Watford midfielder Al Bangura
Alhassan "Al" Bangura is a Watford youngster with a bright future. At the age of 20, he already has over 50 appearances for the club under his belt, and at the end of 2007, his fight to remain in the country brought him national attention.
Luther Blissett, John Barnes; Watford has a history of pioneering black players. How does it feel for you to be associated to a club with this heritage?
It feels good. Watford has a great recent history and i was aware of this before I joined the club. But away from the playing side, many people don't realise what a family orientated and friendly atmosphere the club has. Its full of really good people all of whom have certainly made me feel very welcome.
Did you find he support of the Watford fans encouraging during your deportation trial?
Very much so. Without the advice and help from the staff and the club generally, it would have been so much harder. Their support was unconditional.
You were raised in Sierra Leone but now live in England. How have you settled?
It was a tough start, admittedly because of the trial. But my mind is firmly on playing football and helping getting the club back in the Premier League.
A lot of disabled fans talk about the enormous sacrifices they make to get games and the difficulties they face. From a players perspective what does that mean to you?
They're clearly motivated and not prepared to let anything stop them getting to the games. It gives me the confidence to try and go that extra mile. As a professional footballer, you could get an injury at any time to put you out of the game for good so we should be thankful for the position we're in.
What footballers did you look up to as a youngster?
Patrick Viera, Claude Makelele. I've always tried to model game on theirs to certain degree. They play with a simple but effective style and they're strong with a lot of stamina. They're also clever, which is a great quality.
Can you give some words of advice to any aspiring sportspeople reading?
Always be yourself. Listen to older people who may have more life experience than you. This is how you can learn from others.
How do you feel about being a Kick It Out ambassador?
I fully support the work Kick It Out does so it makes me very proud to be given this opportunity. Its a chance to show i can give something back to people who have supported me and young fans who might look up to me.
