From Obscurity to Stardom: The Story of the EFL’s Biggest Prospect
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From Obscurity to Stardom: The Story of the EFL’s Biggest Prospect

From Obscurity to Stardom: The Story of the EFL’s Biggest Prospect

This player’s footballing story offers the utter definition that anyone’s dream can come true, no matter how difficult life gets for you. The player we are talking about is Richard Kone.

Many keen-eyed EFL viewers would have certainly become familiar with the 21-year-old over the past year and a half but very few are aware of his spectacular and rapid rise within the last five years. He is the epitome of no desire being too far out of reach, and his journey from homelessness to one of the most promising forwards currently coming up through the EFL and attracting concrete interest from Premier League clubs is something to admire.


At 16 years old, the Wycombe forward was homeless in his home country of Côte d’Ivoire and playing in the Homeless World Cup after being exiled from his home by his family; he has since built on each opportunity which has fallen to him, catching the attention of Athletic Newham to now becoming a star at Wanderers.


Career Journey

Although Kone now has a daughter, had a girlfriend, and has also since rekindled his relationship with his mother after becoming homeless following coming out as homosexual, he has found ways to stay focused and dedicated to achieving a successful career.

During his trouble-filled teenage years, he never stopped putting in the hard work and took the opportunity of playing in the 2019 Homeless World Cup, earning a third-placed finish for his country in the tier 4 competition. This granted him a platform on the world stage to display his skills, which unlocked a door into a non-League adventure with Athletic Newham. In the 10th tier of English football, this chance was all he needed to make his dream come true as he starred, catching the attention of everyone he was up against, the fans, and the scouts.



The young forward had trials with both Colechester United and a Premier League club and came close to signing a professional deal with Colchester in 2021. However, due to visa problems, the deal did not materialise, causing him to stay at Newham.

After an outstanding few seasons in non-League football with Newham, his resilience and hard work had The Chairboys taking notice of the Ivorian. And after an extended trial with them, he signed his first professional contract in January 2024. He has already become a star at Adams Park, with his impressive first full season earning him a contract extension to stay through the 2025/26 campaign.


Humble Beginnings

After impressing in Cardiff during the Homeless World Cup, Kone earned an opportunity at Athletic Newham, a team who were in the 10th tier of English football. He quickly made his mark in the Eastern Counties League Division One South, scoring 25 goals in 40 appearances in his first two seasons.

Newham earned promotion to the Essex Senior League, and it was his first season in this new division where the Ivorian truly stated his case to become a future star. This campaign came following Kone’s failed move to Colchester, so EFL sides were already taking notice in the talented forward. He bagged 31 goals in the league in the 2021/22 season, storming the golden boot.



Kone proved this was no fluke either, following this up with 28 league goals the following season. Over the summer of 2023, Kone was given the opportunity for a trial (soon to be an extended one) with Wycombe, where he impressed immediately. During the first half of the 2023/24 season with Newham, he continued his incredible goalscoring form, scoring 18 goals in 18 games.

He left as Athletic Newham's first-ever legend, and following these outstanding seasons in front of goal, he finally earned his long-awaited move to the EFL with Wycombe in January 2024, and some would say three years too long.


Quick Off the Mark

He got himself straight off the mark at Adams Park after his parading welcome against Bristol Rovers. He debuted against West Ham u21’s in the Papa John’s Trophy, scoring just half an hour in. There was no settling into his new league either – playing six steps up, he scored a late equaliser against Fleetwood Town in just his third appearance for The Chairboys.


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He featured in 13 further League One matches that season, scoring twice in his last five games. To put the cherry on top, the Ivorian even managed to register a final start under the iconic Wembley arch in a 2-1 loss to Peterborough – in just five months he went from starring week in week out in the ninth tier of English football to playing at England’s biggest stadium.

He continued to shine heading into his first full season at Adams Park, which was later rewarded with a contract extension until 2026. Joint-third top scored in the third tier, scoring 18 goals in 43 League One appearances, scoring his first professional hat-trick against Peterborough inside just nine minutes – the fastest hat-trick scored in the club’s history. He added to this spectacular achievement with three braces during the campaign. Kone featured as a sub in round three of the EFL Cup, scoring against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa to further increase his stock and soon enough Premier League clubs would start paying attention.



Future Premier League Star

After Kone’s marvellous start to life with The Blues, he was awarded with a first call-up to the Côte d’Ivoire u23’s team. Shortly after this, it was reported that numerous Premier League sides were starting to show interest in him. West Ham, Newcastle, and Manchester United are the clubs who seem interested in the potential signing of the Ivorian with Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, and Brentford also monitoring him.



With all his hard work, he extended his stay with The Chairboys, but a Premier League move could certainly be on the horizon for this special talent. His story up the non-League ladder proves success does not just happen, it takes years of hard work and dedication to your graft, persevering through his eventful years in early adulthood.

Following his hardships from the streets of his birthplace in Abidjan, and his difficulties opening up about his sexuality, to starring in non-League and at League One level, it does not seem to matter what his dream is because with plenty of hard work, plenty of resilience, and a positive work ethic, Richard Kone can achieve anything.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist
Ben Growdon

Content Writer

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