Malachi Napa
{{short description|English footballer (born 1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Malachi Napa
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Malachi Tyrese Mthokozisi Napa{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/202021/efl-squad-numbering-11.09.2020.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Oxford United |publisher=English Football League |page=51 |accessdate=24 September 2020}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|5|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = Newham, England{{cite web|url=http://www.leballonrond.fr/player.php?id=586294|title=Malachi Napa |website=www.leballonrond.fr |accessdate=20 April 2018}}
| death_date =
| height = {{convert|1.68|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |title=Malachi Napa - Biography |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/malachi-napa2/ |website=oufc.co.uk |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |accessdate=6 March 2020}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Billericay Town
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthyears2 = 2015–2017
| youthclubs1 = Reading
| youthclubs2 = Oxford United
| years1 = 2017–2021
| years2 = 2017
| years3 = 2017
| years4 = 2018–2019
| years5 = 2020
| years6 = 2021
| years7 = 2021
| years8 = 2021–2022
| years9 = 2022–2023
| years10 = 2022–2023
| years11 = 2023–
| clubs1 = Oxford United
| clubs2 = → North Leigh (loan)
| clubs3 = → Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan)
| clubs4 = → Macclesfield Town (loan)
| clubs5 = → Woking (loan)
| clubs6 = → Woking (loan)
| clubs7 = Woking
| clubs8 = Maldon & Tiptree
| clubs9 = Wealdstone
| clubs10 = → Dartford (loan)
| clubs11 = Billericay Town
| caps1 = 14
| caps2 = 9
| caps3 = 13
| caps4 = 15
| caps5 = 4
| caps6 = 10
| caps7 = 5
| caps8 = 23
| caps9 = 9
| caps10 = 20
| caps11 = 5
| goals1 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| goals3 = 2
| goals4 = 0
| goals5 = 1
| goals6 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| goals8 = 6
| goals9 = 0
| goals10 = 3
| goals11 = 0
| club-update = 17:10, 29 August 2023 (UTC)
}}
Malachi Tyrese Mthokozisi Napa (born 26 May 1999{{cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/teams/malachi-napa/ |title=Malachi Napa |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |accessdate=28 March 2018}}) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Billericay Town.
Club career
Napa was born in London and grew up in North Woolwich.{{cite web |url=https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2017/june/01-june/malachi-napa-named-pl-kicks-hero |title=Malachi Napa named PL Kicks Hero |publisher=West Ham United F.C. |date=1 June 2017 |accessdate=28 March 2018}} He played youth football with Reading and Oxford United's Academy before signing his first professional contract with Oxford United in May 2017.{{cite news |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/15259887.Oxford_United_hand_professional_contracts_to_trio/ |title=Oxford United hand professional contracts to Manny Agboola, Malachi Napa and Shandon Baptiste |newspaper=Oxford Mail |first=Mark |last=Edwards |date=3 May 2017 |accessdate=28 March 2018}} After a loan period with Hampton & Richmond Borough, he made his senior Oxford debut as a 65th-minute substitute{{cite news |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/oxfordunited/matchreports/17_18_season/15703629.Gillingham_1__Byrne_pen_9___Oxford_United_2__Payne_31__Mowatt_90_1_/ |first=David |last=Pritchard |title=Gillingham 1 (Byrne pen 9), Oxford United 2 (Payne 31, Mowatt 90+1) |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=5 December 2017 |accessdate=28 March 2018}} in an EFL Trophy win over Gillingham in December 2017, providing the assist for Alex Mowatt to score the injury-time winner.{{cite news |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/oxfordunited/15708980.Malachi_Napa_keeps_feet_on_the_ground_after_Oxford_United_debut/ |first=David |last=Pritchard |title=Malachi Napa keeps feet on the ground after Oxford United debut |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=8 December 2017 |accessdate=28 March 2018}} His league debut was also as a substitute, in a home victory over Milton Keynes Dons on 1 January 2018. His first start was in Karl Robinson's first match in charge, a televised 3–0 league defeat at Portsmouth on 25 March 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/matches/fixtures/first-team/201718/march/portsmouth-vs-oxford-united-on-24-mar-18/ |title=Portsmouth 3 Oxford United 0 |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |date=25 March 2018 |accessdate=28 March 2018}}
