KONE'S ON THE ROAD TO GLORY

RICHARD KONE never doubted he would become a full-time footballer – but says it was NonLeague which forged him.

- Matthew Nash

The Ivorian striker hit his 12th goal of the season – his first full campaign as a professional – to help Wycombe Wanderers past National League Wealdstone and into the third round of the FA Cup last weekend.

It completes something of a rollercoaster ride for the 21-yearold, who went on trial with the League One leaders last winter and was signed in January after four years in the Essex Senior League with Athletic Newham, where he scored 88 goals in 109 appearances.

Kone first arrived in England from the Ivory Coast five years ago having represented his country in the 2019 Homeless World Cup.

Working various jobs as he prepared to gatecrash the Football League, Kone soon found form for the Step 5 Kings, attracting many suitors in the process.

“Playing Non-League really helped me,” Kone told The NLP after his cameo role at Grosvenor Vale in front of the ITV cameras.

“To be honest, I don’t think playing in an academy would have improved me that much.

Opportunity