Michael Folivi
{{short description|English footballer (born 1998)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Michael Folivi
| image = Folivi123.jpg
| image_size = 190px
| caption =
| full_name = Michael Kwaku Foli Folivi{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/contentassets/399875ceb4a34a7590d82ea228fd09a1/squad-list-publication-report---10.02.2021.pdf |title=EFL Squad Numbering |publisher=English Football League |page=40 |accessdate=10 March 2021}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|2|25|df=y}}{{cite web|url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/14298/Michael-Folivi/overview|title=Michael Folivi|publisher=Premier League|access-date=4 January 2017}}
| birth_place = Wembley, England
| height = {{convert|1.80|m|order=flip}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 2008–2016 | youthclubs1 = Watford
| years1 = 2016–2020 | clubs1 = Watford | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2017 | clubs2 = → Coventry City (loan) | caps2 = 1 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2018 | clubs3 = → Boreham Wood (loan) | caps3 = 13 | goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2019 | clubs4 = → AFC Wimbledon (loan) | caps4 = 10 | goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2019–2020 | clubs5 = → AFC Wimbledon (loan) | caps5 = 10 | goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2020–2021 | clubs6 = Colchester United | caps6 = 27 | goals6 = 5
| years7 = 2023 | clubs7 = Chelmsford City | caps7 = 14 | goals7 = 6
| years8 = 2023–2024 | clubs8 = Farnborough | caps8 = 16 | goals8 = 5
| years9 = 2024 | clubs9 = Hemel Hempstead Town | caps9 = 16 | goals9 = 4
| years10 = 2024 | clubs10 = Enfield Town | caps10= 6 | goals10= 1
| years11 = 2024 | clubs11 = Chesham United | caps11= 2 | goals11= 0
| years12 = 2024– | clubs12 = Sholing | caps12= 14 | goals12= 14
| club-update = 14:07, 3 March 2025 (UTC)
}}
Michael Kwaku Foli Folivi (born 25 February 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for {{English football updater|Sholing}} club Sholing.
Club career
Folivi signed his first professional contract with Watford in 2015 whilst still in the club's youth system and completed his scholarship in summer 2016. Having been part of the first team squad that travelled to Liverpool in the Premier League in November 2016, Folivi extended his contract until 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.watfordfc.com/teams/under-23s/michael-folivi|title=Michael Folivi|publisher=Watford F.C.|access-date=4 January 2017}} He made his professional debut on 3 January 2017, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute for Sebastian Prodl in a 2–0 Premier League defeat away at Stoke City.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38440966|title=Stoke 2–0 Watford|publisher=BBC|date=3 January 2017|access-date=3 January 2017}}
On 31 January 2017 Folivi joined League One side Coventry City on loan for the remainder of the season.https://www.watfordfc.com/club/sky-blues-loan-folivi {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} Having been out injured with an ankle injury, Folivi made his only first team appearance coming on as a substitute for Marcus Tudgay in the final game of the season. He was an unused substitute as Coventry won the 2017 EFL Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39404886|title=Coventry 2–1 Oxford|publisher=BBC|date=2 April 2017 |access-date=17 May 2019}}
On 11 January 2018 Folivi joined National League side Boreham Wood on loan for the remainder of the season.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42655941|title=Michael Folivi: Watford striker joins Boreham Wood on loan|publisher=BBC|date=11 January 2018|access-date=25 June 2020}} The club reached the play-offs, and Folivi scored what proved to be the decisive goal in their 3–2 win over Sutton United in the semi-finals.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43990504|title=Sutton United 2–3 Boreham Wood|publisher=BBC|date=6 May 2018|access-date=25 June 2020}} He started the final against Tranmere Rovers at Wembley Stadium but was taken off after 70 minutes, prior to Tranmere scoring the winner in a 2–1 victory.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44029571|title=Boreham Wood 1–2 Tranmere Rovers|publisher=BBC|date=12 May 2018|access-date=25 June 2020}}
