Richard Kone
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-07-15) 15 July 2003[1]
Place of birth Abidjan, Ivory Coast[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Wycombe Wanderers
Number 24
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2024 Athletic Newham 109 (88)
2024– Wycombe Wanderers 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:15, 3 January 2024 (UTC)

Richard Kone (born 15 July 2003) is a professional footballer from the Ivory Coast who plays as a striker for Wycombe Wanderers. [3]

Career

In 2019, after arriving in the United Kingdom to play in the Homeless World Cup, Kone began playing for Lopes Tavares, later to be renamed Athletic Newham, scoring 20 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions for the club in his first season at the club.[4] In 2021, Athletic Newham were promoted to the Essex Senior League. During the club's first season in the league, Kone scored 42 goals in 48 games in all competitions, finishing as the league's top scorer with 31 goals.[5] That season, he had trials with Colchester United as well as with a Premier League club.[6] The following season, Kone scored 40 goals in all competitions.[7] Despite the interest from teams in higher tiers, Kone's visa status prevented him from playing professional football.[8]

After scoring a further 21 goals for Newham from the start of the 2023–24 season, Kone joined Wycombe Wanderers in January 2024 on a permanent contract, after an extended trial.[9] He had started his trial with Wycombe in the summer of 2023,[10] and scored in friendly matches against Aldershot Town and Barnet.[11] He made a goalscoring debut for Wycombe Wanderers on 9 January 2024, in the EFL Trophy quarter finals against West Ham U21, scoring the second goal in a 2-1 victory.[12]

International career

Kone represented the Ivory Coast at the Homeless World Cup in 2019.[13]

Personal life

Kone has a young daughter and, as of 2024, a girlfriend.[8] He said he was gay publicly as a teenager during the Homeless World Cup, explaining that he had become homeless after coming out to his family.[8][14] He reconciled with his mother prior to playing in the Homeless World Cup in 2019.[13] When he became a professional footballer in 2024, representatives said he did not want to comment on his personal life; no clarifications were made for his previous statements.[8]

Career statistics

As of match played 6 January 2024[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lopes Tavares[lower-alpha 1] 2019–20[4] ECFL Division One South 201400—11[lower-alpha 2]63120
Athletic Newham 2020–21[16] ECFL Division One South 8400—1[lower-alpha 3]195
2021–22[17][18] Essex Senior League 363122—10[lower-alpha 4]94842
2022–23[19] Essex Senior League 322820—8[lower-alpha 5]124240
2023–24[20] Essex Senior League 131135—2[lower-alpha 6]21818
Total 1098877003230148125
Wycombe Wanderers 2023–24 League One 000 0—1 111
Career total 1098877003230148125
  1. ↑ Lopes Tavares changed their name to Athletic Newham ahead of the 2020–21 season
  2. ↑ Two appearances in FA Vase, three appearances and two goals in Eastern Counties League Cup, four appearances and one goal in Eastern Counties League First Division Knockout Cup, two appearances and three goals in London Senior Trophy
  3. ↑ One appearance and one goal in London Senior Trophy
  4. ↑ Five appearances and six goals in FA Vase, one appearance in London Senior Cup, one appearance and one goal in Essex Senior Cup, two appearances and one goal in Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy, one appearance and one goal in Errington Challenge Cup
  5. ↑ Two appearances and one goal in FA Vase, two appearances and six goals in Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy, four appearances and five goals in Errington Challenge Cup
  6. ↑ Two appearances and two goals in FA Vase

References

  1. ↑ "Footballer from Ivory Coast secures transfer to English pro club Wycombe". Outsports. 6 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Welcome, Côte d'Ivoire". Homeless World Cup. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "Formerly abandoned star secures dream transfer to League One side after playing in Homeless World Cup due to his sexuality". Yallshoot7.com. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Richard Kone Player Stats". Full-Time FA. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Richard Kone Player Stats". Full-Time FA. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Colchester United target Richard Kone links up with Premier League club". Gazette News. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Richard Kone Player Stats". Full-Time FA. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Holmes, Jon (2024-01-06). "Footballer who said he was gay signs for pro club Wycombe". Outsports. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  9. ↑ "Richard Kone: Wycombe Wanderers sign prolific non-league striker from Athletic Newham". BBC Sport. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "Wycombe Wanderers sign Richard Kone from Athletic Newham". Bucks Free Press. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Wanderers secure Richard Kone on a permanent deal". Extra Time. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  12. ↑ Richings, James (9 January 2024). "Richard Kone scores on Wycombe debut against West Ham U21s". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  13. 1 2 "WELCOME, CÔTE D'IVOIRE". Homeless World Cup. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "Josh Cavallo became the world's only current top-tier gay male professional footballer". Gazette Sport. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "Côte d'Ivoire - R. Kone - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  16. ↑ "Richard Kone Player Stats". Full-Time FA. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  17. ↑ "Leading Goal Scorers". The Official Website Of The Essex Senior Football League. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  18. ↑ "Richard Kone Player Stats". Full-Time FA. 2018-11-18. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  19. ↑ "Richard Kone Player Stats". Full-Time FA. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  20. ↑ "Richard Kone Player Stats". Full-Time FA. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
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