After just over a year in the Youth ranks at Nene Park, Sam Smith was rewarded with a place in the first team squad in spring 2008. He had joined the club early in 2007 after being spotted playing for Corby Town Under 18s, after returning from a short spell with Wrexham as an Under 16, which followed an earlier spell at Nene Park.

Sam made his league debut with a substitute appearance against Cambridge United on 8th April 2008, then went on to make his first League start against Oxford United later that month, and scored his debut goal in the final game of the season against Aldershot. That goal was scored a few days before his 18th birthday, although not quite enough to shade Lee Tomlin's record for the younger player to score a league goal for the club.