AFC Totton
FORMER MALTESE INTERNATIONAL defender Sam Magri has left AFC Totton to sign for Bracknell Town in the Southern League Premier Division South.
The Portsmouth-born centre-back, who represented England at various age levels and was part of the young Three Lions squad that reached the quarter-finals of the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico in 2013, joined The Stags from Havant & Waterlooville in the summer of 2023. By then, he had switched his international allegiance to the country of his grandfather’s birth, and won the first of his seven senior international caps for Malta in a 2018 World Cup Qualifier against Slovenia.
Magri began his footballing career with Pompey, before early moves to Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace. Opportunities at senior level were rare and he eventually made his way into the upper echelons of the non-league game, going on to make more than 200 appearances during an eight-year spell that included two seasons with Dover Athletic, two with Ebbsfleet United and four with The Hawks, which also featured a loan at Bognor Regis Town shortly prior to his arrival at the Snows Stadium.
A strong and commanding presence at the back, with the nerve to find the net from the penalty spot whenever called upon, Magri made his AFC Totton debut in a 2-1 away win at Harrow Borough on the opening day of the Southern League Premier Division South season in August 2023, and went on to make a total of 95 appearances, across his two years with The Stags, scoring eight goals to reach the Promotion Play-Offs in both seasons and, of course, successfully so at the second attempt, earning himself the Supporters' Player of the Year award, to boot.
He now teams up with his former AFC Totton teammate Charlie Kennedy, who has also made the switch to Bottom Meadow this summer, as the Berkshire-based Robins look to dramatically improve upon their 18th-place finish of last season.
AFC Totton boss Jimmy Ball commented:
“Sam is a wonderful guy, a terrific defender, who has certainly played his part over two very successful seasons that will live long in the memory at this football club. He now moves on to Bracknell Town, who are recruiting very well by all accounts, and really look like they mean business. I wish Sam and his family every success in the future.”
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Harvey Gerring
