After the club made an approach for him,[16] May turned professional with Doncaster Rovers (also in League Two) in January 2017, signing a 2+1⁄2-year contract.[17] He scored his first professional goal on 18 February 2017, in a 1–1 home draw with Luton Town.[18]
Cheltenham Town
On 3 January 2020, May signed for Cheltenham Town on a two-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[19] On 19 February 2022, May scored four goals against Wycombe Wanderers in a match that would end 5–5; May scored the equalising goal to share the points.[20] May was awarded the EFL League One Player of the Month award for February 2022 after scoring eight goals in six matches across the month.[21]
He won the League One Player of the Month award for a second time for March 2023 having scored five goals and registered an assist,[22] including a strike from his own half against Peterborough United.
May became Cheltenham's highest EFL goalscorer with a goal in a win against Cambridge United in September 2022.[23] At the end of the 2022–23 season, May left Cheltenham having scored 67 times in 165 games.[24]
Charlton Athletic
On 7 July 2023, May joined Charlton Athletic on a two-year contract with the option to extend for a further 12 months.[25][26] Charlton paid Cheltenham a reported fee in the region of £250,000.[27] On the same day, Charlton announced that May would wear the number nine shirt for the 2023–24 season.[28] Having scored seven goals in six league matches, he was awarded the League One Player of the Month award for October 2023.[29] In November 2023, May told Sky Sports it was his intention to score more league goals than Premier League Golden Boot holder Erling Haaland, after May brought his goal tally to one behind Haaland's at the same point in the season.[30] He would go on to overtake Haaland's league goal tally in December.[31] On 29 February 2024, May was voted EFL Player of the Year at the 2024 London Football Awards.[32] May was named in the EFL League One Team of the Season at the 2024 EFL Awards that took place on 14 April 2024.[33] His 23 league goals also saw him pick up the League One Golden Boot.[34] He was voted PFA League One Player of the Year[35] and was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year.[36]
Birmingham City
On 2 July 2024, May joined Birmingham City on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[37] He made his debut in the starting eleven for the opening fixture of the season, at home to Reading; with little time remaining and Birmingham trailing 1–0, Emil Hansson's cross was handled by an opponent and May tied the scores from the resultant penalty.[38] He went on to score in each of his next three league matches.[39]
Career statistics
As of match played 1 January 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition