Michael Boateng
 Boateng in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Kwame Adusei Boateng | ||
| Date of birth | 17 August 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Peckham, London, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Right back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2007 | Crystal Palace | ||
| 2008–2010 | Woking | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2011 | Carshalton Athletic | ||
| 2011–2012 | Bristol Rovers | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | → Tonbridge Angels (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | → Sutton United (loan) | 25 | (0) |
| 2012 | Bromley | 1 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Sutton United | 12 | (0) |
| 2013 | Newport County | 3 | (0) |
| 2013 | Whitehawk | 16 | (0) |
| Total | 67 | (1) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Michael Kwame Adusei Boateng (born 17 August 1991) is an English convicted criminal and former professional footballer who played primarily as a right back. He was sentenced in 2014 to 16 months' imprisonment for his part in an attempted match-fixing fraud,[1] and has twice served time in prison for drug dealing offences.[2]
Early life
[edit]As a youngster growing up he played for Addiscombe Corinthians. He attended Archbishop Tenison's School from 2002 to 2007 where he was a regular in the school team. He was an academy player at Crystal Palace before being released.
Club career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Born in Peckham, London, Boateng was a youth player at Woking, this was the period of time he had a growth spurt, where he featured heavily and appeared for their reserves. In July 2010, he signed for Carshalton Athletic, where he was their starting right back and put in performances which built up some interest.[3]
Bristol Rovers
[edit]During the start of preseason for the 2011–12 season he was invited on a two-week trial with Bristol Rovers, where he featured in several friendlies. In July 2011 he signed for Bristol Rovers on a one-year contract with a further year option.[4]
In an interview in the Bristol Evening Post, Boateng expressed his delight in joining the team: "To have a chance in the professional game is all I've ever wanted. My family are delighted for me. I'm sad to be moving away from them in London, but I am really happy to be starting what is a new chapter in my life."[5]
He made his debut for Bristol Rovers on 6 September 2011, when he came on as a 76th-minute substitute for Danny Woodards in a Football League Trophy match against Wycombe Wanderers.[6]
Soon after, Boateng went on a two-month loan to Tonbridge Angels, and then to Sutton United in December.[7]
Non-league
[edit]Following his release from Bristol Rovers, he had trials at Oxford United,[8] Bradford City[9] and Mansfield Town.[10]
In October 2012, Boateng signed for Bromley.[11] He made his debut on 14 October 2012, in Bromley's non-league day match against local rivals Welling United.
He left Bromley in November 2012 and returned to Sutton United. In March 2013 Boateng joined Newport County, he was released in May 2013 following their promotion to League Two.
Match fixing charges
[edit]After his departure from Newport, Boateng joined Whitehawk but on 5 December 2013, he was charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of an investigation into match-fixing.[12] He was sacked by Whitehawk the following day.[13]
In January 2015, Boateng was given a lifetime ban from football for admitting the charges of conspiracy to commit bribery.[14]
Career statistics
[edit]Sources:[15]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Bristol Rovers | 2011–12 | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| → Tonbridge Angels (loan) | 2011–12 | Conference South | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| → Sutton United (loan) | 2011–12 | Conference South | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Bromley | 2012–13 | Conference South | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sutton United | 2012–13 | Conference South | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Newport County | 2012–13 | Conference Premier | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Whitehawk | 2013–14 | Conference South | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Career total | 67 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 71 | 1 | ||
- ^ Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
- ^ Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
Style of play
[edit]Boateng is an athletic full back and known for his adventurous play and surging runs.[16]
Personal life
[edit]Boateng works as a personal trainer and is a co-host on the podcast Banged Up where he talks about his time in prison.[2]
Later criminal activity
[edit]In June 2014, Boateng was sentenced to 16 months in prison for match fixing.[1]
In June 2015, Boateng was sent to prison for a second time for drug dealing.[2]
On 16 February 2024, Boateng appeared in court charged with possessing Class A drug methylamphetamine with intent to supply.[17] His home was raided on Valentine's Day in 2024 and he was caught with 19.6 kg of the drug, worth up to £1.5m – which was one of the biggest seizures of crystal meth in the UK. On 10 September 2024, Boateng admitted possessing crystal meth, cocaine and MDMA with intent to supply. He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced in November 2024.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Football match-fixing trio jailed". BBC Sport. 20 June 2014.
- ^ a b c "'I was in prison, now I'm training Jadon Sancho'". BBC News. 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Robins Lose Boateng to Pirates - Pitchero Non-League". 20 July 2011.
- ^ "Bristol Rovers | News | Latest News | Latest News | ROVERS SIGN BOATENG". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011.
- ^ http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Michael-Boateng-delighted-Bristol-Rovers-chance/story-12979242-detail/story.html [dead link]
- ^ "Wycombe 3 Bristol Rovers 1". Sky Sports. 7 September 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- ^ "Boateng joins Sutton United on loan". Bristol Rovers F.C. 20 December 2011. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ^ "Smalley strike ensures West Ham scalp".
- ^ "Bradford City players show their hunger in Irish opener". Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "STAGS RESERVES 1-0 GATESHEAD RESERVES". www.stagsnet.net. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Bromley Bag Defender Boateng". 13 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
- ^ "Match fixing investigation: Two more charged". BBC News. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
- ^ "Match fixing investigation: Whitehawk FC sack charged pair". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
- ^ "Michael Boateng given lifetime suspension from football". The FA.
- ^ "England - M. Boateng - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
- ^ "Bristol Rowers".
- ^ "Ex-footballer Michael Boateng faces court over £1million haul of crystal meth". The Standard. 16 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Ex-Palace player caught with £1.5m haul of crystal meth". CourtNewsUK. 11 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
External links
[edit]- Michael Boateng at Soccerway
- 1991 births
- Living people
- Footballers from the London Borough of Southwark
- People from Peckham
- English men's footballers
- England men's semi-pro international footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- Carshalton Athletic F.C. players
- Bristol Rovers F.C. players
- Tonbridge Angels F.C. players
- Sutton United F.C. players
- Newport County A.F.C. players
- National League (English football) players
- People educated at Archbishop Tenison's Church of England High School, Croydon
- Whitehawk F.C. players
- Black British sportsmen
- Bromley F.C. players
- English fraudsters
- British sportspeople convicted of crimes
- Sportspeople involved in betting scandals
- 21st-century English sportsmen