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 Kingston withGhana | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1980-11-07)7 November 1980 (age 44) | ||
| Place of birth | Accra,Greater Accra, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[citation needed] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2001 | Great Olympics | ||
| 2000 | →Al-Ittihad Tripoli (loan) | ||
| 2001–2003 | Hearts of Oak | ||
| 2003 | Al-Ettifaq[1] | ||
| 2003 | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 0 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | 24 | (2) |
| 2004–2005 | Krylia Sovetov Samara | 15 | (0) |
| 2005–2007 | Terek Grozny | 11 | (0) |
| 2006 | →Lokomotiv Moscow (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2007 | →Heart of Midlothian (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2007–2010 | Heart of Midlothian | 41 | (8) |
| 2010 | Vitesse Arnhem | 3 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Hapoel Be'er Sheva | 7 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Hearts of Oak | ||
| 2013–2015 | Phoenix FC | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 133 | (10) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002–2010 | Ghana | 41 | (6) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Laryea Kingston (born 7 November 1980) is a Ghanaian former professionalfootballer. He played either as anattacking midfielder or as aright winger. He was appointed as the Assistant Coach of the Ghana Under 17 National Team on 12 December 2022.[2][3]
Born inAccra, Kingston started his career with local sideGreat Olympics, whom he joined aged 16, before moving toLibyan sideAl-Ittihad Tripoli in 2000, on a loan deal. However, after only four months of this arrangement he returned to Accra, unhappy at his treatment inTripoli, joining one of Ghana's traditional "Big Two",Hearts of Oak, in 2001. Two years later he moved to Israel, initially withMaccabi Ahi Nazareth. After twoToto Cup matches, Maccabi decided not to retain him and he was signed byHapoel Tel Aviv, where he played until 2004.
Russia was Kingston's next destination, where he joinedKrylia Sovetov Samara, helping them to third place in theRussian Premier League in hisfirst season. Krylia Sovetov also reached theCup final that year but were surprisingly defeated 1–0 byTerek Grozny in Moscow. Kingston joined Terek halfway through the2005 season but was unable to help them avoid a bottom-placed finish and relegation from the top flight into theFirst Division.
Several of Terek's higher-profile players left as a result of this demotion, and Kingston joinedLokomotiv Moscow on loan for the2006 season. He was banned for 6 matches in July 2006 for deliberately injuringDynamo Moscow defenderLeandro Fernández.[4]
When Terek failed to secure a return to thePremier League, Kingston appeared set for a permanent departure from theChechen side. Despite an approach fromBolton Wanderers and rumoured interest fromNewcastle United andFulham. Kingston joined Hearts on 25 January 2007 on an initial six-month loan deal.[5] Hearts also negotiated the option to sign him permanently for a further three years at the initial contract's end and exercised this option on 6 June 2007, for a reported fee of £500,000.[6] Kingston's time at Heart of Midlothian is generally considered a disappointment as he was so rarely available to play because of injury and international commitments.[citation needed]
After his release from Hearts, Kingston moved to the Netherlands to sign forVitesse Arnhem, but was released in December 2010 after just six months with the club.[7]
Kingston, who had trained with his former club Hearts of Oak after his release from Vitesse, signed a two-year deal withIsraeli Premier League sideHapoel Be'er Sheva on 13 July 2011.[8]
On 6 August, Kingston scored his first goal for Be'er Sheva in a Free Kick AgainstBeitar Jerusalem In theToto Cup in a game which Be'er Sheva won 3–0.
In the January 2012, Kingston returned toGhana Premier League for his former clubHearts of Oak, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract.[9]
In March 2013 Kingston signed toUSL PRO teamPhoenix FC.[10]
After leaving Phoenix, Kingston went on trial withBrunei DPMM of theS.League in November 2013.[11]
Well known as an uncompromising and hard-working player by fellow professionals, Kingston's determined style has occasionally caused him problems, most notably when representing theGhanaian national side at the2006 Africa Cup of Nations, when he was sent off during Ghana's 1–0 victory overSenegal following an altercation withHabib Beye.[12] Both players subsequently received unprecedented four-match suspensions, which resultantly ruled Kingston out of contention for the Ghana squad for2006 World Cup.[13] Kingston returned to prominence for theBlack Stars in February 2007 though, scoring in their 4–1 victory overNigeria in London.[14] He was also excluded from the squad for the2010 World Cup.[15]
Kingston's elder brother,Richard Kingson, is also a professional footballer, who playedin goal in all four of Ghana's matches at the2006 World Cup.[citation needed] Richard was also first-choice at the2010 tournament. He previously played forBlackpool,Wigan Athletic andBirmingham City.
On 21 November 1997 his son,Jacob, was born, he is currently a professional footballer who plies his trade with Ghanaian club Accra Great Olympics.[16][17]
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