Ed Asafu-Adjaye

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ed Asafu-Adjaye

| image = Ed Asafu-Adjaye.jpg

| image_size = 300

| caption = Asafu-Adjaye playing for Forest Green Rovers in 2012–13

| fullname = Edward Yaw Okyere Asafu-Adjaye{{cite news

| title = List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/12/2012 and 31/12/2012

| url = http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/more/~/media/C3AAB30B09F841B7A82595901A695BC8.ashx

| publisher = The Football Association

| page = 1

| accessdate = 18 July 2014}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|12|22|df=y}}{{Cite book

| editor-first = Barry J.

| editor-last = Hugman

| title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10

| year = 2009

| publisher = Mainstream Publishing

| isbn = 978-1-84596-474-0}}

| birth_place = Southwark, England

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}

| position = Defender

| currentclub = Royston Town

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2005–2007

| youthclubs1 = Luton Town

| years1 = 2007–2012

| years2 = 2007

| years3 = 2008

| years4 = 2011

| years5 = 2012–2014

| years6 = 2014–2017

| years7 = 2017

| years8 = 2017–2018

| years9 = 2018–2019

| years10 = 2019–

| clubs1 = Luton Town

| clubs2 = → Walton & Hersham (loan)

| clubs3 = → Salisbury City (loan)

| clubs4 = → Histon (loan)

| clubs5 = Forest Green Rovers

| clubs6 = Hemel Hempstead Town

| clubs7 = → Kings Langley (loan)

| clubs8 = Royston Town

| clubs9 = Hayes & Yeading United

| clubs10 = Royston Town

| caps1 = 60

| goals1 = 1

| caps2 = 7

| goals2 = 3

| caps3 = 14

| goals3 = 0

| caps4 = 5

| goals4 = 0

| caps5 = 40

| goals5 = 0

| caps6 = 52

| goals6 = 2

| caps7 = 1

| goals7 = 0

| caps8 = 51

| goals8 = 0

| caps9 = 50

| goals9 = 2

| caps10 = 41

| goals10 = 0

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| club-update = 23:00, 18 January 2020 (UTC)

| ntupdate =

}}

Edward Yaw Okyere Asafu-Adjaye (born 22 December 1988) is an English footballer who plays for {{English football updater|RoystonT}} side Royston Town, where he plays as a defender.

Career

Born in Southwark, London, Asafu-Adjaye started his career at Luton Town as a scholar, he was sent on loan to Isthmian League Premier Division side Walton & Hersham, making his debut for 'the Swans' in March 2007 and scoring in a 1–0 win over Carshalton Athletic. He went on to make seven appearances during his loan spell, playing at right-back and scoring three goals.

Asafu-Adjaye was rewarded with a one-year professional contract during the summer of 2007. Unable to break into the Luton side at the beginning of the 2007–08 season, he was instead loaned to Conference Premier side Salisbury City in January 2008 by then-Hatters manager Kevin Blackwell.{{cite news| url=http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/news_article.asp?id=310|title=Salisbury loan Luton defender|date=12 January 2008|publisher=Football Conference|accessdate=3 May 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} He made his Salisbury debut in a 3–1 home win over Oxford United.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7182704.stm|title=Salisbury 3–1 Oxford |date=12 January 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 March 2009}} Asafu-Adjaye continued to impress during his time with Salisbury, in which time he earned several man-of-the-match accolades.

File:Ed Asafu-Adjaye 2.jpg in 2011]]

With Luton Town in administration and heading for relegation to League Two, new manager Mick Harford decided to recall Asafu-Adjaye from his loan spell in late March, and he made his Luton Town debut in a 2–1 home victory over Crewe Alexandra just days after returning to Kenilworth Road.{{cite news| url=http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10372~38419,00.html|title=Match report: Luton 2–1 Crewe|date=29 March 2008|publisher=Luton Town F.C.|accessdate=5 March 2009}} Operating at right-back, he went on to make seven league appearances for the Hatters as they were relegated. During the summer of 2008 he signed a new contract, despite interest from his former loan club Salisbury City.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/salisbury/7414736.stm|title=Salisbury sign Luton midfielder |date=22 May 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 March 2009}}

In the 2008–09 season, Asafu-Adjaye established himself as the first choice right-back in the Luton team, and also started at centre-back in Luton's 3–2 victory over Scunthorpe United in the Football League Trophy final at Wembley Stadium.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/salisbury/7414736.stm|title=Luton 3–2 Scunthorpe (aet)|date=5 April 2009|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 March 2009}} On 30 June 2009, Asafu-Adjaye agreed to a one-year contract extension, keeping him at Luton until 2011.{{cite news| url=http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~1707331,00.html|title=Ed to pen contract extension|date=5 April 2009|publisher=Luton Town F.C|accessdate=30 June 2009}}

