Alhassan Bangura

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Personal information
Al Bangura
Full name	Alhassan Bangura
Date of birth	24 January 1988
Place of birth	Freetown, Sierra Leone
Height	5'9
Nickname	Big Al
Position	Centre Midfield
Club information
Current club	Watford
Number	20
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
2005 -	Watford	44 (1)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30/8/2006.

Alhassan (Al) Bangura (born 24 January 1988) is a Sierra Leonian central midfielder.

Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, he fled the country upon the death of his father. His father was a member of the Poro Secret Society, and tradition stated that his son must join upon his death. Not wanting to, he went to Guinea where he met a Frenchman, who took him to France intended to make Bangura a male prostitute. When the man took him to England, he sought asylum.[1]

Discovered by a Watford scout playing in a park, he joined the Watford youth set-up, and made his debut against Stoke City whilst still a member of the Academy on 30th April 2005 aged just 17, coming on for an injured Gavin Mahon. He started the following game against West Ham United on the final day of the 2004/05 season. In the 2005/06 season he has been a regular in the Watford side, making 37 appearances (24 from the bench) in all competitions, scoring 1 goal and winning the club's Young Player of the Season award.

Al has even earned himself his very own fan club, "The Big Al Fan Club" who regularly attend games with their Sierra Leone flag in tow.

Al's hard work in the 2005-2006 Championship Season and getting the club promoted has been rewarded with a contract extension taking him through to the end of the 2008-2009 season as a Watford player