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.

Jonny Ngandu
Personal information
Full name Kasonga Jonathan Ngandu[1]
Date of birth (2001-10-25) 25 October 2001 (age 23)[2]
Place of birth Redbridge, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Spalding United
Youth career
200?–2018 Coventry City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Coventry City 0 (0)
2020Keflavík (loan) 4 (0)
2022–2023 Hamilton Academical 9 (0)
2023Stranraer (loan) 5 (1)
2023 Stratford Town 10 (1)
2023–2024 Darlington 19 (2)
2024– Spalding United 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 June 2024

Career

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Coventry City

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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

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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]

Non-League football in England

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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

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As of June 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Coventry City 2018–19[31] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[c] 0 1 0
2019–20[32] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020–21[33] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021–22[34] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
Keflavík (loan) 2020 1. deild karla 4 0 0 0 4 0
Hamilton Academical 2022–23[35] Scottish Championship 9 0 0 0 4 0 1[d] 0 14 0
Stranraer 2022–23[35] Scottish League Two 9 1 9 1
Stratford Town 2023–24[27] Southern League
Premier Division Central
10 1 1 0 11 1
Darlington 2023–24[5] National League North 19 2 1[e] 0 20 2
Spalding United 2024–25 Southern League
Premier Division Central
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 51 4 1 0 4 0 3 0 59 4
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup, Scottish Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup, Scottish League Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in EFL Trophy
  4. ^ Appearance in Scottish League Challenge Cup
  5. ^ Appearance in FA Trophy

References

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  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "Jonny Ngandu". Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Player search: Ngandu, KJ (Jonny)". English National Football Archive (ENFA). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  4. ^ Turner, Andy (11 July 2018). "The 16-year-old Coventry City prospect tipped for the top". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e "J. Ngandu". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  6. ^ Lowe, Alex (30 October 2018). "Jonny Ngandu signs first professional deal". Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  7. ^ Ellis, Jon (13 November 2018). "Cheltenham Town 2–0 Sky Blues". Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  8. ^ Brown, Jim (24 November 2018). "The young ones get their shot". Coventry Telegraph. p. 31. Retrieved 14 October 2023 – via Gale OneFile: News.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Turner, Andy (2 September 2020). "Coventry City agree loan deal with Icelandic club - reports". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  11. ^ Guðmundur Aðalsteinn Ásgeirsson (2 September 2020). "Jonny Ngandu frá Coventry til Keflavíkur (Staðfest)" [Jonny Ngandu from Coventry to Keflavík (Confirmed)]. Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  12. ^ Lowe, Alex (5 October 2020). "Loan watch: A Sky Blues loanee Update". Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  13. ^ Lowe, Alex (26 March 2021). "Interview: Jonny Ngandu Wigan reaction". Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Coventry City: Biamou and Bakayoko leave as seven are released". BBC Sport. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ Turner, Andy (11 May 2022). "Coventry City 'retained list' released as one man dominates the headlines". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ McGilvray, Andy (5 July 2022). "Ex-Coventry midfielder is Hamilton Accies' first summer signing". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Report: Rangers B 0–3 Hamilton Academical". Rangers F.C. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  22. ^ McGilvray, Andy (15 February 2023). "Ex-Coventry City midfielder sent out on loan by Hamilton Accies". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  23. ^ "The class of 2022/23: forwards". Stranraer F.C. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  24. ^ Ryan, Connor (21 March 2022). "Albion Rovers 0–1 Stranraer". Albion Rovers F.C. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  25. ^ Cunning, Gillian (15 June 2023). "Departure of several players". Hamilton Academical F.C. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  26. ^ "Welcome to Stratford Town Jonny Ngandu". Stratford Town F.C. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Fixtures / Results". Stratford Town F.C. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  28. ^ Simpson, Ray (6 October 2023). "Jonny Ngandu signs for Quakers". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  29. ^ Simpson, Ray (24 April 2024). "Thanks, Jonny!". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  30. ^ "Tulips nap up National North midfielder Ngandu". Spalding & South Holland Voice. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  31. ^ "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  32. ^ "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  33. ^ "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  34. ^ "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  35. ^ a b "Games played by Jonny Ngandu in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
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