Alexander Kinloch Samuel (born 20 September 1995) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a forward for Scottish Championship club Partick Thistle.
Samuel began his career in the youth academy at Aberystwyth Town, breaking into the first team during the 2011âÂÂ12 season. He joined Swansea City's academy in the summer of 2012 and spent time on loan at Greenock Morton and Newport County. He signed for Stevenage ahead of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, spending one year at the club before joining Wycombe Wanderers of League One in August 2018.
He spent three seasons at Wycombe, scoring 11 goals in 88 appearances and helping the club earn promotion to the Championship. Samuel joined Ross County of the Scottish Premiership on a free transfer in August 2021, but his time there was limited by injuries. He spent the second half of the 2023âÂÂ24 season on loan at Inverness Caledonian Thistle, was released by Ross County in June 2025, and signed for Partick Thistle in August 2025. He has also represented Wales at under-18 level.
Samuel started his career at Cymru Premier club Aberystwyth Town, progressing through the club's academy. While still in the academy, he briefly joined boyhood club Swansea City, but travelling difficulties led to a return to Aberystwyth. He trained with the Aberystwyth first team in the opening months of the 2011âÂÂ12 season while continuing to feature for the under-16 team. Samuel made his senior debut two weeks after his 16th birthday, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute in a 2âÂÂ0 away defeat to Llanelli Town on 8 October 2011. In his third appearance, he came off the substitutes' bench to score a late equaliser in Aberystwyth's 1âÂÂ1 Welsh Cup draw with Llandudno in January 2012. He made nine first-team appearances that season in all competitions, scoring once.
Following his first-team involvement at Aberystwyth, Samuel attracted transfer interest from several Premier League clubs, including Aston Villa, Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Swansea City. He chose to join Swansea, where he had briefly spent time two years earlier, signing a two-year scholarship in the summer of 2012. He spent the next two seasons in Swansea's academy before signing his first professional contract on 30 May 2014. Samuel played regularly for the Swansea City under-21 team during the 2014âÂÂ15 season, helping them win the Professional Development League Two title. At the end of the season, he signed a two-year contract extension to remain at the club until the summer of 2017.
Samuel joined Greenock Morton of the Scottish Championship on loan on transfer deadline day in early September 2015, a move he said he "knew straight away" he wanted to take. He signed an initial four-month loan deal, running until January 2016. Samuel made his Morton debut as a 78th-minute substitute for Romario Sabajo in a 4âÂÂ2 away victory at Livingston on 5 September 2015. He scored his first two goals for the club in a 3âÂÂ2 extra-time Scottish League Cup victory over Motherwell at Cappielow in his fourth appearance for the club. His first Scottish League goal came in the Renfrewshire derby, a close-range equaliser in a 1âÂÂ1 draw away at St Mirren on 20 November 2015. In January 2016, his loan was extended for the rest of the 2015âÂÂ16 season. A month later, he briefly returned to Swansea to receive treatment on a knee injury sustained in a Development League West match against Queen's Park. The injury sidelined him for a month, but he returned as a late substitute in a 3âÂÂ2 victory against Queen of the South on 15 March 2016. Samuel featured predominantly from the substitutes' bench for the remainder of the season, finishing his time at Morton with 30 appearances and four goals in all competitions, as the club placed fifth in the Scottish Championship.
Upon returning to Swansea, Samuel began the 2016âÂÂ17 season playing regularly for the Swansea City under-23 team, also making three appearances in the EFL Trophy, scoring in a 2âÂÂ1 group-stage win away to Newport County on 4 October 2016. Having yet to make a senior appearance for Swansea, he joined League Two club Newport County on loan on 13 January 2017. He made his Newport debut as a 29th-minute substitute in a 0âÂÂ0 draw away at Barnet on 21 January 2017. After coming on as a substitute in his first three games, Samuel started every subsequent match, scoring his first goal in a 3âÂÂ1 home defeat to Blackpool on 18 March 2017. Samuel made 18 appearances and scored twice during the five-month loan, as Newport secured their League Two status by winning five of their final seven games. He was named the club's Player of the Year at the end of the season.
Samuel signed for League Two club Stevenage on a two-year deal on 9 May 2017, joining on a free transfer. He made his Stevenage debut on the opening day of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, playing the first 57 minutes in a 3âÂÂ3 draw against former club Newport County at Broadhall Way. His first goal for Stevenage came in the club's 6âÂÂ2 EFL Trophy defeat to Oxford United on 29 August 2017, when he capitalised on a defensive slip to score a late consolation. Samuel made 28 appearances across the season, of which 16 were from the substitutes' bench, and scored four goals. A "mystery ankle injury" restricted him to just five appearances during the second half of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, and he was released in May 2018.
