| http://www.barnetfc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10431~48140,00.html | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Clovis Kamdjo Tchoumbou [1] | ||
| Date of birth | 15 December 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Cameroon | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
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| position = Defender | currentclub = Barnet | clubnumber = 21 | youthyears1 = 2005–2009 | youthclubs1 = Reading | years1 = 2009– | clubs1 = Barnet | caps1 = 70 | goals1 = 3 | pcupdate = 17:00, 3 January 2012 (UTC) }} Clovis Kamdjo Tchoumbou (born 15 December 1990) is a Cameroonian footballer who plays for Barnet in English League Two.
Kamdjo came to England at the age of 14 and started his career in the youth system of Reading in 2005. He was youth team captain and featured regurlary for the youth and reserve side, although he failed to make a single first-team appearance for the club. He was sent out on work experience to Cheltenham Town and also had a trial with the club. He was released from the club in 2009 and joined Barnet on a free transfer after being on trial. He became a regular in the 2010–11 season playing a part in the 'great escape' avoiding relegation from The Football League on the last game of the season. Kamdjo has also represented his country at under-17 and under-21 level. Since the beginning of the 2011/12 season with Barnet, he has been converted into a defensive midfielder, appearing in every single game of the season thus far, with the exception of the Dagenham game, when he picked up a match ban beforehand.
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Kamdjo left his native Cameroon in 2005 at the age of 14, in order to pursue a career in the professional game.[2] He joined Reading in 2005, and progressed through the youth ranks, playing regurlarly for the youth team and eventually became youth team captain.[3] He scored 5 goals in 23 appearances for Reading's youth side in the 2008–09 season, and also featured for the Reserve side.[3] In April 2009, Kamdjo was sent on work experience to League Two side Cheltenham Town after learning that he wouldn't be offered a professional contract at the Madejski Stadium.[4] The terms of the deal meant that he would be able to feature in reserve and youth team games for Cheltenham.[4]
Kamdjo signed for League Two side Barnet on a one-year contract on 9 August 2009, after being on trial following his release from Reading and his subsequent trial at Cheltenham.[3] He featured at right back and centre half in the Bees' pre-season games against Billericay Town and Ebbsfleet United.[3] Kamdjo was given the squad number 21 ahead of the 2009–10 season.[5] Manager Ian Hendon handed Kamdjo his professional debut on 22 August 2009, in the League Two 1–0 win over Torquay United at Plainmoor. He featured at centre half due to an injury crisis at the North London club.[6] He went on to feature in the first team throughout September, October and November, but faced a lengthy spell out until late February when he required surgery after rupturing medial collateral ligaments and cartilage damage in a block tackle in the game against Hereford United, that hampered him settling into his new club.[7][8] He made his return to first team action in February 2010 in a 2–0 win over Port Vale.[9] Kamdjo featured in seven more games in the remaining 2009–10 campaign, which included being sent off against Accrington Stanley for a professional foul, conceding a penalty.[10]
In May 2010, Kamdjo signed a new two-year contract extension after impressing in his first full season as a professional.[11] The 2010–11 season saw the appointment of Mark Stimson at the club, and Kamdjo found himself down the pecking order with the arrivals of new defenders Anwar Uddin, Jordan Parkes and also the emergence of Daniel Leach from the youth team. His first appearance of the season came on 18 September 2010, in a 4–1 home defeat to Rotherham United, coming on as a substitute for Daniel Leach.[12] In late September, defenders Daniel Leach and Darren Dennehy sustained long-term injurys, and Kamdjo was the only recognised central defender left to partner captain Anwar Uddin.[13] This flung Clovis into first team action throughout October, before again returning to the substitutes bench in November and December. On 1 January 2011, manager Mark Stimson was sacked as the Bees found themselves in the relegation zone, and was replaced by caretaker boss Paul Fairclough.[14] The appointment saw Kamdjo become first choice and featured regularly in the first three months of the new year. In March 2011, Martin Allen was appointed as manager and this saw a turn in Barnet's fortunes. He scored his first career goal on 25 April 2011, scoring the opening goal in a 2–2 with Oxford United.[15] Barnet went into the last league game of the season only needing a final day win over Port Vale to ensure survival ahead of Lincoln City. Kamdjo featured in the nail biting 1–0 victory over Vale ensuring Football League status.[16]
At the start of the 2011–12 season former Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez was appointed as new manager at Underhill.[17] Kamdjo kept his place in the first team despite the change of manager and started in the first game of the season in a 1–0 away win at Morecambe.[18] He then scored his second goal for Barnet in the fourth game of the season, opening the scoring with a "powering" header in a 2–2 draw away to Rotherham United.[19]
Kamdjo has represented his native Cameroon at under-17 and under-21 levels.[2][11]
Kamdjo is a defender who can play in central defence or right back. He has since been converted into a defensive midfielder by Lawrie Sanchez.[2][3] Barnet manager Mark Stimson stated that Kamdjo has "a similar style to Linvoy Primus, if he can get anywhere near that standard he'll be OK".[13] Barnet assistant manager, Giuliano Grazioli stated after a pre-season win over Gabala in 2011 that "Clovis was immense and he is always getting better".[20] His boyhood idol is former West Ham United, Liverpool and Cameroon international captain Rigobert Song.[2] Kamdjo said in his time in Reading's youth team that "it's been good to have André Bikey in the Reading first team squad as he is someone I look up to".[2] In the 2010–11 season Kamdjo only received one booking in 33 appearances which "is a testament to his fine tackling ability".[21]
| Club | Season | League[A] | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[B] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barnet |
|
15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
|
|
32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| 2011–12[24] | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 2 | |
| Total | 67 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 78 | 3 | |
| Career totals | 67 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 78 | 2 | |
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