Members News: Close Season Comings & Goings So Far Pt.2 (D-K)
With still quite a few weeks to go before the new season starts in the UK there has been quite a few comings and goings involving those of our members who are still active in the game since the close of the 2023-24 season. Amongst these movements both previously reported on this site and others that we and readers may have missed are the following. Yesterday we covered five such movers and shakers from A to C. Here are the next (all defenders) five (in alphabetical order):-
Fanky in CCFC’s City of Culture 3rd strip
In four days time our member, marauding ex Sky Blue defender Fankaty Dabo (full name Sheikh Mohamed Fankaty Dabo) will be a free agent after his contract ends at current club Forest Green Rovers (who were relgated to the National League at the end of last season). Fanky came through the ranks since a youngster at Chelsea from 2007 though he never made a first team appearance at the Stamford Bridge club. An England international at U16-U21 levels Fanky was loaned out to gain experience to Swindon Town in 2017 and to Dutch sides Vitesse (2017-18) and Sparta Rotterdam (2018-19). The popular player joined CCFC in July 2019 on a three year contract, winning ‘Player of the Year’ at the end of the season. Though he never scored in four Sky Blue seasons he clocked up 131 appearances before joining FGR where last season he contributed 35 games.
The Edje in Sky Blue action
We reported earlier this month that our member, imposing French born central defender, William Edjenguélé has finally hung up his playing boots at the age of 37! Edje, the son-in-law of fellow CCFPA member and authentic CCFC legend Steve Ogrizovic, started out in French football with CFF Paris (1993) subsequently joining Le Mans Union Club ’72 (2005), Neuchâtel Xamax (2008) and then Greek outfit Panetolikos F.C. (2010).
William was brought to the Ricoh on a three-year contract in July 2012 after starring in a pre-season trial (an 8–0 friendly win over Hinckley United). ‘The Edje’ scored his first and only Sky Blue goal, a header, in a 3–1 win over Colchester United in November 2012. William made a total of 40 appearances for the Sky Blues in the 2012-13 season. After release by CCFC ‘The Edje’ has had successive seasons at Bury (2013), back at Panetolikos (2014), Greek Super League club Veria (2015), Dundee United (2016 -plus a loan spell at Falkirk), Wealdstone (2019), Nuneaton (2020), Barwell (2021) and Bedworth United (2021). William spent last season (2023-24) playing locally for Coventry Sphinx in the Northern Premier League
Cian in Sky Blue action
Another former City defender (and Welsh junior international) Cian Harries has just made a close-season mover to Woking (managed by former City ‘skipper’ and fellow CCFPA member Michael Doyle) from fellow National League club Aldershot Town. Cian came through the Sky Blue Academy signing his first professional contract in July 2015 and debuting in May 2016 in a 2-0 away win at Oldham Athletic. After just 17 Sky Blues appearances over two seasons (without scoring) – plus another three on loan at Cheltenham Town – Cian signed for Swansea City in summer 2017 on a three year contract. He also had a loan spell at Dutch club Fortuna Sittard during 2019-20. Subsequently Cian has turned out for Bristol Rovers (2020), Swindon Town (2022) before moving to Aldershot for the 2023-24 season.
Sky Blue Chris Hussey 2010-11
Our member, attack minded former Sky Blue defender (2009-13), Chris Hussey, has recently announced he will be staying with current club Southern League Premier Division Central club Stratford Town for a second season. After starting out as a youth with Brentford and Woking Chris became a fixture with AFC Wimbledon from 2007-10 playing 79 times (scoring three) with the Wombles (plus a loan spell at Windsor & Eton). Another loan spell with the Sky Blues in October 2010 he signed for CCFC and over four seasons the steady and reliable full back made 65 Sky Blue appearances netting once. He left us in January 2013 to rejoin the Wombles after a loan spell at Crewe Alexandra where he got no games. Subsequently Chris became a bit of a wandering journeyman turning out successively for Burton Albion (2013), Bury (after a loan spell 2014), Sheffield United (2016), Swindon Town (loan 2017), Cheltenham Town (2018), Port Vale (2021), Stockport County (2022) and Walsall (2023) prior to his Stratford move. He is set to break the 600 game barrier nest season as well as being able to fall back on his first class honours degree in Sports Science further when he finally hangs up his boots!
Richard Keogh in the Sky Blue
After 761 games (and 25 goals) in a twenty year career our member, wholehearted defender and former Sky Blue ‘skipper’ Richard Keogh has finally hung up his playing boots age 37 after a season at Forest Green Rovers! Yesterday Richard returned to former club Blackpool as first-team coach under Neil Critchley. An Ipswich Town youth he came through the Stoke City Academy without getting into their first team (though in 2004 he got games on loan in at Iceladic club Vikingur). Next club Bristol City gave him his first chance in English football from 2005-08 and he also spent time on loan whilst with them at Wycombe Wanderers, Huddersfield Town, Cheltenham Town and Carlisle United (who eventually signed him in 2008).
An Aidy Boothroyd signing Richard signed for CCFC in July 2010. An ever present in his first season he scored his first and only Sky Blue goal in our season’s last game against Norwich City going on to make 91 consecutive appearances and winning consecutive CCFC ‘Player of the Year’ awards! After two seasons and 95 appearances Richard moved to Derby County in July 2012 where he became a legend with 255 appearances over 8 seasons (netting a dozen times). Leaving the East Midlands club injured under fraught and litigious circumstances the ever reliable Richard ended up playing successively for MK Dons (2020), Huddersfield Town and Blackpool (2021), Ipswich Town (2022) and Wycombe Wanderers (again 2023) before joining FGR last season.
We wish these five members all the best in their next steps in football in the 2024-25 season wherever that is!
Tomorrow we cover another five CCFPA members still active in the game who have been in transition recently in their professional football career development.