After undergoing ankle surgery, Samuel turned down contract offers from Newport County and Yeovil Town. He signed for newly promoted League One club Wycombe Wanderers on 23 August 2018, initially on a short-term contract until 20 January 2019. Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth stated he had been impressed by his performance in a match between Wycombe and Stevenage in December 2017. He made his debut on 28 August 2018, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute for Adebayo Akinfenwa in an EFL Cup match against Forest Green Rovers, which Wycombe won on penalties. He scored his first goal in a 2âÂÂ1 victory against Fulham under-21s at Adams Park in the EFL Trophy on 18 September 2018. Samuel signed a contract extension until June 2021 on 16 November 2018, with Ainsworth praising his work ethic and character. He was a regular starter for Wycombe throughout the 2018âÂÂ19 season, scoring six goals in 36 games as Wycombe finished 17th in League One. Samuel was named Wycombe's Young Player of the Year at the club's end-of-season awards.
A month into the 2019âÂÂ20 season, Samuel signed a one-year contract extension on 5 September 2019, with the new agreement running until June 2022. He sustained an injury in a 1âÂÂ0 defeat away to Gillingham later that month, which kept him out of the first team until November 2019. He made 27 appearances over the course of the season, scoring four goals. That total included three appearances and one goal in the League One play-offs. Samuel started the final at Wembley Stadium, playing 62 minutes as Wycombe defeated Oxford United 2âÂÂ1 to secure promotion on 13 July 2020. He made 23 appearances in the Championship during the following season, scoring once, as Wycombe were relegated back to League One after finishing in 22nd place.
Samuel signed for Scottish Premiership club Ross County on a two-year contract on 31 August 2021, joining on a free transfer following his departure from Wycombe by mutual consent. He debuted for Ross County in a 3âÂÂ0 defeat to Celtic on 11 September 2021. Later that season, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that sidelined him for a year. Samuel returned to the first team on 21 January 2023, appearing as a substitute in extra time during a Scottish FA Cup penalty shoot-out defeat to Hamilton Academical. He scored his first goal in a 2âÂÂ0 victory against Livingston on 6 May 2023, and made 13 appearances during the second half of that season, helping the club retain its Premiership status with a comeback win over Partick Thistle in the Premiership play-off final. Samuel signed a new two-year contract on 27 June 2023, with the club highlighting his impact following his return from injury.
Having made 14 appearances for Ross County during the first half of the 2023âÂÂ24 season, Samuel joined Highland rivals Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 19 January 2024, on a loan agreement until the end of the season. He scored on his debut the following day in a 4âÂÂ0 victory over Broomhill, and followed this up with a nine-minute hat-trick, the first of his senior career, in a 3âÂÂ2 win away to Raith Rovers on 27 January 2024. Samuel finished the loan spell with six goals in 19 appearances, as Inverness were relegated to Scottish League One after a play-off final defeat to Hamilton.
Samuel returned to Ross County and featured regularly during the first half of the 2024âÂÂ25 season. He sustained a thigh injury in the club's 3âÂÂ1 defeat to Hibernian on 14 December 2024, which sidelined him until March 2025. He made 29 appearances and scored twice during the season, as Ross County were relegated to the Scottish Championship via the Premiership play-offs. Samuel left the club following the expiry of his contract in June 2025.
Following his departure from Ross County, Samuel signed a one-year contract with Scottish Championship club Partick Thistle on 12 August 2025, with the club retaining the option to extend for a further year. He made his debut four days later, as a substitute in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Ayr United in the Scottish League Cup. Samuel scored his first goal for the club in a 2âÂÂ1 home victory over Airdrieonians on 12 September 2025, coming on as a second-half substitute and scoring the decisive goal.
In March 2026, Partick Thistle activated the option in SamuelâÂÂs contract to extend his deal by a further year.
Samuel represented Wales at under-18 level. He made his debut in a 2âÂÂ1 victory over the Republic of Ireland in February 2012, scoring the winning goal.
Samuel has been described by manager Gareth Ainsworth as an energetic, direct player, noted for his persistence and willingness to press opponents. His strong work ethic has been highlighted, with Samuel also identifying it as one of his key attributes, stating that he always commits fully and believes supporters value that aspect of his game.
Samuel is a Christian. He married in 2017; his wife, Rachael, is a singer.
Wycombe Wanderers
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