Back and Next - Back and NextGambian teenager shines in English lower league
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Mustapha Carayol, a Briton of Gambian roots, has left English League One club, Milton Keynes Dons, to sign for Blue Square Premier side, Torquay United, in the Conference National League.
The 19-year-old has signed a two-year contract at Plainmoor after just one season with the Dons, having been brought in as one of Paul Ince's first signings. The former Swindon and Macclesfield winger spent most of last season on loan with Crawley Town, making 26 appearances for the team.
Carayol trained as a youth player with Swindon Town, before following Paul Ince to Macclesfield Town in 2006. When Ince became manager of Milton Keynes Dons in 2007, he signed Carayol, offering him his first professional contract.
He made his first team debut for MK Dons against Sheffield United in the League Cup in August 2007 and has since appeared in one further cup game. In October 2007, he joined Crawley Town on loan to gain further first team experience. On July 13, 2008, he was signed by Blue Square Premier side, Torquay United.
His new club, nicknamed the Gulls, is an English association football club based in the seaside resort town of Torquay, Devon. They will begin the 2008-09 season in the Conference National having lost their league status at the end of the 2006-2007 season. Founded in 1899, they joined the Football League in 1927 and spent their entire time in the Football League in the lower divisions.
Torquay United prided themselves on being one of the few clubs in the lower English football leagues to remain debt-free despite the debacle of the ITV Digital collapse.
Gambian connection
Talented midfielder Mustapha Carayol, whose grandfather currently serves as chairman of Independence Electoral Commission in The Gambia, holds a British citizenship. He is however, legible to play for The Gambia, and recently he has been closely watched by the Gambian football authorities.
Seedy Kinteh, President of The Gambia Football Association told Observer Sports that the football association is in contact with Carayol. He said the details of the player will be presented to the Scorpions coach who will later invite him for a trial.
The 19-year-old has signed a two-year contract at Plainmoor after just one season with the Dons, having been brought in as one of Paul Ince's first signings. The former Swindon and Macclesfield winger spent most of last season on loan with Crawley Town, making 26 appearances for the team.
Carayol trained as a youth player with Swindon Town, before following Paul Ince to Macclesfield Town in 2006. When Ince became manager of Milton Keynes Dons in 2007, he signed Carayol, offering him his first professional contract.
He made his first team debut for MK Dons against Sheffield United in the League Cup in August 2007 and has since appeared in one further cup game. In October 2007, he joined Crawley Town on loan to gain further first team experience. On July 13, 2008, he was signed by Blue Square Premier side, Torquay United.
His new club, nicknamed the Gulls, is an English association football club based in the seaside resort town of Torquay, Devon. They will begin the 2008-09 season in the Conference National having lost their league status at the end of the 2006-2007 season. Founded in 1899, they joined the Football League in 1927 and spent their entire time in the Football League in the lower divisions.
Torquay United prided themselves on being one of the few clubs in the lower English football leagues to remain debt-free despite the debacle of the ITV Digital collapse.
Gambian connection
Talented midfielder Mustapha Carayol, whose grandfather currently serves as chairman of Independence Electoral Commission in The Gambia, holds a British citizenship. He is however, legible to play for The Gambia, and recently he has been closely watched by the Gambian football authorities.
Seedy Kinteh, President of The Gambia Football Association told Observer Sports that the football association is in contact with Carayol. He said the details of the player will be presented to the Scorpions coach who will later invite him for a trial.
Author: by Nanama Keita
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