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Mike Fondop

Mike Fondop
Personal information
Full name Karl Mike Fondop Talom[1]
Date of birth (1993-11-27) 27 November 1993 (age 30)
Place of birth Yaoundé, Cameroon[2]
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Oldham Athletic
Number 9
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Stanway Rovers 29 (10)
2015–2016 Billericay Town 24 (10)
2016–2017 Oxford City 23 (7)
2017–2018 Guiseley 19 (3)
2018 → F.C. Halifax Town (loan) 12 (4)
2018–2019 Wrexham 21 (5)
2019 → Maidenhead United (loan) 11 (1)
2019–2020 Chesterfield 29 (10)
2020–2021 Aldershot Town 4 (0)
2021 Burton Albion 17 (2)
2021–2022 Hartlepool United 8 (0)
2022– Oldham Athletic 82 (28)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:46, 19 October 2024 (UTC)

Karl Mike Fondop Talom (born 27 November 1993) is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a forward for National League side Oldham Athletic.

Early and personal life

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Fondop moved from Cameroon to England in 2013, to study for a degree in actuarial sciences at the University of Essex, graduating with a first-class degree in 2017.[3]

Career

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Fondop began his career with Eastern Counties League side Stanway Rovers,[4] having played on trial at Whitehawk in July 2014.[5] The following season, he went on trial with the under-21 team at Billericay Town before being given a chance in the first team, where he scored eight goals in his first six games.[6] Fondop left Billericay in May 2016 having agreed on a deal to join Margate, for which he was criticised by manager Craig Edwards as he left the club the day before a cup final. The move fell through after Margate declined to pay compensation to Billericay.[7][8] Fondop joined Oxford City for the 2016–17 season. After a trial with Cheltenham Town the following summer, he joined Guiseley for the 2017–18 season.[7] He joined FC Halifax Town on loan in February 2018, and scored four goals in twelve games to help the Shaymen avoid relegation.[9] In July 2018, he joined Wrexham on a two-year deal.[10] Fondop was labelled a "cult hero" after five goals in his first nine games,[11] but he did not add to that tally in the league and was allowed to join Maidenhead United on loan in February 2019.[12] In August, he left the Welsh club by mutual consent and signed for Chesterfield.[13] Fondop finished the curtailed 2019–20 season as the Spireites' top scorer with eleven goals in all competitions, but left the club at the end of the season to "keep his options open" according to manager John Pemberton, before joining Aldershot Town in November 2020 on a short-term deal.[14]

After this deal expired, he signed for Burton Albion in February 2021 on a contract until the end of the season.[15] He made his English Football League debut on 20 February as a substitute in a 0–3 defeat at home to Sunderland.[16] In his second Burton appearance and his first start, he scored his first goal for them in a 2-1 win at Charlton Athletic on 23 February 2021.[17] On 12 May 2021 it was announced that he would be one of 12 players leaving Burton at the end of the season.[18]

Fondop signed for Hartlepool United on 16 September 2021.[19][20] He left at the end of his contract on 17 January 2022,[21] and signed for Oldham Athletic on 31 January.[22][23]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of 19 October 2024
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Stanway Rovers 2014–15[24] ECFL Premier Division 29 10 0 0 – 3 2 32 12
Billericay Town 2015–16[25] Isthmian League Premier Division 24 10 0 0 – 0 0 24 10
Oxford City 2016–17[25] National League South 23 7 2 2 – 2[a] 0 27 9
Guiseley 2017–18[2] National League 19 3 4 2 – 1[b] 0 24 5
FC Halifax Town (loan) 2017–18[2] National League 12 4 0 0 – 0 0 12 4
Wrexham 2018–19[2] National League 21 5 4 0 – 1[b] 1 26 6
Maidenhead United (loan) 2018–19[2] National League 11 1 0 0 – 0 0 11 1
Chesterfield 2019–20[2] National League 29 10 1 1 – 1[b] 0 31 11
Aldershot Town 2020–21[2] National League 4 0 0 0 – 1[b] 1 5 1
Burton Albion 2020–21[2] League One 17 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 2
Hartlepool United 2021–22[2] League Two 8 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 13 0
Oldham Athletic 2021–22[2] League Two 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
2022–23[2] National League 35 11 3 2 0 0 2 0 40 13
2023–24[2] National League 31 9 1 0 0 0 1 1 33 10
2024–25[2] National League 14 6 1 2 0 0 0 0 15 8
Total 82 28 5 4 0 0 3 1 90 33
Career total 279 80 18 9 0 0 15 5 312 94
  1. ^ One appearance in FA Trophy, one appearances in Oxfordshire Senior Cup
  2. ^ a b c d Appearances in the FA Trophy

References

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  1. ^ https://www.thefa.com/-/media/files/thefaportal/governance-docs/agents/intermediaries/intermediary-transactions---1-february-2018-to-31-january-2019.ashx?la=en [bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "England - M. Fondop-Talum - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  3. ^ Aled Williams (6 September 2018). "Mike Fondop: Hard work paying off for Wrexham striker". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  4. ^ Meijer, Lars (20 November 2019). "Interview Mike Fondop-Talom". Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  5. ^ "TOWN GO DOWN TO PENALTY – Whitstable Town FC". www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Fondop wants to follow in the footsteps of Rowan Liburd". Echo. 27 November 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Guiseley Bring In Fondop-Talom". 3 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Edwards labels Fondop's move to Margate on eve of Under-21 final as "despicable"". Echo. 11 May 2016.
  9. ^ "Mike Fondop-Talom". Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Striker Fondop-Talom joins Wrexham". BBC Sport.
  11. ^ "Hard work paying off for Wrexham's Fondop". BBC Sport.
  12. ^ "Wrexham AFC striker Mike Fondop joins Maidenhead United on loan". The Leader. 14 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Mike Fondop didn't want to leave Wrexham AFC but the striker is enjoying life at Chesterfield". The Leader. 18 October 2019.
  14. ^ "Former Chesterfield striker Mike Fondop signs for National League rivals". www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk.
  15. ^ "BREWERS SIGN STRIKER MIKE FONDOP UNTIL THE END OF THE SEASON". www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk.
  16. ^ "Burton Albion 0–3 Sunderland". BBC Sport.
  17. ^ "Charlton 1-2 Burton". BBC Sport. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  18. ^ "12 PLAYERS TO LEAVE BURTON ALBION AT END OF THEIR CONTRACTS". www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk.
  19. ^ "Pools Sign Mike Fondop". www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk.
  20. ^ "Hartlepool sign forwards Cook & Fondop". BBC Sport.
  21. ^ "Mike Fondop Leaves Pools". www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk.
  22. ^ "Target Man Signs For Latics". www.oldhamathletic.co.uk.
  23. ^ "Oldham sign Hartlepool forward Fondop". BBC Sport.
  24. ^ "Stats for a player: Karl Fondop-Talom". FA Fulltime. Retrieved 21 February 2021. Select season via dropdown menu.
  25. ^ a b "Mike Fondop Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk.