Experienced Defender Bolsters Depleted Boro Ranks

Making his debut for Gosport Borough in their 3-1 home defeat to Harrow Borough in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South was experienced defender Sam Magri.

The 28-year-old joined Boro on dual registration with Vanarama National League South neighbours Havant & Waterlooville.

Magri is recovering from a horrific ACL injury he suffered in the Emirates FA Cup First Round last season at League One Charlton Athletic.

He joined the Hawks in July 2019 from Ebbsfleet United.

He is a Maltese international and has played in big qualifying matches against the likes of England, Scotland, Slovenia and Slovakia during Malta’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign and has amassed seven caps for the nation and counting.

The Portsmouth-born player has had an outstanding international career up to date.

He played in his youth for the England under-16, 17 and 18 squads, playing in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2011. In 2015 he acquired a Maltese passport after finding out he was eligible to play for the Mediterranean nation due to his grandfather.

He first was called up to the under-21 squad for a fixture against Belgium before playing for the full side.

His club career start at Portsmouth, where he flourished as a youth player before signing a contract with the club. In 2012, he had a trial at Liverpool before returning to Pompey.

He made his first team debut in August 2012 in a Carling Cup tie away to Plymouth Argyle.

He then moved from Fratton Park to Loftus Road to join Queens Park Rangers who were then enjoying life in the Premier League.

A lack of game time in the first team saw him sent out on loan to then-Conference Premier side Nuneaton Town in 2014.

He was released by the R`s that summer, before signing terms with Crystal Palace, where he stood out and was brought into the under-21 squad, before leaving the club the following summer.

He made the move to Dover Athletic where he enjoyed a spell of success.

In two years at the Kent club, he made 86 appearances, scoring the solitary goal against Barrow in February 2016.

He spent one more season at Crabble before departing in 2017 to move across Kent to play for Ebbsfleet who had just been promoted into the National League.

Gosport Borough Web Site