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Mike Cestor

{{Short description|Congolese footballer (born 1992)}}

{{EngvarB|date=April 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mike Cestor

| image =

| fullname = Mike Botuli Cestor

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|4|30|df=y}}

| height = 1.83 m

| birth_place = Bagneux, France

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Centre-back

| youthyears1 = 2008–2009 | youthclubs1 = Pisa

| youthyears2 = 2009–2010 | youthclubs2 = Leyton Orient

| years1 = 2010–2012 | clubs1 = Leyton Orient | caps1 = 3 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2011 | clubs2 = → Boreham Wood (loan) | caps2 = 9 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2011 | clubs3 = → Woking (loan) | caps3 = 7 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2012 | clubs4 = → Woking (loan) | caps4 = 9 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2012–2015 | clubs5 = Woking | caps5 = 88 | goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2016–2018 | clubs6 = Épinal | caps6 = 54 | goals6 = 7

| years7 = 2018–2019 | clubs7 = Astra Giurgiu | caps7 = 28 | goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2019–2022 | clubs8 = CFR Cluj | caps8 = 29 | goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2022–2023 | clubs9 = Argeș Pitești | caps9 = 16 | goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2023–2024 | clubs10= Radomiak Radom | caps10= 28 | goals10= 0

| years11 = 2024–2025 | clubs11= Gloria Buzău | caps11= 19 | goals11= 1

| nationalyears1 = 2013

| nationalteam1 = DR Congo U20

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| pcupdate = 31 March 2025

| ntupdate =

}}

Mike Botuli Cestor (born 30 April 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back.{{cite web |title=Mike Cestor w FC Buzău |url=http://www.90minut.pl/news/333/news3337636-Mike-Cestor-w-FC-Buzau.html |website=90minut.pl |access-date=29 August 2024 |language=pl |date=29 August 2024}}

Born in France, Cestor has earned caps for DR Congo at under-20 level.

Club career

=Early career=

Cestor was born in Bagneux, Hauts-de-Seine, Paris. Before trialling for Leyton Orient, Cestor had been on the books as a youth player for Italian side Pisa.[http://primavera.ilpisasiamonoi.it/squadra/cestor-mike_edited-1/ Cestor's profile at pisasiamonoi.it] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120719144816/http://primavera.ilpisasiamonoi.it/squadra/cestor-mike_edited-1/ |date=19 July 2012 }}

=Leyton Orient=

Cestor joined Orient's youth squad early in the 2009–10 season and also featured in the reserve team before being called up to the first-team squad in December 2009, although he made no first-team appearances.{{Cite web |url=http://www.leytonorient.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10439~50361,00.html |title=Cestor's profile at leytonorient.com |access-date=10 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908072232/http://www.leytonorient.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10439~50361,00.html |archive-date=8 September 2010 |url-status=dead }} He signed a new two-year contract on 9 June 2010,[http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10439~2067530,00.html Chambers agrees new contract] and he made his professional debut in a League Cup match for Orient, as they won 2–1 at Swindon Town on 10 August 2010.[http://www.leytonorient.com/page/MatchReport/0,,10439~53941,00.html Swindon Town 1–2 Leyton Orient] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128165945/http://www.leytonorient.com/page/MatchReport/0%2C%2C10439~53941%2C00.html |date=28 January 2011 }} His league debut came three days later in the 3–1 defeat to Charlton Athletic.{{cite web |title=Leyton Orient 1–3 Charlton |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8897659.stm |publisher=BBC Sport | date=13 August 2010 |accessdate=13 August 2010}}

On 11 January 2011, Cestor went on a month's loan to Boreham Wood,{{cite web|url=http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10439~2263988,00.html |title=Walker moves on |date=11 January 2011 |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C. |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114214433/http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10439~2263988%2C00.html |archivedate=14 January 2011 }} making his debut on 15 January in the 2–0 win over Chelmsford City.{{cite web|url=http://www.webteams.co.uk/MatchReport.aspx?team=borehamwoodfc&mid=match77.xml |title=Boreham Wood 2–0 Chelmsford City |date=15 January 2011 |publisher=Boreham Wood F.C.}}

=Woking=

On 19 August 2011, he went on a month's loan to Woking,{{cite news|url=http://www.wokingfc.co.uk/news/article/2969/mike-cestor-joins-on-loan/ |title=Mike Cestor joins on loan |date=19 August 2011 |publisher=Woking F.C.}} and made his debut the following day in the 0–0 draw at home to his old club Boreham Wood.{{cite web|url=http://www.wokingfc.co.uk/first-team/match/94/#teamsheet |date=20 August 2011 |title=Woking 0–0 Boreham Wood |publisher=Woking F.C.}} He made seven appearances for Woking before returning to Orient and coming on as a substitute in their 3–2 League Cup defeat at Blackburn Rovers on 20 September.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14893653.stm |date=20 September 2011 |title=Blackburn Rovers 3–2 Leyton Orient |publisher=BBC Sport}} He returned to Woking on 12 January 2012 for another month's loan spell,{{cite web|url=http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10439~2575128,00.html |title=Cestor goes to Woking on loan |date=12 January 2012 |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C. |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115075201/http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10439~2575128%2C00.html |archivedate=15 January 2012 }} which was later extended, and after a brief return to Orient, he began yet another loan period at Woking.{{cite web|url=http://www.wokingfc.co.uk/news/article/3328/mike-cestor-rejoins-on-loan/ |title=Mike Cestor rejoins on loan |date=22 March 2012 |accessdate=1 April 2012 |publisher=Woking F.C.}} On 15 May 2012, he was one of three players released by Orient manager Russell Slade.{{cite web|url=http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10439~2768017,00.html |title=Lobjoit signs Os deal |date=15 May 2012 |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C. }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} On 19 July 2012, Cestor signed permanently for Woking, who were newly promoted to the Football Conference.{{cite web|url=http://www.wokingnewsandmail.co.uk/?p=1635 |title=Mike Cestor and Lee Sawyer sign for Woking|date=19 July 2012 |publisher=Woking News and Mail}}

