Ben Starosta

Sheffield United

Starosta started his club career with Sheffield United and had a spell in early 2006 on work experience with non-league Tamworth. He signed a new two-year contract with Sheffield United in May 2007, before joining Brentford in a five-month loan deal in August 2007 after impressing in two pre-season friendlies. Starosta played 23 games in all competitions for Brentford but was sent off during his last game for the club, a Boxing Day fixture against Wycombe Wanderers. In January 2008, he signed for Bradford City on loan for the rest of the 2007–08 season. Starosta made his debut for Bradford on 26 January 2008 as a half-time substitute in a 1–1 draw away at Wrexham. He took Darren Williams' place at right back the following game and played in a total of 15 games for Bradford, sharing first team duties with Williams. Starosta returned to Sheffield United at the end of the season, but he moved back to League Two when he joined Aldershot Town on a one-month loan deal for the start of the 2008–09 season, with a view to a permanent transfer. He made his Aldershot debut in Town's game against Accrington Stanley at the start of the season, and played four games during his loan spell. With a permanent deal with Aldershot not materialising, Starosta instead joined Polish side Lechia Gdańsk on a six-month loan deal in September 2008. He returned to Sheffield United in February 2009 having played eleven times for Gdańsk but was released at the end of the season…

Starosta was the player-coach between 2018 and 2020 for Northern Counties East Football League side Parkgate.

Starosta qualified to play for Poland through his grandfather who moved to England from Poland after the Second World War. He received his Polish passport in early 2007 and was called up to the Poland squad for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He started all four games, including the 1–0 defeat of Brazil on 30 June.

Having been born to a Polish family but brought up in England, Starosta speaks English but has learned Polish during his time in the country. As a young player his heroes were David Beckham and Kaká. Starosta cites his main hobby as playing golf and also enjoys singing to the point that his Miedź teammates suggested he enter the Polish version of Must Be The Music.