New signing Tabares targets senior breakthrough
- Jeff Manning
- Aug 3
- 3 min read
Former Southampton youngster ready for competitive senior football at Priestfield
David Tickner writes regularly about Gillingham Football Club on Substack. You can read, follow or subscribe for free at Gills Journal | David Tickner | Substack.
Gillingham have completed the signing of 19-year-old defender Samuel Tabares following a short trial period earlier in the summer.
The club’s atmosphere, staff and squad cohesion were major factors in Tabares’ decision to move to Priestfield. Speaking after the move was confirmed, he said he was ‘so happy to be signing at Gills’ after ‘a long period of unknown’, adding that ‘everyone made me feel so welcome’ and that the overall feel of the club made him want to sign.
Tabares said Gareth Ainsworth helped make the decision straightforward by telling him he would ‘play a lot of football here’. The manager’s trust, combined with the squad’s ambition, convinced him Gillingham was the right place for the next stage of his career. ‘We’re going to aim for the highest level we can,’ he said. ‘I like competitive football.’
Tabares arrives with experience across academy and Under 21 football, having developed at Fulham before moving into Southampton’s youth set-up two seasons ago. He has made 52 youth appearances, including 13 in Premier League 2, scoring once and providing one assist. He played 22 of those games at centre back for Fulham Under 18s but has more recently been used by Southampton Under 21s as a right midfielder or right back.
Describing his own game, Tabares called himself ‘quick’ and ‘quite exciting’, saying he likes to show his ‘speed and physicality’. Although he can play centre back, he said he prefers right back or right wing back and enjoys getting forward.
He made seven Premier League 2 appearances for Southampton Under 21s last season and scored in a 2-2 draw away to Ipswich Town Under 21s. He started the first four of those games under the controversial Tonda Eckert, who later stepped up from his Under 21 role to become the Saints’ first team manager in November, with Adam Lallana subsequently taking charge of the Under 21s. Tabares was an unused first team substitute when Southampton beat Norwich City 3-0 in the second round of the League Cup last August.
At Fulham, Tabares made one brief substitute appearance for the Under 21s in the EFL Trophy in August 2024, replacing Josh King in a 2-1 win at Shrewsbury, as well as 24 appearances in the Under-18 Premier League, 17 of them in the 2023/24 season.
Tabares sees the move to Gillingham as a major step as he looks to turn his youth experience into senior football. ‘First time I’ll be playing EFL football, playing for points, playing in front of proper fans,’ he said.
The professionalism of the Gillingham squad was another influence. Tabares said he could learn from the senior players around him, adding that ‘you need one session with those guys to understand the level they’ve played at’. He singled out Liam Gordon, saying he had already been both ‘really demanding’ and ‘really good’ in helping him settle.
Tabares feels physically ready for the challenge after enjoying ‘a really good, successful pre-season’ and planning carefully to make sure he was ‘fit and ready to come in.’
Tabares follows other young players to join Gillingham from the south coast this summer, with goalkeeper Ollie Wright arriving on a season-long loan from Southampton and Zane Albarus joining from Brighton. Tabares recognised Albarus on arrival at Priestfield, having faced him three times in the Under 18 Premier League while at Fulham.
Unfortunately, Tabares’ first run-out for The Gills ended prematurely when he was substituted after just 18 minutes of Friday evening’s 2-1 pre-season win at Ebbsfleet.
Speaking after the game, Ainsworth admitted it was ‘a shame he had to come off’ because ‘the fans were excited to see what he could give,’ but reassured that the withdrawal was precautionary rather than a serious concern. ‘Nothing went,’ he said, explaining that Tabares simply ‘didn’t feel comfortable.’ He was highly positive about the youngster’s physical qualities, calling him ‘an unbelievable athlete’ who is ‘super quick, super strong’ and ‘a good size’.
Ainsworth described him as ‘one for the future’ and said Gillingham would ‘look after him’ as he steps up from academy to senior football and backed Tabares, saying, ‘Sam will get up to speed, no problem.’
He also praised Tabares’ character and background, saying he comes ‘from a great family’ and that Gillingham are ‘really lucky to have him’. Ainsworth highlighted his versatility too, noting he can play ‘anywhere on that corner of the right-hand side and he might well need to.’
Comments