Yala Bolasie
Encyclopedia
Yannick Bolasie is a Congolese
footballer who plays for Football League Championship
club Bristol City
as a winger, having previously played for Floriana, Plymouth Argyle
, Rushden & Diamonds
and Barnet
.
at the age of 16. He spent four months as a member of their youth team and then had a spell with Hillingdon Borough
before moving across Europe to play for Floriana in the Maltese Premier League
. He returned to England in 2008 after being offered a trial with Plymouth Argyle
, and impressed enough to be offered a two year contract. "Bolasie has been signed for one reason – he has out and out potential," said Paul Sturrock
, the club's manager. He joined Dagenham & Redbridge
on trial, with a view to a loan move, before returning to Rushden & Diamonds on loan near the end of the year. He made his debut against Eastbourne Borough
on 29 November, and made seven appearances in the Conference before returning to Argyle in January 2009. Bolasie then joined Barnet
on loan, making his Football League debut against Accrington Stanley
on 24 January 2009. He scored his first goal two weeks later; opening the scoring in a 3–3 draw against Grimsby Town
.
He returned to Argyle at the end of the 2008–09 season having made 20 league appearances for Barnet, scoring three goals. The club's manager, Ian Hendon
, was keen to bring Bolasie back, but dismissed the chances of signing him permanently. "Yannick is still under contract at Plymouth, so it is likely that he will return there at the end of the season," he said. He rejoined the Barnet squad in July 2009 ahead of the new season on a six month loan, and hoped it would act as a springboard to winning a place in the Argyle first team. He scored against Grimsby again in October 2009, capping a fine display with a fierce shot from 30 yards Bolasie scored his second goal of the season three weeks later against Darlington
, as Hendon's side maintained a place in the top half of the League Two
table.
, who had succeeded Sturrock a month earlier, and included him in the squad to take on Barnsley
on 13 February 2010. He made his debut for the club in that game, coming off the substitute bench to provide the momentum to turn a one nil deficit into a 3–1 win for the visitors. "The introduction of Bolasie was a breath of fresh air," said Mariner. "I think even the Barnsley fans would probably say they liked to see what he was doing. He brought a lot to the table for us." He scored his first goal for the club two weeks later at Sheffield United
. The pacy winger, ended the season with 16 Championship
appearances to his name, but couldn't prevent prevent the club from slipping back to League One
. Bolasie was offered a new contract by the club in April 2010, and put pen to paper in July after the arrival of Peter Reid
as the club's new manager.
for an undisclosed fee, on a two year contract.
, France
, and moved to England at a young age. He attended Cardinal Hinsley High School in London
. Bolasie is a cousin of former Newcastle United
and Olympiacos striker Lomana LuaLua
, and fellow winger Kazenga LuaLua
. He is also a relative of Albacete Balompié striker Trésor Kandol
, who is also a former Barnet player.
Demographics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
This article is about the demographic features of the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
footballer who plays for Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
club Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
as a winger, having previously played for Floriana, Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, Rushden & Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
and Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
.
Early years
Bolasie began his career with Rushden & DiamondsRushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
at the age of 16. He spent four months as a member of their youth team and then had a spell with Hillingdon Borough
Hillingdon Borough F.C.
Hillingdon Borough Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Ruislip, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It was also the name of a now-extinct club that existed between 1965 and 1987.-Historic club:...
before moving across Europe to play for Floriana in the Maltese Premier League
Maltese Premier League
The Maltese Premier League, known as BOV Premier League for sponsorship reasons , is the top level league for football in Malta. The league was first competed in 1909...
. He returned to England in 2008 after being offered a trial with Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, and impressed enough to be offered a two year contract. "Bolasie has been signed for one reason – he has out and out potential," said Paul Sturrock
Paul Sturrock
Paul Whitehead Sturrock is a Scottish football manager who, since July 2010, is the manager of Southend United. Until this appointment, Sturrock had most recently been at English League 1 club Plymouth Argyle in a business support role, having been relieved of his managerial duties, until he quit...
, the club's manager. He joined Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club , informally known as Daggers, is an English association football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, East London. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham...
on trial, with a view to a loan move, before returning to Rushden & Diamonds on loan near the end of the year. He made his debut against Eastbourne Borough
Eastbourne Borough F.C.
