Godfrey Poku

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Godfrey Poku
Personal information
Full nameGodfrey Akwasi Poku[1]
Date of birth (1990-07-22) 22 July 1990
Place of birthNewham, London, England[2]
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current clubAlfreton Town
(on loan from Mansfield Town)
Number23
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2009–2010St Albans City13(1)
2010–2012Luton Town19(0)
2010→ St Albans City (loan)6(0)
2011–2012→ Southport (loan)22(0)
2012–Mansfield Town4(0)
2012–2013→ Southport (loan)32(0)
2014–→ Alfreton Town (loan)2(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:35, 10 January 2014 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Godfrey Akwasi Poku (born 22 July 1990) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Conference Premier side Alfreton Town on loan from Mansfield Town. He previously played for St Albans City, Luton Town and Southport.

Career

St Albans City

Born in the Newham, London, Poku was educated at nearby Redbridge College. In February 2009, he was offered a scholarship to Fort Lewis College in Colorado, United States, having impressed scouts at an invitational football tournament at Preston College in Phoenix, Arizona the previous year.[3] Poku chose to turn down the offer, instead preferring to pursue a full-time career in English football, and joined Conference South side St Albans City for the beginning of the 2009–10 season.[4] He made his St Albans debut on 19 September 2009 against Weymouth. He played in 14 further games for St Albans, scoring a 25-yard goal in the return fixture against Weymouth.[5][6] During his time at the club, Poku had trials with Football League clubs Reading, Leyton Orient and Southend United.[4]

Luton Town

On 5 January 2010 Poku was signed on a free transfer by Conference Premier club Luton Town, along with fellow St Albans player JJ O’Donnell.[7] Poku was highly rated by St Albans manager Steve Castle, who pleaded with him to stay at the club, and had been attracting interest from Championship side Swansea City.[8] On 30 January, Poku and O’Donnell were loaned back to St Albans for one month.[9] He made six further appearances for The Saints before returning to Kenilworth Road.

Poku made his Luton debut the next season on 2 October 2010 in a league match away at Barrow, coming on as a substitute, but only after making the bench because Adam Newton picked up an injury during the warm-up.[10] Mike Simmonds of Luton Today reported after the match that "Poku in particular was highly impressive during his brief spell on the pitch, breaking up Barrow attacks and as he grew into the game, showing an eye for a pass too."[11] Speaking after Poku's professional debut, Luton's then-manager Richard Money said, "he gave the team a lift in that crucial 15 to 20 minutes. I was really pleased with his debut."[12]

He made two further league substitute appearances in wins over Eastbourne Borough and Forest Green Rovers, before signing a two-year contract extension in November 2010.[13]

Poku started his first game for Luton in a 0–0 FA Trophy draw with Welling United on 12 December.[14]

…there's a very interesting player developing there. That's his debut at this level and…he can be really pleased with it.

Quote from then Luton Town manager Richard Money in the wake of Poku’s first start for the club in a 5–0 win over York City on 18 January 2011[15]
Poku made his first league start in a 5–0 win over York City on 18 January 2011, and was praised by manager Richard Money, who called him “highly interesting” and that he could be “really pleased” with his performance.[15] Over the course of the 2010–11 season, he made a total of 19 appearances in Luton colours.

On 26 August 2011, Poku was loaned to Conference Premier side Southport for six months as part of the transfer that took Southport midfielder John Paul Kissock to Luton.[16] He made a strong impression in his first games for The Sandgrounders, with captain Alan Moogan saying, "[Poku is] a good player. He wants to get on the ball, puts a foot in and he's all over the pitch… it's really good playing with him."[17]

The 22 league games Poku played while at Southport coincided with a change in fortunes for the club – he joined them when they were 23rd in the Conference Premier and when his loan finished in early January, Southport were 6th.[18][19] Southport midfielder Karl Ledsham praised Poku's contribution when he told the Liverpool Echo "Godfrey is a great lad and has done an unbelievable job, considering he’d not had many games for Luton. But you look at him and wonder how he didn’t get in their team because he has brought so much to us and our midfield. He has won games by himself and has picked the lads up when we’ve been down in games. He’s carried a couple of lads as well and has been an unbelievable signing."[20]

Whilst Poku declared himself to be happy to return to Southport for the remainder of the season, Luton Town manager Gary Brabin remained undecided on whether to let him return to Southport.[21] Southport manager Liam Watson told BBC Radio Merseyside "I'm more than optimistic that loan deal will be extended, but not until after the Luton game. I'd say it's 90%. I've already spoken to Gary Brabin and he's not going to make a decision until after we play the Luton game"[22]

After returning to Luton, Poku's first eligible match for the Hatters was, coincidentally, against Southport. When asked whether Poku could give any tactical information about the Southport team, Gary Brabin said "Anyone who knows Godfrey knows that he's got no knowledge."[23][24]

Southport made a bid for Poku during the January 2012 transfer window which Luton turned down.[25][26] Luton Town boss Gary Brabin's reaction to the bid was to say "I’m certainly not going to be bullied into selling him or him going back on loan."[27]

Mansfield Town

Despite interest from Southport,[28] Poku signed for Mansfield on the 1st July 2012.[29]

Southport

Poku was sent out on loan by Mansfield on the last day of the transfer window to Southport once again, lasting this time till the end of the season.[30]

