From the age of 4, Sam Gaughran from Hunstanton was part of Keith Rudd's Kings Lynn Football in the Community Scheme. He joined Norwich's academy in June 2000 as a schoolboy but was released at the age of 14. He rejoined Lynn initially playing for their youth team then for the Kings Lynn Reserves in the Ridgeons League. After breaking into the first team and having trials with Nottingham Forest, he was spotted by Peterborough United around Christmas 2006. They invited him to several trials at London Road. In April 2007, he signed a two year scholarship with Peterborough to begin in June 2007, under the auspices of former Lynn manager Tommy Taylor. He was also loaned to Norwegian side Kvinesdal IL.

Gaughran was loaned to Boston United in January 2008

Sam signed for Conference side Grays Athletic on a month's loan on 28th August 2009

Sam was released by Peterborough at the end of the 2009/10 season and he signed for Lowestoft on 21st July 2010

Sam was the target of a bid from Kings Lynn Town in March 2011. Blues’ chairman Gary Keyzor confirmed last night the former Linnets’ youngster will stay at Crown Meadow following a cash bid from the FA Vase semi-finalists. “I can confirm that we have rejected Kings Lynn’s offer for Sam Gaughran. Sam is a valuable member of our squad and therefore will remain a Lowestoft Town player as we enter the business end of the season, and our quest to gain promotion to the Blue Square League.”

At the end of May 2012, Sam returned to Kings Lynn, joining Kings Lynn Town following their promotion to the Southern League. By the end of June, he had quit Lynn and rejoined Lowestoft

Gaughran and Lowestoft won promotion to Conference South on Monday 5th May beating AFC Hornchurch. He made 93 appearances for Lowestoft.

He rejoined Kings Lynn in the summer of 2015. After 118 appearances, he left the club on 4th January 2018.

He remains a coach with Peterborough's Academy and then became their Head of Academy Recruitment.

He then signed with Royston Town later in January 2018.

He returned to Kings Lynn in June 2018 as assistant to new manager Simon Clark.