntree School in York. He played for the City Schools team as a boy before joining Leeds United.^[4] After completing his secondary education at school, he signed scholar forms with the West Yorkshire club in 2010. During his first year as scholar, he played 'down' a year in the under-16 team to help his development as a footballer.^[5] He later progressed to his age group in the under-18s where he would become a regular in the team during his second year in 2011–12. As an integral part of the team, he scored several goals over the course of the season as the under-18s finished as runners-up to Newcastle United in their divisional academy league.^[6] Following the end of the season in May 2012, he was one of five young players rewarded with their first professional contracts for their performances in the campaign.^[7]

First team

In the first friendly match of Leeds United's 2012–13 pre-season against Farsley, Byram was one of a number of youngsters given an opportunity to impress manager Neil Warnock when he lined up for the second half at Throstle Nest.^[8] United recorded a convincing 5–2 victory over their city rivals.^[8] Nevertheless, he would travel with the first-team on their summer tour of the South West of England the following week, featuring in the games against Tavistock, Bodmin Town and Torquay United.^[9][10][11] Byram remained as part of the first-team in pre-season after returning to the North; playing for an hour and scoring in the game away to Preston North End.^[12]

After impressing in pre-season, Byram was handed the number 25 shirt for the season ahead and he made his first team debut at Elland Road in a 4–0 victory over Shrewsbury Town on 11 August in the League Cup.^[13] Byram retained his place in the first-team the following week in United's first league game of the campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was part of a defence that kept a clean-sheet in a 1–0 victory over one of the early favourites for promotion and his performance out-wide against the England international Matt Jarvis won praise from several observers.^[14] He signed a new three-year contract with the West Yorkshire club two days after his league debut and only three months after signing his first professional contract with the club.^[15]

Byram scored his first professional goal on 28 August in the 3–0 League Cup second-round victory over Oxford United. Picking up the ball just outside of the penalty area, he beat two Oxford defenders with his first and second touches before chipping the goalkeeper from inside the box in the 34th minute to give his team a 2–0 lead.^[16] An impressed Neil Warnock told reporters after the game that "Sam will probably never score another goal like that in his career".^[17] Byram remained a permanent feature in the first-team squad during the early months of the season with United legend Eddie Gray tipping him to win a call-up to England Under-21 squad in the near future if he maintained his form.^[18] His former manager in the under-18s Neil Redfearn stated that Byram's rise through the ranks at the club served as a good example for other promising youngsters including his former team mates in the academy side; Ross Killock, Dominic Poleon and Simon Lenighan.^[19] On 2 October, he scored his first league goal for Leeds in a 2–2 draw away to Bolton Wanderers, heading in an El-Hadji Diouf cross.^[20][21] An away match at Leicester City on 5 March saw young Byram score his third goal for Leeds in a 1–1 draw.

After his impressive form for Leeds linked him with Premier League interest,^[22] Byram signed a new contract with Leeds on 26 January 2013, to extend his stay at the club until 2016.^[23] He scored his second league goal for the club on 6 March, in a 1–1 draw away at Leicester City,^[24] and followed this up with the equaliser in another 1–1 draw, at home to Peterborough United.

On 26 April 2013, Byram won the Yorkshire Evening Post Player of The Season award with 99% of the vote.^[25] After being linked with an £8 million pound move to Manchester City in the summer, Bryam proclaimed that he wanted to stay at Leeds to try earn promotion.^[26]

At the clubs annual end of season awards on 27 April, Byram won the Player of the Year Award, Young Player of the Year Award, Players Player of the Year Award and also the Supporters Club Player of the Year Award.^[27]

On 30 July 2013, Bryam was named in Sky Sports Football League Players to watch out for in the Football League.^[28] The hip injury sustained at the end of the 2012–13 season ruled Byram out of the England Under 20's World Cup. Bryam's injury caused him to miss the entire 2013–14 pre-season friendlies for Leeds. After missing the start of the 2013–14 season, on 6 August, Leeds Manager Brian McDermott proclaimed that Byram had an injection in his hip and the injury may require surgery which could potentially rule him out for several months.^[29] Byram made his first-team return on 21 September 2013, playing 57 minutes in Leeds' 2-1 defeat against Burnley. He also played Leeds' next game, a Capital One Cup defeat to Newcastle, playing the full 90 minutes.

International career

On 17 May 2013, Byram was called up to the England Under 20's team by Peter Taylor for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.^[30] However on 11 June 2013 he withdrew as a precaution due to a hip injury sustained towards the end of the 2012/13 championship season.^[31]

Honours

Individual

• Mitre Leeds United Goal of the Year 2012 – versus Oxford United^[32]
• Football League Young Player of the Month – March 2013
• Yorkshire Evening Post Player of The Year – 2012/13^[33]
• Leeds United Supporters Club Player of the Year – 2012/2013
• Leeds United Players' Player of the Year – 2012/2013
• Leeds United Young Player of the Year – 2012/2013
• Leeds United Fans Player of the Year – 2012/2013

Style of play

Bryam's style of play has been likened by many to that of Real Madrid's Welsh international Gareth Bale. Byram's running power from full back and his ability to create play from deeper areas, has meant he has become one of the focal points of Leeds United's attacking play.^[34]

Career statistics

As of match played 1st February 2014.^[35]

Season	Club	Division	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Play-offs		Total		Discipline
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2013–14	Leeds United	Championship	14	0	1	0	1	0	–	–	16	0	2	0
2012–13		Championship	44	3	4	0	5	1	–	–	53	4	6	0
Total			58	3	5	0	6	1	0	0	69	4	8	0

References

External links

• Sam Byram career stats at Soccerbase