Eastbourne Borough are a semi-professional English football club, based in the town of Eastbourne, East Sussex, and are members of the Conference South. They are known as The Sports after their previous name as Langney Sports. Eastbourne Borough play their home matches at Priory Lane in Langney...
on 29 November, and made seven appearances in the Conference before returning to Argyle in January 2009. Bolasie then joined Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
on loan, making his Football League debut against Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
on 24 January 2009. He scored his first goal two weeks later; opening the scoring in a 3–3 draw against Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
.
He returned to Argyle at the end of the 2008–09 season having made 20 league appearances for Barnet, scoring three goals. The club's manager, Ian Hendon
Ian Hendon
Ian Michael Hendon is an English professional former footballer, and development coach at West Ham United.-Career:...
, was keen to bring Bolasie back, but dismissed the chances of signing him permanently. "Yannick is still under contract at Plymouth, so it is likely that he will return there at the end of the season," he said. He rejoined the Barnet squad in July 2009 ahead of the new season on a six month loan, and hoped it would act as a springboard to winning a place in the Argyle first team. He scored against Grimsby again in October 2009, capping a fine display with a fierce shot from 30 yards Bolasie scored his second goal of the season three weeks later against Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
, as Hendon's side maintained a place in the top half of the League Two
2009–10 Football League Two
The Football League 2009–10 , was the seventeenth season under its current league division format. It began in August 2009 and ended on 8 May 2010....
table.
Plymouth Argyle
He returned to Plymouth Argyle in January 2010, having made a further 22 league appearances for Barnet, scoring twice. He was given a chance to impress by Paul MarinerPaul Mariner
Paul Mariner is an English football coach, manager, and retired player, who is currently with Toronto FC.A striker during his playing days, Mariner began his career with Chorley. He became a professional player in 1973 with Plymouth Argyle, where he scored 61 goals in 155 appearances and is...
, who had succeeded Sturrock a month earlier, and included him in the squad to take on Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
on 13 February 2010. He made his debut for the club in that game, coming off the substitute bench to provide the momentum to turn a one nil deficit into a 3–1 win for the visitors. "The introduction of Bolasie was a breath of fresh air," said Mariner. "I think even the Barnsley fans would probably say they liked to see what he was doing. He brought a lot to the table for us." He scored his first goal for the club two weeks later at Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. The pacy winger, ended the season with 16 Championship
2009–10 Football League Championship
The Football League Championship season 2009–10 is the sixth season of the league under its current title and eighteenth season under its current league division format...
appearances to his name, but couldn't prevent prevent the club from slipping back to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. Bolasie was offered a new contract by the club in April 2010, and put pen to paper in July after the arrival of Peter Reid
Peter Reid
Peter Reid is an English football manager, pundit and retired player, who is currently without a club since his departure from Plymouth Argyle.A defensive midfielder in his playing days, Reid enjoyed a long and successful career...
as the club's new manager.
Bristol City
On 6 June 2011, Bolasie was transferred to Bristol CityBristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
for an undisclosed fee, on a two year contract.
Personal life
Bolasie was born in LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and moved to England at a young age. He attended Cardinal Hinsley High School in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Bolasie is a cousin of former Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and Olympiacos striker Lomana LuaLua
Lomana LuaLua
Lomana Trésor LuaLua is a Congolese footballer who plays for Blackpool, and the Congo DR national football team.LuaLua was born in Kinshasa, but moved to England at a young age. After impressing in a college football match, he signed for Colchester United. There, he scored a total of 21 goals in...
, and fellow winger Kazenga LuaLua
Kazenga LuaLua
Kazenga LuaLua is a Congolese-English footballer who plays as a winger for Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion. He is the younger brother of Blackpool striker Lomana LuaLua. It is a common misconception that they are cousins but the matter was cleared up by Lomana LuaLua...
. He is also a relative of Albacete Balompié striker Trésor Kandol
Tresor Kandol
Trésor Osmar Kandol is a Congolese international footballer. He is currently a free agent after being released by Spanish second division club Albacete. Before playing for Albacete he played for Barnet, Chesham United, Darlington, Dagenham & Redbridge, Thurrock, Bournemouth, Cambridge United,...
, who is also a former Barnet player.