Samuel is a widower, his wife having died many years ago, when his daughter was six years old, but make no mistake - this is a man who is never seen without a woman. As the new owner of Harchester United, Sam is suave and debonair. Having made loads of money at a very early, Sam has always been a big football fan and dreamed of buying his own major club. Although he buys into the romance of the game, he has maintained his hard-nosed business instincts and is prudent with his money. He has a long-term plan for Harchester, with great ambition for the club, and he doesn't buy into the idea of a quick fix. He wants to be a popular football chairman with the fans on his side but this will not obstruct his win at all costs policy. He sees the football club as an extension of his business interests and takes criticism very personally. His other love in his life is his daughter, the beautiful and intelligent Claudia. Sam wants to be the best father he can be and is very protective towards her. He wants to win, and win at all costs.

At the start of the successful 2001/2002 season Sam purchases the club after the death of Prashant Dattani, through fate the Dragons are brought to Mallorca where Sam aims to seek out his hopeful for Chief Executive - Lynda Block. But she is reluctant to take him up on the offer, but Sam as charming as ever woos her round to the idea and she agrees to take up her role once again as Mrs Harchester. Sam has given the respected Management duo of Rothman and Spears large sums of money in order to achieve the success he craves but when David Spears stabs his mentor in the back another backroom staff change is inevitable but after tossing and turning over who to give the role to Lynda decides it must go to David Spears, who later is sacked by the ruthless Irving for having an illicit affair with his precious and stunning daughter, Claudia.

Having not been back at the club since appointing Lynda and recruiting his daughter to the club, Sam Irving arrives to check on his investment, and finds that reception is un-manned, game tickets not being sold out, and a chief executive with a bad cold refusing to go the vital UEFA cup game. After a blazing row, Sam sits with Lynda on her sick bed trying to make amends; an undeniable spark is there. Apple of Sam's eye, Claudia, attempts to gain promotion through plastering semi-naked pictures of herself on Harchester billboards - until her over-protective father pulls the plug on the campaign. This isn't the only time Sam is guilty of over-ruling the decision of his appointed staff, over Lynda Block's head he appoints PSG manager Patrick Doyle as manager in order to complete their UEFA Cup run as well as promising league form.

In the climax to the Karl Fletcher murder trial, it comes out that it was actually Sam's new woman in his life Lynda who actually delivered the critical blow to the head. But unknown to Sam she was unfaithful to him with Fletch, this is later as critical a blow to their relationship as it was to Dattani's head. Despite not knowing the truth Sam like a lovesick puppy proposes marriage to Ms Block and she in fear for her future accepts. The run in to their ill-fated wedding involves Claudia trying to oust the unfaithful Lynda from her father's heart. In the end she is successful and Sam announces at their wedding that he no longer wishes to marry her, as she was unfaithful to him. Embarrassed and betrayed, Sam promises the CEO job to his daughter but sadly she dies in the 2002 M1 coach crash. Grieving from his loss he sells the club that brought him such heartache to life-long fan Phil Wallis.

Statistics

First Appearance: Episode 5.01
Final Appearance: Episode 5.32

Season 5 Character Popularity: 0.95% (13th)

Filmography

Neighbours .... Paul Robinson (1985-1992, 1993, 2004-2008)
The Truth About Love (2004) .... Dougie
River City (2002) TV Series .... Dr. Marcus McKenzie (2003)
The Bill - 112 (2003) TV Episode .... Gene Bishop
Casualty - Innocence (2002) TV Episode .... Mark Christie
Stingers - Nothing Personal (1999) TV Episode .... Snr. Com. Karl Hiller
Good Guys Bad Guys - Don't Cry for Me Arch 'n' Tina (1998) TV Episode .... Andy Caesar
Blue Heelers - Poetic Justice (1997) TV Episode .... Colin Docker
The Office (1996) (TV) .... Nigel
The Henderson Kids (1985) TV Series .... Terry
Five Mile Creek - The Best of Mates (1985) TV Episode .... Boy #2
The Flying Doctors (1985) (mini) TV Series .... Doug Hennassy
Channel Chaos (1984) .... Cameraman
Prisoner (1981) TV Episode .... Peter Richards
Young Ramsay - Gift Horse (1980) TV Episode .... Sid Atkinson
The Truth About Love (2004) (associate producer)
Australia's Brainiest Kid - Australia's Brainiest Neighbour (2006) TV Episode .... Himself
Rove Live - Episode #6.24 (2005) TV Episode .... Himself
The Big Breakfast - Episode dated 14 December 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Himself
80s Mania (2001) (TV) .... Himself
20 to 1 - One-Hit Wonders (2006) TV Episode (uncredited) .... Himself

Last updated June 2006. For more up-to-date information, please visit IMDb.