Out of favour at Luton, having made just two league appearances during the 2010–11 season, Asafu-Adjaye joined Histon on loan until the end of the season on 25 March 2011.{{cite news

| title = Ed loaned to Stutes

| url = http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~2324195,00.html

| publisher = Luton Town F.C

| date = 25 March 2011

| accessdate = 25 March 2011}} He made five appearances for the Stutes, before being recalled due to an injury to full-back Fred Murray. New Luton manager Gary Brabin installed Asafu-Adjaye into the first-team as he played in a 3–0 victory over Eastbourne Borough on 23 April.{{cite news

| title = Luton Town 3–0 Eastbourne

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/9456074.stm

| publisher = BBC Sport

| date = 23 April 2011

| accessdate = 23 April 2011}} He started at left-back in the crucial first leg of the play-off semi-final against Wrexham on 5 May, scoring his first goal for the club, a half-volley from 18 yards, in a 3–0 win.{{cite news

| title = Wrexham 0–3 Luton Town

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/9475718.stm

| publisher = BBC Sport

| date = 5 May 2011

| accessdate = 6 May 2011}}

On 12 July 2011, Asafu-Adjaye agreed to sign a new contract with Luton.{{cite news

|title = Ed & Fred sign new contracts

|url = http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~2391383,00.html

|publisher = Luton Town F.C

|date = 12 July 2011

|accessdate = 13 July 2011

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716002032/http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10372~2391383%2C00.html

|archivedate = 16 July 2011

}} He made thirteen appearances during the season, and on 30 April 2012 it was announced that Asafu-Adjaye was to be released from Luton.{{cite news

|title = Town release trio

|url = http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~2754762,00.html

|publisher = Luton Town F.C.

|date = 30 April 2012

|accessdate = 2 May 2012

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120502121729/http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10372~2754762%2C00.html

|archivedate = 2 May 2012

}}

On 2 July 2012, it was announced that Asafu-Adjaye had signed for Forest Green Rovers on a one-year contract.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18672817|title=Forest Green Rovers sign defender Ed Asafu-Adjaye|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 July 2012}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=7427 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429050216/http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=7427 |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 April 2014 |title=New Fixtures, New Players, New Kit |publisher=Football Conference |date=2 July 2012 |accessdate=2 July 2012 }} He made his Forest Green debut on 11 August 2012 in a 1–1 draw with Cambridge United.{{Cite web| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19124067 |title=Forest Green 1–1 Cambridge |publisher=BBC Sport |date=11 August 2012}} After an impressive opening few months at The New Lawn, he signed a contract extension that would keep him at the club until June 2014.{{Cite web| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20632576 |title=Forest Green Rovers hand new contracts to five players |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 December 2012 |accessdate=6 December 2012}} On 28 April 2014, having made 40 league appearances in two seasons for the club, he was released along with nine other players at the end of his contract.{{Cite web| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27197854 |title=Yan Klukowski exits with nine players |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 April 2014 |accessdate=28 April 2014}}

On 8 August 2014, Asafu-Adjaye signed for newly promoted Conference South side Hemel Hempstead Town.{{Cite web |url=http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=13130 |title=New boys strengthen further |publisher=Football Conference |date=8 August 2014 |accessdate=10 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924014541/http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=13130 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }} He made his debut for the club the next day on 9 August in a 1–0 away win over Basingstoke Town.{{Cite web| url=http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/sport/11399640.AS_IT_HAPPENED____Basingstoke_Town_0_Hemel_Hempstead_Town_1/ |title=Basingstoke Town 0 Hemel Hempstead Town 1 |work=Basingstoke Gazette|date=9 August 2014 |accessdate=10 August 2014}}

In the summer 2019, Asafu-Adjaye returned to Royston Town for the second time after a year at Hayes & Yeading United.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710132232/http://nonleaguedaily.com/royston-town-sign-asafu-adjaye-and-adams/ Royston Town sign Asafu-Adjaye and Adams]}}, nonleaguedaily.com, 10 July 2019

Career statistics

{{cite web|url=http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10372~38896,00.html|title=Profile – Ed Asafu-Adjaye|date=13 February 2012|publisher=Luton Town F.C.|accessdate=13 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208051507/http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10372~38896,00.html|archive-date=8 February 2012|url-status=dead}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="2"\|League{{ref label\|League\|A

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="2"|League{{ref label|League|A

}

!colspan="2"|FA Cup

!colspan="2"|League Cup

!colspan="2"|Other{{ref label|Other|B|}}

!colspan="2"|Total

!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

|rowspan="1" valign="center"|Walton & Hersham (loan)

|2006–07

|3||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||3