Alhassan "Al" Bangura (born 24 January 1988) is a Sierra Leonean former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Bangura played for the Sierra Leone national team and is notable for having been the victim of human trafficking when he was a teenager and also the subject of a deportation case in the United Kingdom in 2007.
Early life
Bangura was born and brought up in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and his father was the head of the Poro Secret Society, however he died when Alhassan was a young child. As he was the oldest in his family, custom dictated that he took over his father's place in Poro, when he grew up. He refused to do so, and instead fled to Guinea aged just 15 years-old, saying later, "I didn't like it at all so I fled to Guinea". However, in Guinea he met a Frenchman, who he did not realise was involved in human trafficking and who took Bangura to France intending to make him a male prostitute. When the man took Bangura to the UK, he intended again to use him as a prostitute, however Bangura sought asylum.
Playing career
Club
Discovered by a Watford scout playing for Chertsey Town Youth in 2004, Bangura joined the Hornets youth set-up, and made his debut in a 1–0 win over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium in April 2005, coming on for the injured Gavin Mahon after 30 minutes. Bangura started the following game against West Ham United, on the final day of the 2004–05 season. In the 2005–06 season he was a regular in the Watford side, making 40 appearances in all competitions. His first goal for the Hornets, was a 90th-minute equaliser in a 2–2 draw against Derby County at Vicarage Road in March 2006. At the end of the season he won the club's Young Player of the year award.
At the end of the 2005–06 Championship season Watford were promoted to the Premier League and Bangura was rewarded with a contract extension taking him through to the end of the 2008–09 season. The 2006–07 season saw Bangura make his Premier League debut as a 75th-minute substitute in a 1–2 home defeat to Manchester United. He made a total of 20 appearances, 16 of which were in the Premier League as Watford finished bottom of the table in 20th place and were relegated back to the Championship.
He signed a new three-year contract with Watford in May 2007, but only made 10 appearances in the 2007–08 season. In the following season he made five appearances, before going out on loan for the remainder of the season to League One side Brighton & Hove Albion in March 2009. He made his debut for the Seagulls four days after signing in a 2–1 defeat to Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road. He made a total of six appearances for Brighton.
At the end of the season he returned to Watford, but left the club by mutual consent. He was subsequently signed in August by Blackpool on a non-contract basis, and later the same day was an unused substitute in a 0–0 home draw with Derby County.
He made his debut in August, in the Seasiders' 4–1 victory over Premier League side Wigan Athletic in the second round of the 2009–10 Football League Cup. His league debut came two days later when he was an 80th-minute substitute in a 3–0 home win over Coventry City. In September 2009 he signed a one-year contract with an option for a further year with the Seasiders. After three substitute appearances his first league start came in a 3–0 win at home over Sheffield United in October. He was released at the end of the season.
In 2011, he signed for Tony Adams' Gabala in Azerbaijan.
On 1 July 2011, Bangura signed for Forest Green Rovers on a two-year contract, linking up with his former youth coach at Watford, Dave Hockaday, who was then manager at Forest Green. He picked up a knee injury later in the month whilst training and was required to undergo surgery which led to him missing the start of Rovers season.
Bangura made his return from injury by featuring in a reserve team game against Brighton & Hove Albion in September 2011 and made his first team debut in a 3–2 home loss against Southport on 17 September 2011. Bangura then suffered another knee injury which led to him having a second operation in just four months to correct it.
On 6 December 2012, Bangura extended his contract with Forest Green for a further two years, keeping him at the club until June 2015. However, in August 2014, he agreed to terminate his contract a year early and left the club.