Ashley Akpan

Ashley Akpan
Personal information
Full name Ashley Antoni Akpan
Date of birth (2004-02-06) 6 February 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Warsaw, Poland[1]
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Aldershot Town
Number 21
Youth career
2009–2013 Kosa Konstancin
2013–2020 Chelsea
2021–2022 Wisła Kraków
2022–2023 Aldershot Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Aldershot Town 13 (0)
2023 → Hartley Wintney (loan) 6 (0)
2023–2024 → Gosport Borough (loan) 6 (0)
International career
2018 Poland U15
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:06, 24 November 2024 (UTC)

Ashley Antoni Akpan (born 6 February 2004) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for National League club Aldershot Town.

Club career

Born in Warsaw, Poland to a Nigerian father and Polish mother, Akpan started his footballing career with Kosa Konstancin at the age of five, spending four years before his family moved to London, England when he was still a child.[2][3][4] He joined the academy of Chelsea, where he would go on to play for seven years before his release in 2020.[3][5]

Prior to his release, he had trialled with Leeds United, and was linked with Fulham in February 2020.[5][6] He went on to trial with Sunderland in December of the same year.[7] He also played briefly for Walton & Hersham, featuring in one game for the under-18 side in April 2021.[8]

Eventually he returned to Poland, and in August 2021 he signed for Wisła Kraków.[4] He left the club after less than a year, in summer 2022, and returned to England in winter of the same year, signing for Aldershot Town.[9] Akpan went onto sign for Isthmian League side, Hartley Wintney on a short-term loan in August 2023.[10] Following 10 appearances in all competitions, Akpan was recalled by Aldershot in early October.[11] That same month, he was sent out on loan to Southern League Premier Division South side, Gosport Borough.[12] Akpan signed a new contract with Aldershot at the end of the 2023–24 season.[13]

International career

Eligible to represent Poland, Nigeria and England, Akpan has represented Poland at under-15 level.[5][14]

Career statistics

As of match played 12 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Aldershot Town 2023–24[15] National League 0 0 — — — 0 0
2024–25[15] National League 8 0 1 1 — 0 0 9 1
Total 8 0 1 1 — 0 0 9 1
Hartley Wintney (loan) 2023–24[16] Isthmian League South Central Division 6 0 2 0 — 2[a] 0 10 0
Gosport Borough (loan) 2023–24[17] Southern League Premier Division South 6 0 — — — 6 0
Career total 20 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 25 1
  1. ^ Appearances in the FA Trophy

Personal life

His sister, Ashanti, is also a footballer, and plays for Chelsea.[4]

References

  1. ^ Ashley Akpan at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ Citko, Tom (4 June 2013). "Wychowankowie Kosy" [Kosa's pupils]. m.kosakonstancin.futbolowo.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b Emmanuel, Ifeanyi (3 December 2020). "Chelsea Product Of Nigerian Descent Akpan Trying His Luck At Football League Club". allnigeriasoccer.com. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Ashley Akpan dołącza do wicemistrza Polski" [Ashley Akpan joins the Polish runner-up]. akademia.wisla.krakow.pl (in Polish). 13 August 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Rudge, Sarah (14 January 2020). "Chelsea defender Ashley Akpan 'given go ahead' for Leeds United trial next week". the72.co.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  6. ^ Challies, Josh (19 February 2020). "Latest Leeds United rumours: Fulham competition for defender, Birmingham City talent eyed". leeds-live.co.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  7. ^ Scurr, Dominic (7 December 2020). "SAFC round-up: Ex-Chelsea defender Ashley Akpan training with Sunderland as former Black Cats ace Jermain Defoe hits career milestone at Rangers". sunderlandecho.com. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Walton & Hersham 1–2 Guildford City". durham.fawsl.com. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  9. ^ Kawa, Krzysztof (8 March 2023). "Ashley Akpan - z drużyny juniorów Wisły Kraków do angielskiej National League" [Ashley Akpan - from the Wisła Kraków junior team to the English National League]. dziennikpolski24.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  10. ^ "LOAN WATCH". Aldershot Town F.C. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Hartley Wintney FC on X". X. Hartley Wintney F.C. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  12. ^ "LOAN UPDATE". Aldershot Town F.C. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Four players sign new contracts!". www.theshots.co.uk. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  14. ^ Silas, Don (31 October 2019). "Chelsea defender may choose Poland ahead of Nigeria". dailypost.ng. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  15. ^ a b "A. Akpan". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Hartley Wintney – Appearances – Ashley Akpan". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Ashley Akpan Player Profile". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 9 November 2023.