Al Bangura

Club

Discovered by a Watford scout playing for Chertsey Town Youth in 2004, Bangura joined the Hornets youth set-up, and made his debut in a 1–0 win over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium in April 2005, coming on for the injured Gavin Mahon after 30 minutes. Bangura started the following game against West Ham United, on the final day of the 2004–05 season. In the 2005–06 season he was a regular in the Watford side, making 40 appearances in all competitions. His first goal for the Hornets, was a 90th-minute equaliser in a 2–2 draw against Derby County at Vicarage Road in March 2006. At the end of the season he won the club's Young Player of the year award. At the end of the 2005–06 Championship season Watford were promoted to the Premier League and Bangura was rewarded with a contract extension taking him through to the end of the 2008–09 season. The 2006–07 season saw Bangura make his Premier League debut as a 75th-minute substitute in a 1–2 home defeat to Manchester United. He made a total of 20 appearances, 16 of which were in the Premier League as Watford finished bottom of the table in 20th place and were relegated back to the Championship. He signed a new three-year contract with Watford in May 2007, but only made 10 appearances in the 2007–08 season. In the following season he made five appearances, before going out on loan for the remainder of the season to League One side Brighton & Hove Albion in March 2009. He made his debut for the Seagulls four days…

Club

International

Bangura was born and brought up in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and his father was the head of the Poro Secret Society, however he died when Alhassan was a young child. As he was the oldest in his family, custom dictated that he took over his father's place in Poro, when he grew up. He refused to do so, and instead fled to Guinea aged just 15 years-old, saying later, "I didn't like it at all so I fled to Guinea". However, in Guinea he met a Frenchman, who he did not realise was involved in human trafficking and who took Bangura to France intending to make him a male prostitute. When the man took Bangura to the UK, he intended again to use him as a prostitute, however Bangura sought asylum.

"I come from a strange background and from a country where there is not that much opportunity to get into the game of football professionally. It was hard when I was back home because no-one is there for you, no-one is encouraging you.... I also had problems away from football that made it hard."

In September 2009 he moved from Watford to live on the Fylde Coast.

Asylum case

In early 2007 Bangura was cleared to stay in the UK. However, the Home Office lodged an appeal on a legal technicality, claiming his status as an asylum seeker changed when he turned 18 years old. In November 2007, Bangura appeared before an Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, with Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd speaking on his behalf. On 11 December 2007 he lost his case to stay in the UK, despite Bangura fearing a return to his homeland, where he could be under threat from the Soko tribe, formerly led by his father. He launched an immediate appeal against the decision. The appeal against the decision, was backed by FIFPro, the worldwide representative organisation for professional footballers, Watford MP Claire Ward, Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd, former Home Secretary David Blunkett, and the club's honorary Life President Elton John. On 15 December 2007, Watford fans staged a half-time protest during the club's game against Plymouth Argyle, holding up posters on which Bangura's face appeared under the words "He's family", with Argyle fans in the 18,000 crowd joining in the protest.

"The support that I got from the Watford people is something I will never forget. They did so much for me, they are like family." Four days later the Home Office announced that Bangura would be allowed to remain in the UK while he applied for a work permit, a process that would take place in parallel with…