In August 2018 he signed a new three-year contract with Oxford, and joined Macclesfield Town on loan until January 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2018/august/malachi-macclesfield/ |title=Napa's New Deal |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |date=3 August 2018 |accessdate=9 August 2018}} After playing 22 games (in all competitions) at the start of the season, his appearances became less frequent under new manager Sol Campbell, and he returned to his parent club in early 2019 to recover from a virus.{{cite news |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/oxfordunited/usnews/17484022.oxford-united-write-off-malachi-napas-season-to-allow-full-recovery-from-virus/ |first=David |last=Pritchard |title=Oxford United write off Malachi Napa's season to allow full recovery from virus |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=7 March 2019 |accessdate=7 March 2019}}
On his return to the Oxford first team in an EFL Cup first-round match against Peterborough United on 13 August 2019, Napa suffered a broken leg.{{cite news |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/17836030.oxford-uniteds-malachi-napa-set-operation-broken-leg/ |title=Oxford United's Malachi Napa set for operation on broken leg |date=14 August 2019 |first=David |last=Pritchard |newspaper=Oxford Mail |accessdate=15 August 2019}}
On 2 October 2020 he went on a short-term loan to National League side Woking.{{cite news | url=https://www.wokingfc.co.uk/news/article/7182/cards-sign-oxford-loan-duo/ | title=Cards sign Oxford duo on loan | publisher=Woking FC | date=2 October 2020 | accessdate=2 October 2020}}
On 22 January 2021, Napa returned to Woking on a one-month loan, following a prolonged injury lay-off.{{cite news | url=https://www.wokingfc.co.uk/news/article/7346/malachi-napa-returns-on-loan/ | title=Malachi Napa returns on loan | publisher=Woking FC | date=22 January 2021 | accessdate=22 January 2021}} On 25 March 2021, the loan was made permanent, with Napa signing a deal until the end of the 2020–21 campaign.{{cite news | url=https://www.wokingfc.co.uk/news/article/7424/malachi-napa-signs-permanently/ | title=Malachi Napa signs permanently | publisher=Woking FC | date=25 March 2021 | accessdate=25 March 2021}}
On 13 August 2021, following his release from Woking, Napa opted to join Isthmian League North Division side Maldon & Tiptree{{Cite news |title=Five New Jammers |url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/maldonandtiptreefc/news/five-new-jammers-2638118.html |publisher=Maldon & Tiptree F.C. |date=13 August 2021 |accessdate=14 August 2021}} and went onto score on his debut during a 7–0 victory over Romford, a day later.{{Cite news |title=Isthmian League - North Division – Romford 0 - 7 Maldon & Tiptree |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/match/2021-2022/isthmian-football-league-north-division/romford/maldon-and-tiptree/385389 |publisher=Football Web Pages |date=14 August 2021 |accessdate=14 August 2021}}
On 15 July 2022, Napa agreed to return to the National League to join Wealdstone following a successful trial period.{{Cite news |title=Napa and Mongoy join after successful trial |url=https://www.wealdstone-fc.com/post/new-signings-napa-and-mongoy-join-after-successful-trial |publisher=Wealdstone F.C. |first=Chris |last=Woods |date=15 July 2022 |accessdate=15 July 2022}}
On 9 December 2022, Napa joined Dartford on an initial one-month loan.
At the end of the 2022–23 season Napa was released by Wealdstone.{{cite web | url=https://www.wealdstone-fc.com/post/fifteen-players-retained-for-2023-24-season | title=Fifteen players retained for 2023/24 season | date=17 May 2023 }} Following his release, he joined Billericay Town.{{cite tweet|number=1659990092843294723|title=What a great day for @mccann2507 with two excellent new signings namely @ARON98_DEAN and @malachinapa joining us at Billericay Town FC. Our two new lads were photographed earlier today by @NickyHayesPhoto along with owners @DavidMc12081189 and @NickHutt3 at New Lodge.|user=BTFC|author-link=Billericay Town F.C.|date=20 May 2023|accessdate=21 May 2023}}
Personal life
Napa is of Zimbabwean Shona and South African descent.
Career statistics
{{updated|28 August 2023.}}{{Soccerbase | id= 106444| name= Malachi Napa}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase | id= 106444| name= Malachi Napa}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Napa, Malachi}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Newham
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Zimbabwean descent
Category:Sportspeople of Zimbabwean descent
Category:English people of South African descent
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Oxford United F.C. players
Category:North Leigh F.C. players
Category:Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C. players
Category:Macclesfield Town F.C. players
Category:Maldon & Tiptree F.C. players
Category:Wealdstone F.C. players
Category:Dartford F.C. players
Category:Billericay Town F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players