English footballer (born 2001)
Kasonga Jonathan Ngandu (born 25 October 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Southern League Premier Division Central club Spalding United . He came through Coventry City 's academy and spent time on loan at Icelandic club Keflavík before leaving Coventry in 2022 having made just one senior appearance, in the EFL Trophy . He spent a season with Scottish Championship club Hamilton Academical and Stranraer of Scottish League Two before returning to England with non-league clubs Stratford Town and Darlington .
Career
Coventry City
Ngandu was born in Redbridge, London ,[ 3] and raised in Coventry , West Midlands . He joined Coventry City 's academy as a six-year-old, and played above his age-group throughout his development.[ 4] While still 16, he was an unused substitute in the EFL Trophy , and soon after his 17th birthday in October 2018 he signed his first professional contract, of two-and-a-half years.[ 5] [ 6] Two weeks later he made his senior debut, starting in the EFL Trophy against Cheltenham Town on 13 November to become the sixth-youngest Coventry player to start a first-team match.[ 7] [ 8]
Ngandu's progress stalled somewhat in the 2019–20 season,[ 9] and illness disrupted his pre-season training. He joined promotion-chasing Icelandic 1. deild karla (second-tier) club Keflavík on 2 September 2020 on loan .[ 10] [ 11] He played four matches, was named in the team of the week, and helped the team reach first place in the table before returning to his parent club when the COVID-19 pandemic brought a premature end to the Icelandic football season.[ 5] [ 12] [ 13]
Coventry City took up their option of another year on Ngandu's contract,[ 14] and the Coventry Telegraph speculated that, as one of "several players with a bit of a question mark over their heads", he might go out on loan again.[ 15] He stayed, and as captain of Coventry under-23s,[ 16] Ngandu scored two penalties in the semi-final of the 2021–22 Professional Development League as his team beat Ipswich Town 5–4,[ 17] and led them to a 3–2 victory over Bristol City U23 in the final, knowing that he had been released by the club, so would be leaving at the end of the season.[ 16] [ 18]
Hamilton Academical
In June 2022, he appeared as a trialist in a friendly for Scottish Championship side Hamilton Academical .[ 19] He signed for the club on 5 July.[ 20] He made fourteen appearances in the early part of the season, the last of which was on 8 November in a 3–0 win against Rangers B in the League Challenge Cup .[ 5] [ 21]
In February 2023, he joined Scottish League Two side Stranraer on loan until the end of the season.[ 22] He played in nine league matches and scored his first senior goal, a strike from outside the penalty area in a 1–0 win away to Albion Rovers on 21 March.[ 23] [ 24]
He was released by Hamilton at the end of the season.[ 25]
Ngandu returned to the Midlands and joined Southern League Premier Division Central club Stratford Town ahead of the 2023–24 season .[ 26] He played in the first 11 matches of the season,[ 27] before making the step up to Darlington of the National League North .[ 28] He scored twice from 20 appearances, including the only goal of the league visit to Gloucester City , and left the club when his contract expired at the end of the season.[ 5] [ 29] Ngandu signed for Southern League Premier Division Central club Spalding United in June 2024.[ 30]
Career statistics
As of match played 9 November 2024
References
^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Coventry City" (PDF) . English Football League . p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020 .
^ "Jonny Ngandu" . Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 15 October 2023 .
^ "Player search: Ngandu, KJ (Jonny)" . English National Football Archive (ENFA) . Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ Turner, Andy (11 July 2018). "The 16-year-old Coventry City prospect tipped for the top" . Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ a b c d e "J. Ngandu" . Soccerway . Perform Group. Retrieved 3 September 2024 .
^ Lowe, Alex (30 October 2018). "Jonny Ngandu signs first professional deal" . Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ Ellis, Jon (13 November 2018). "Cheltenham Town 2–0 Sky Blues" . Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ Brown, Jim (24 November 2018). "The young ones get their shot" . Coventry Telegraph . p. 31. Retrieved 14 October 2023 – via Gale OneFile: News.
^ Turner, Andy (9 July 2020). "The four Coventry City wonderkids who could save Mark Robins from spending big on transfers this summer" . Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ Turner, Andy (2 September 2020). "Coventry City agree loan deal with Icelandic club - reports" . Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^
^ Lowe, Alex (5 October 2020). "Loan watch: A Sky Blues loanee Update" . Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 13 October 2023 .
^ Lowe, Alex (26 March 2021). "Interview: Jonny Ngandu Wigan reaction" . Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 13 October 2023 .
^ "Coventry City: Biamou and Bakayoko leave as seven are released" . BBC Sport . 12 May 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ Turner, Andy (3 August 2021). "Three new signings, Gus Hamer leaves – Coventry City's best and worst transfer window scenarios" . Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ a b Turner, Andy (18 May 2022). " 'Unbelievable talent' – Coventry City U23 skipper backed after pulling on shirt for one last time" . Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 13 October 2023 .
^ Turner, Andy (10 May 2022). "Coventry City U23s vs Ipswich Town live: Sky Blues book place in play-off final after nine goal thriller" . Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 13 October 2023 .
^ Turner, Andy (11 May 2022). "Coventry City 'retained list' released as one man dominates the headlines" . Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 13 October 2023 .
^ McNicol, Ben (24 June 2022). "Hamilton Accies field trialists in friendly win: We run the rule over them" . Daily Record . Glasgow. Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ McGilvray, Andy (5 July 2022). "Ex-Coventry midfielder is Hamilton Accies' first summer signing" . Daily Record . Glasgow. Retrieved 15 October 2022 .
^ "Report: Rangers B 0–3 Hamilton Academical" . Rangers F.C. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2023 .
^ McGilvray, Andy (15 February 2023). "Ex-Coventry City midfielder sent out on loan by Hamilton Accies" . Daily Record . Glasgow. Retrieved 15 October 2022 .
^ "The class of 2022/23: forwards" . Stranraer F.C. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023 .
^ Ryan, Connor (21 March 2022). "Albion Rovers 0–1 Stranraer" . Albion Rovers F.C. Retrieved 15 October 2023 .
^ Cunning, Gillian (15 June 2023). "Departure of several players" . Hamilton Academical F.C. Retrieved 15 October 2023 .
^ "Welcome to Stratford Town Jonny Ngandu" . Stratford Town F.C. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023 .
^ a b "Fixtures / Results" . Stratford Town F.C. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023 .
^ Simpson, Ray (6 October 2023). "Jonny Ngandu signs for Quakers" . Darlington F.C. Retrieved 14 October 2023 .
^ Simpson, Ray (24 April 2024). "Thanks, Jonny!" . Darlington F.C. Retrieved 3 September 2024 .
^ "Tulips nap up National North midfielder Ngandu" . Spalding & South Holland Voice . 5 June 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024 .
^ "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2018/2019" . Soccerbase . Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023 .
^ "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2019/2020" . Soccerbase . Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023 .
^ "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2020/2021" . Soccerbase . Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023 .
^ "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2021/2022" . Soccerbase . Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023 .
^ a b "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2022/2023" . Soccerbase . Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023 .
^ "Jonathan Ngandu" . Aylesbury United Archive . Luke Buckingham-Brown. Retrieved 14 November 2024 .
^ For FA Cup 2nd qualifying round: "FA CUP REPORT: Spalding United 0–0 Alfreton Town" . Alfreton Town F.C. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024 ."FA CUP REPORT: Alfreton Town 1–1 Spalding United AET" . Alfreton Town F.C. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024 .
External links