On 31 January 2019, Folivi joined League One side AFC Wimbledon on loan for the rest of the season, playing 11 times as the club retained their status in the division.{{cite news |title=Shane McLoughlin and Michael Folivi: AFC Wimbledon sign duo |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47072363 |access-date=1 February 2019 |work=BBC Sport |date=31 January 2019}} He rejoined Wimbledon on a season-long loan in July 2019, but the loan was cut short on 3 January.{{cite web|url=https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news/2019/july/hes-back-forward-completes-his-wimbledon-return/|title=He's back! Forward completes his Wimbledon return|publisher=AFC Wimbledon|date=9 July 2019|access-date=25 June 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news/2020/january/michael-returns-to-watford/|title=Michael returns to Watford|publisher=AFC Wimbledon|date=3 January 2020|access-date=25 June 2020}} He was released by Watford in June 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.watfordfc.com/news/club/academy-new-contracts-offered|title=Academy: New Contracts Offered|publisher=Watford F.C.|date=25 June 2020|access-date=25 June 2020}}
On 2 November 2020, Folivi signed a contract with League Two club Colchester United until the end of the 2020–21 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54784159 |title=Michael Folivi: Colchester United sign ex-Watford striker |date=2 November 2020 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=3 November 2020 }} He made his debut on 3 November as a substitute for Jevani Brown in Colchester's 3–1 home win against Stevenage.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54700664 |title=Colchester United 3–1 Stevenage |date=3 November 2020 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=3 November 2020 }} He scored his first goal for the club on 10 November in Colchester's 6–1 EFL Trophy win against Southend United.{{cite web |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/colchester-vs-southend/428796 |title=Colchester 6–1 Southend |date=10 November 2020 |publisher=Sky Sports |access-date=10 November 2020 }} With his contract with Colchester expiring in the summer, Folivi had been set to sign a new deal with the club. However, he sustained an Achilles tendon injury which resulted in him requiring surgery. As such, his new Colchester contract offer was put on hold.{{cite news |last=Waldron |first=Jonathan |date=22 June 2021 |title=Colchester United target Michael Folivi vows to return stronger |url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/sport/19388690.colchester-united-target-michael-folivi-vows-return-stronger/ |newspaper=Daily Gazette |location=Colchester |access-date=7 August 2021 }}
On 20 February 2023, Folivi signed for Chelmsford City following his recovery from injury.{{Cite web|url=https://chelmsfordcityfc.com/folivi-joins-the-clarets/|title=Folivi joins the Clarets|publisher=Chelmsford City F.C.|date=20 February 2023}}
On 11 July 2023, Folivi joined Farnborough.{{Cite web|url=https://farnboroughfc.co.uk/2023/07/boro-complete-folivi-signing/|title=Boro complete Folivi signing|publisher=Farnborough F.C.|date=11 July 2023}}
Following a six-month spell with Farnborough, Folivi joined fellow National League South side, Hemel Hempstead Town in January 2024.{{Cite news |title=Michael Folvi departs |url=https://farnboroughfc.co.uk/2024/01/michael-folvi-departs/ |publisher=Farnborough F.C. |first=Dom |last=Lloyd |date=13 January 2024 |accessdate=13 January 2024}}
He joined newly promoted side Enfield Town ahead of the 2024-25 season. He departed the club in September 2024 in search for regular football.{{cite web|url=https://etfc.london/folivi-departs/|title=Squad Update: Folivi Departs|website=etfc.london|date=11 September 2024|accessdate=13 September 2024}} On 29 November 2024, following a short spell with Chesham United, he joined Southern League Premier Division South club Sholing. {{cite tweet|number=1862532618215919668|title=This week's THIRD and final signing! Welcome to Sholing Michael Folivi! Michael joins Sholing with a wealth of experience at multiple levels, including the National League, League 2 and even going as high as the Premier League with Watford! Here's what Dos and Michael himself had to say about joining the Boatmen! #uptheboatmen|user=sholingfc|author-link=Sholing F.C.|date=29 November 2024|accessdate=3 December 2024}}
Personal life
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 3 September 2024}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase|id=100397}}
- {{Soccerway|michael-folivi/471123}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Folivi Michael}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Brent
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Ghanaian descent
Category:Sportspeople of Ghanaian descent
Category:Premier League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:Coventry City F.C. players
Category:Boreham Wood F.C. players
Category:AFC Wimbledon players
Category:Colchester United F.C. players
Category:Chelmsford City F.C. players
Category:Farnborough F.C. players
Category:Hemel Hempstead Town F.C. players
Category:Enfield Town F.C. players
Category:Chesham United F.C. players
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:21st-century Black British people