Simon William Moore (born 19 May 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Sunderland.
After playing in Southampton's academy, he started his senior career with Isle of Wight based club Brading Town, and after a spell with Farnborough, he joined Football League One club Brentford in 2009. After a loan spell with Basingstoke Town during the 2010âÂÂ11 season, he became first choice goalkeeper at Brentford for the 2012âÂÂ13 season. He signed for Premier League club Cardiff City in summer 2013, though made just 25 appearances over three years at the club. He also had a loan spell with Bristol City in 2014. In summer 2016, he joined League One club Sheffield United and was named in the PFA League One Team of the Season in his debut season at the club as they were promoted to the Championship. He lost his place as first-choice goalkeeper at the club following this, and made 20 league appearances over his following four years at the club. He transferred to Coventry City in 2021 and joined current club Sunderland in 2024.
Born in Sandown on the Isle of Wight, Moore started at Brading Town, before signing for the academy of Premier League side Southampton. Moore said he was released by the club for being too small. He returned to Isle of Wight based side Brading Town where his father was manager, making his first team debut at just 16 years old. He subsequently joined Farnborough.
Moore signed with Brentford in August 2009 after spending the summer at the club on trial, but had to wait until May 2010 to make his debut, when he appeared against Hartlepool United as a substitute for regular number one goalkeeper Wojciech SzczÃÂsny.
He was loaned out in October 2010 to Basingstoke Town and played until January 2011, in 10 games for the club.
The 2012âÂÂ13 season was Moore's breakthrough season at Brentford. He started the season as an understudy to goalkeeper Richard Lee. During Lee's time out injured Moore put in some good performances and cemented his place in the Brentford team under Uwe Rösler. He helped Brentford reach the FA Cup fourth round, this included a 2âÂÂ2 draw with European Champions Chelsea, and finish third in the league missing out on promotion on the final day of the season after a dramatic game with Doncaster Rovers. Brentford entered the play-offs, where they were drawn in the semi-final against Swindon Town. Brentford reached the playoff final defeating Swindon in the semi-finals on penalties (Moore saved Miles Storeys' spotkick in the shootout), but they lost the final to Yeovil Town 2âÂÂ1.
On 29 July 2013, Moore was signed by Malky Mackay a four-year deal with newly promoted Premier League side Cardiff City. After failing to displace David Marshall, Moore was sent out on loan to Bristol City for the rest of the season on 30 January 2014, not long after new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær took charge of Cardiff. He made his debut on 1 February in a 2âÂÂ1 win against Carlisle United, going on to make 11 appearances for the side. Whilst out on loan to Bristol City, Cardiff were relegated from the Premier League.
Moore had to wait until the following season, 2014âÂÂ15, to make his debut for Cardiff City in a 2âÂÂ1 victory away to Coventry City in the League Cup. He made his league debut for Cardiff City keeping a clean sheet in a 1âÂÂ0 victory in the Championship at home to Fulham on 10 January 2015. Towards the end of the 2014âÂÂ15 season, Moore had a regular run of games for Cardiff under manager Russell Slade, including an impressive performance in a 2âÂÂ1 victory against his old club Brentford.
Moore started the 2015âÂÂ16, due to the suspension of David Marshall. He gifted Fulham their opening goal in a 1âÂÂ1 game on the opening day but was praised the following game against Queens Park Rangers, where he put in a man of the match performance.
In August 2016, Moore entered talks with League One club Sheffield United over a move, worth around ã500,000. He signed a three-year contract with the club on 19 August. He made 45 appearances for Sheffield United in his debut season, and was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year for 2016âÂÂ17 after winning promotion with Sheffield United.
He lost his starting spot at the start of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, with Jamal Blackman starting the season as first-choice after Moore suffered a knee injury during pre-season. He made his appearance of the season on 31 October 2017 as a 10th-minute substitute in a 1âÂÂ0 defeat to Queens Park Rangers, after Blackman suffered a back injury. He made 18 Championship appearances in total across the 2017âÂÂ18 season, 10 of which came in a run of starts between 8 December and 3 February.
He signed a new three-year contract with the club in July 2018. He was back-up to Dean Henderson during the 2018âÂÂ19 and 2019âÂÂ20 seasons. Moore did not play in the league during the former as Sheffield United were promoted to the Premier League, and he made two league appearances in the latter against Manchester United as Henderson was unable to play against them under the terms of his loan deal. He was not registered in Sheffield United's Premier League squad for the first half of the 2020âÂÂ21 season after suffering a ruptured ligament in his hand in September 2020, and he was released by the club at the end of the season, having failed to play in his final year at the club.
In July 2021, Moore joined Coventry City on a three-year deal. He established himself as the club's first-choice goalkeeper in his debut season at the club, in which he made 42 appearances. However, he was dropped after three league appearances in the 2022âÂÂ23 season, following a series of mistakes, and became backup to Ben Wilson. He played just once more following this during the 2022âÂÂ23 season, starting in a 4âÂÂ3 FA Cup defeat to Wrexham. Manager Robins was critical of Moore's performance, stating that it's "not acceptable" to concede four goals at home. He did not play for the club during the 2023âÂÂ24 season and on 9 May 2024, the club said Moore would be released in the summer when his contract expired.
On 21 June 2024, Moore agreed to join Championship side Sunderland on a two-year deal with the option for a further season. He made his first league appearance on 26 October 2024 against Oxford United.
Moore played for the Isle of Wight in the 2009 Island Games.
Moore is the brother of Wycombe Wanderers goalkeeper Stuart Moore. Their father and grandfather were also goalkeepers.
Brentford
Sheffield United
Sunderland
Individual