Tom Soares

Midfield

Apps: 19 (1)

Goals: 0

Last Updated: 04 August 2022

Debut: vs. Salford City (A, 0-2), 03/08/2019

We don't have an image for this player

Tom Soares

Date of Birth: 10-07-1986

Place of Birth: Reading

Boro’ got their man just in time for the start of the 2019-20 League Two campaign; Tom Soares confirming his arrival the night before the opener. There’s no doubting his experience as a midfielder. Soares’ career up to the point he first walked through those doors at Bragbury End covered the pyramid right up to Premier League level. And, as it goes, beyond too; four England U21 caps to his name too.

The hopes we had that Soares could inspire us didn’t exactly burn bright. Well, actually, they faded out quite quickly. As we tumbled towards the foot of the League Two table, it didn’t seem as if the midfielder could do much to halt the slide. Maybe he just wasn’t the right fit for us; almost rushed into the squad at the start of the season. Either way, we let the dust settle on a truncated campaign and then announced his departure on a free.

Tom Soares: Before Boro’

For Soares, the tale starts at Crystal Palace; a member of their academy and taking the step up to the Eagles’ first team under Neil Warnock. Over a five-year spell as a senior player at Selhurst Park, Soares made his presence felt and clocked up the appearances. There were also a few goals to speak of. And it was that form that would earn him a crack at the Premier League in 2008 when Stoke City swooped in.

After a bright start at the Britannia that included winning two penalties for his new club on debut against Spurs, things seemed to tail off in the second half of the campaign. For the rest of the 2008-9 season, he went out on loan to Charlton. But he wasn’t able to help keep the Addicks in the Championship during his time there.

With no first team action looming the following season, it was out on loan again for the midfielder. Soares’ move to Sheffield Wednesday was initially for one month. In the end, he was at Hillsborough for the whole season. Again, however, he was unable to stop the Owls from tumbling out of the Championship.

For two more seasons, Soares was on the books at the Potters. But he didn’t see any more Premier League action in that time. Scottish Premier League side Hibs gave him a much-needed lifeline in January 2012 with another loan spell, before Stoke let him go.

To restart his career, Soares turned to Bury and soon made himself a regular fixture in the Shakers’ first team. Here’s a little piece of trivia: Soares scored the winning goal against Tranmere on the final day of the 2014-5 season that secured Bury’s promotion to League One. He’d stay with Bury for four-and-a-bit years in total, before moving to fellow League One side AFC Wimbledon in January 2017.

2019-20

Saturday 03 August 2019

Saturday 10 August 2019

Tuesday 13 August 2019

Saturday 17 August 2019

Tuesday 20 August 2019

Saturday 24 August 2019

Saturday 31 August 2019

Tuesday 03 September 2019

Saturday 05 October 2019

Tuesday 19 November 2019

Tuesday 03 December 2019

Saturday 21 December 2019

Wednesday 01 January 2020

Saturday 04 January 2020

Wednesday 08 January 2020

Saturday 25 January 2020

Saturday 08 February 2020

Tuesday 11 February 2020

Saturday 15 February 2020

Saturday 22 February 2020

Previous Clubs:

AFC Wimbledon
Bury
Hibernian (SCO) (loan)
Sheffield Wednesday (loan)
Charlton Athletic (loan)
Stoke City
Crystal Palace

Later Clubs:

Dorchester Town (2021)