On 20 December 2014, in a 2–1 defeat to Southport, Cestor suffered a long term knee injury, therefore ruling him out for the remainder of the 2014–15 campaign.{{Cite news |title=Woking FC suffer double whammy with Southport defeat and Cestor injury |url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/woking-fc-suffer-double-whammy-8324308 |publisher=Get Surrey |date=20 December 2014 |accessdate=23 July 2016}}

Ahead of the following campaign, Cestor was released at the end of his contract, due to his slow progress with his injury.

=Épinal=

On 2 July 2016, Cestor joined French side SAS Épinal after a year without a club.{{Cite news |title=Cinq recrues et un staff modifié pour la reprise |url=http://www.sasfootball.com/equipes-1-2884.html?PHPSESSID=cfb6ccb58e99d5d89f0ce42c6cd3a64b |language=French |publisher=SAS Épinal |date=2 July 2016 |accessdate=23 July 2016}}

International career

Prior to the 2013 Toulon Tournament, Cestor received a call-up for the DR Congo U20 team. Cestor went on to start all four of DR Congo's games in the Toulon campaign, initially making his debut in a 1–0 defeat against the France U20 side on 30 May 2013.{{Cite news |title=France U21 vs. Congo DR U21 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/05/30/world/world-youth-festival-toulon/france-under-21/congo-dr-u21/1469771/ |publisher=Soccerway |date=30 May 2013 |accessdate=23 July 2016}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{Updated|match played 31 March 2025}}{{Soccerway|cestor-mike/111191|accessdate=15 January 2022}}

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

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|National Cup

!colspan="2"|Europe

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="3"|Leyton Orient

|2010–11

|League One

|2

000colspan="2"|—3One appearance in Football League Trophy, two appearances in EFL Cup050
2011–12

|League One

|1

000colspan="2"|—1Appearance in EFL Cup020
colspan="2"|Total

!3

000colspan="2"|—4070
rowspan="1"|Boreham Wood (loan)

|2010–11

|Conference South

|9

100colspan="2"|—0091
rowspan="1"|Woking (loan)

|2011–12

|Conference South

|16

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—160
rowspan="4"|Woking

|2012–13

|Conference Premier

|37

110colspan="2"|—1Appearance(s) in FA Trophy0391
2013–14

|Conference Premier

|30

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—20320
2014–15

|Conference Premier

|21

110colspan="2"|—10231
colspan="2"|Total

!88

220colspan="2"|—40942
rowspan="3"|Épinal

|2016–17

|Championnat National

|26

111colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—272
2017–18

|Championnat National 2 Group B

|28

620colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—306
colspan="2"|Total

!54

731colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—578
rowspan="1"|Astra Giurgiu

|2018–19

|Liga I

|26

160colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—321
rowspan="4"|CFR Cluj

|2019–20

|Liga I

|11

1105One appearance in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League0colspan="2"|—171
2020–21

|Liga I

|6

0001Appearance in UEFA Champions League10071
2021–22

|Liga I

|12

0109Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League, three appearances in UEFA Conference League100221
colspan="2"|Total

!29

12015200463
rowspan="1"|Argeș Pitești

|2022–23

|Liga I

|16

010colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—170
rowspan="3"|Radomiak Radom

|2022–23

|Ekstraklasa

|16

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—160
2023–24

|Ekstraklasa

|12

010colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—130
colspan="2"|Total

!28

010colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—290
rowspan="1"|Gloria Buzău

|2024–25

|Liga I

|19

1colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—191
colspan="3"|Career total

!288

131511508232616

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

Honours

CFR Cluj

Individual

  • Liga I Team of the Season: 2018–19{{cite web|url=https://lpf.ro/noutati/echipa-sezonului-2018-2019/1105|title=Echipa sezonului 2018/2019|trans-title=Team of the season 2018/2019|publisher=LPF.ro|language=Romanian|date=24 June 2019|access-date=24 June 2019}}
  • Liga I Team of the Regular Season: 2018–19{{cite web|url=https://lpf.ro/noutati/liga-1-betano-echipa-sezonului-regulat/854|title=Liga 1 Betano: Echipa sezonului regulat|trans-title=Liga I Betano: Team of the regular season|publisher=LPF.ro|language=Romanian|date=6 March 2019|access-date=6 March 2019}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{RomanianSoccer|4739/mike-cestor-botuli}}
  • {{Soccerbase|66007}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cestor, Mike}}

Category:1992 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Hauts-de-Seine

Category:Black French sportspeople

Category:People from Bagneux, Hauts-de-Seine

Category:French sportspeople of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent

Category:French men's footballers

Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's footballers

Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's under-20 international footballers

Category:Men's association football defenders

Category:English Football League players

Category:National League (English football) players

Category:Championnat National players

Category:Championnat National 2 players

Category:Liga I players

Category:Ekstraklasa players

Category:Pisa SC players

Category:Leyton Orient F.C. players

Category:Boreham Wood F.C. players

Category:Woking F.C. players

Category:SAS Épinal players

Category:FC Astra Giurgiu players

Category:CFR Cluj players

Category:FC Argeș Pitești players

Category:Radomiak Radom players

Category:FC Gloria Buzău players

Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate men's footballers

Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in England

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England

Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in Romania

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Romania

Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in Poland

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Poland

Category:21st-century French sportsmen