Alfreton Town

On 3 January 2014, Poku joined Conference Premier side Alfreton Town on loan until the end of the season.[31]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 January 2014.[5][32][33]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
St Albans City 2009–10 Conference South 13110—1[lower-alpha 1]0 151
Luton Town 2009–10 Conference Premier 0000—00 00
2010–11 Conference Premier 9040—6[lower-alpha 1]0 190
2011–12 Conference Premier 10000—00 100
Total 19040—60 290
St Albans City (loan) 2009–10 Conference South 6000—00 60
Southport (loan) 2011–12 Conference Premier 22010—1[lower-alpha 1]0 240
Mansfield Town 2012–13 Conference Premier 0000—00 00
2013–14 League Two 40100000 50
Total 40100000 50
Southport (loan) 2012–13 Conference Premier 32010—3[lower-alpha 1]0 360
Alfreton Town (loan) 2013–14 Conference Premier 2000—00 20
Career total 9818000110 1171
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Appearance(s) in the FA Trophy

Footnotes

A. ^ The "League" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the Conference Premier and Conference South.
B. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the FA Trophy.

References

  1. ↑ "Football student nets contract with Luton Town". The Enquirer. Retrieved 2012-01-31. 
  2. ↑ "Redbridge College footballer offered scholarship in America". Redbridge College. 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2011-09-21. 
  3. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Poku points towards first team spot". Luton Today (Johnston Publishing Ltd). 2010-03-06. Retrieved 2011-09-21. 
  4. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Godfrey Poku". St Albans City F.C. Retrieved 4 January 2014. 
  5. ↑ Tavener, David (2009-10-31). "City spirits raised as Terras are becalmed". St Albans & Harpenden Review. (Newsquest Media Group). Retrieved 2012-01-26. 
  6. ↑ "Luton Town sign St Albans City’s O’Donnell and Poku". BBC Sport. 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2011-09-20. 
  7. ↑ "St Albans City boss Steve Castle pleads with pair to reject Luton Town and stay with Saints". St Albans & Harpenden Review (Newsquest Media Group). 2009-12-23. Retrieved 2010-01-06. 
  8. ↑ "Duo loaned back to Saints". Luton Town F.C. 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2010-01-30. 
  9. ↑ "Barrow 0-1 Luton Town". BBC Sport. 2010-10-02. Retrieved 2010-10-02. 
  10. ↑ "Barnes-Homer strikes as Luton defeat Barrow". Luton Today. (Johnson Press Ltd). 2010-10-04. Retrieved 2012-01-30. 
  11. ↑ "Poku pleases his boss on debut day". Bedfordshire on Sunday. (LSN Media Ltd). 2010-10-02. Retrieved 2012-01-30. 
  12. ↑ "Dan Walker and Godfrey Poku sign new Luton Town deals". BBC Sport. 2010-11-05. Retrieved 2011-09-20. 
  13. ↑ Ryan, Ian (2010-12-12). "Hatters fail to get off the ground against Wings". Bedfordshire on Sunday (Local Sunday Newspapers Ltd). Retrieved 2011-09-21. 
  14. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Luton Town upbeat on Dan Gleeson condition". BBC Sport. 2011-01-19. Retrieved 2011-09-20. 
  15. ↑ "Luton sign Kissock". Bedfordshire on Sunday (Bedford: Local Sunday Newspapers). 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2011-08-27. 
  16. ↑ "Southport’s Alan Moogan impressed with Godfrey Poku". BBC Sport. 2011-09-06. Retrieved 2011-09-20. 
  17. ↑ "Blue Square BET Premier Table - Updated 23/08/2011". Luton Town F.C. 2011-08-23. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  18. ↑ "Blue Square BET Premier Table - Updated 07/01/2012". Luton Town F.C. 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  19. ↑ "Karl Ledsham wants Godfrey Poku to extend loan deal at Southport FC". Liverpool Echo (Trinity Mirror). 2011-12-17. Retrieved 2012-01-26. 
  20. ↑ "Southport's Godfrey Poku uncertain over future". BBC Sport. 2012-01-03. Retrieved 2012-01-26. 
  21. ↑ "Brabin Undecided On Poku". Blue Square Bet Premier. 2012-01-09. Retrieved 2012-01-26. 
  22. ↑ "Poku in contention for place against Southport". Bedfordshire on Sunday. (LSN Media Ltd). 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2012-01-26. 
  23. ↑ "Brabin would be happy to throw Poku in against Southport". Luton Today. (Johnson Press Ltd). 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2012-01-26. 
  24. ↑ "Gateshead chairman insists Shaw was never going to Luton". Luton Today. (Johnson Press Ltd). 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-02-11. 
  25. ↑ "Luton Town would not have accepted a five figure offer for Godfrey Poku say Southport FC". Southport Visitor. (Trinity Mirror). 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2012-02-11. 
  26. ↑ "Brabin: I won't be bullied to sell Poku". Bedfordshire on Sunday. LSN Media Ltd. 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2012-02-12. 
  27. ↑ "Southport have missed out on signing Godfrey Poku". Southport Visiter. Trinity Mirror Ltd. 2012-06-21. Retrieved 2012-08-31. 
  28. ↑ "Mansfield bring in George Pilkington and Godfrey Poku". BBC Sport. 2012-06-19. Retrieved 2012-08-31. 
  29. ↑ "Poku signs on permanent 'Port loan". Southport F.C - The official website. 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2012-08-31. 
  30. ↑ "Poku joins Alfreton on loan". Mansfield Town F.C. Retrieved 4 January 2013. 
  31. ↑ "G. Poku". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 January 2014. 
  32. ↑ "Godfrey Poku". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 January 2014. 

External links

Alfreton Town F.C. – current squad
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