Midfielder Louie Soares was one of non league’s hottest properties when he arrived at Blundell Park in January 2012. But his Town career never really got going, and he went out on loan to today’s visitors Ebbsfleet, before returning to his old club Hayes & Yeading United in August 2013.

On 31 January 2012, Louie Soares signed for Grimsby Town on an 18-month contract. He arrived from Hayes & Yeading United, where he had been in prolific form with 15 goals in 31 appearances in the first half of the 2011–12 season. The Mariners brought in Soares to bolster their attacking options after his standout performances.

Soares made his debut for Grimsby soon after signing and went on to appear 11 times in the remainder of the 2011–12 season, all in the Conference Premier. He did not score during that campaign but was part of the squad that clinched the 2012–13 Lincolnshire Senior Cup, with Grimsby defeating Lincoln City in the final on penalties. Heading into the 2012–13 season, Soares found regular first-team opportunities hard to come by. He struggled to hold down a place in Grimsby’s starting lineup and was subsequently made available for loan by the club in September 2012.

In late 2012, Grimsby Town loaned Soares to Ebbsfleet United to gain playing time. He joined Ebbsfleet on a one-month loan on 28 September 2012. The 27-year-old midfielder went straight into Ebbsfleet’s lineup, debuting in a league match against Stockport County and starting all four of the club’s league games during his initial month at Stonebridge Road. Following this successful integration, Soares’s loan was extended for a second month on 26 October 2012, keeping him at Ebbsfleet through November.

During his loan spell, Soares made a total of 8 Conference Premier appearances for Ebbsfleet United, without scoring. A notable milestone was his involvement in Ebbsfleet’s FA Cup campaign: after his loan extension, he was cleared to play in the FA Cup First Round against Carlisle United on 3 November 2012. His contributions helped bolster an Ebbsfleet side that was battling relegation at the time, and he featured regularly in their midfield. Soares returned to Grimsby at the end of November 2012 when his two-month loan spell concluded.

After returning from Ebbsfleet, Soares remained on Grimsby’s books but continued to see limited action. In January 2013, Grimsby arranged another loan move for him – this time to Alfreton Town. On 17 January 2013, Soares joined Alfreton on loan for the remainder of the 2012–13 season. At Alfreton, he enjoyed a productive spell, playing 18 matches and scoring 2 goals in Conference Premier action. Once that season ended, Soares returned to Grimsby Town, but he was not retained by the club. Grimsby officially released Louie Soares on 2 May 2013, at the conclusion of his contract. In total, his Grimsby Town record stood at 15 appearances without any goals.

After his stint with Grimsby Town and the associated loan at Ebbsfleet, Soares continued his career in English non-league football. He had a brief return to Hayes & Yeading United in 2013 and later signed with Basingstoke Town, where he spent multiple seasons. Over the following years, the Barbadian international also played for clubs such as Oxford City, Hungerford Town, Slough Town and others, gradually winding down a career that totaled over 500 appearances across all levels. Despite not scoring for either Grimsby Town or Ebbsfleet United, Louie Soares’ tenure at these clubs was a noteworthy chapter in a journeyman career, marked by his deadline-day move to Grimsby and a valuable loan spell at Ebbsfleet that provided him regular first-team football in 2012.