Sutton United Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Sam Folarin, who joins the club on a permanent deal following his departure from Hartlepool United.

The exciting forward will offer pace and power to Chris Agutter’s attack and will nicely compliment the frontline in SM1 alongside fellow recruits Temi Babalola and Charlie Carter, after Sutton fought off competition from elsewhere to secure the signature of a player who can now call South London his home once again.

Indeed, hailing from Lambeth, this move marks a return closer to home for the 25-year old, who began his career at Tooting & Mitcham United, less than three miles away from his new home at Gander Green Lane. Folarin initially joined the youth setup at Wandsworth Town, but received his first shot at senior football with the Terrors in 2017, who were then newly crowned champions of the Isthmian League Division One South. He subsequently spent two years at Imperial Fields and broke into the side during the 2018/19 season, being offered trials at Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough in the process.

A permanent switch to the latter came to fruition as a result, making the move to Teeside alongside teammate Isaiah Jones, who went on to appear more than 100 times for Boro. Folarin on the other hand made his debut in an EFL Cup defeat to Barnsley in September 2020, before scoring his first goal four months later in an FA Cup clash with Brentford.

A brief loan move to the other side of the border saw him join Scottish Championship side Queen of the South for the 2021/22 campaign, before departing the Riverside Stadium on a permanent basis with two Boro appearances to his name. A move to Harrogate Town proved far more fruitful for the winger, scoring nine goals in 73 games across a successful three-year stint, which was followed by a decision to drop into the National League with Hartlepool United.

As such, Folarin spent the 2024/25 campaign at the Prestige Group Stadium before joining Chelmsford City on loan in September 2025, appearing 12 times in Essex, and he now makes the return back south permanent, joining Sutton following the conclusion of his deal in County Durham.

After agreeing his move to South London, Folarin said:

“It feels great. I’m delighted to be here and I can’t wait to get going.

I’ve been speaking to the Gaffer for quite some time now and it’s good to finally get things moving.

The project he was telling me about, trying to get back into the EFL and things like that, was really exciting to pursue and move forward with.”

Head Coach, Agutter, added:

“I’m so excited with the addition of Sam to the football Club, he has the potential to be one of the most effective and exciting attacking players in the National League.

Any coach worth their salt will be able to help this young man be an electric centre forward and winger option – he is direct, technically tidy, and outrageously fast – I mean lightning fast!”

Welcome to Sutton, Sam!

Want to sponsor Sam? Player Sponsorships are now available for the 2026/27 season. Contact jack.daly@suttonunited.net for more information, or click here to find out about our new Player Sponsorship Scheme.