Joe Mbu (footballer)

Joe Mbu (born 14 February 1982) is a Cameroonian retired semi-professional footballer who played as a defender. During his career, which started as a youth player at Hibernian, he played for Whitburn Junior, Cowdenbeath, Stenhousemuir on loan, East Fife and finally, Edinburgh City.

Joe Mbu
Personal information
Date of birth (1982-02-14) 14 February 1982
Place of birth Cameroon
Playing position(s) Defender
Youth career
Hibernian
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Whitburn Junior
2008–2013 Cowdenbeath 104 (3)
2013 → Stenhousemuir (loan) 3 (0)
2013–2014 East Fife 25 (0)
2014–2017 Edinburgh City 30 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:06, 1 June 2017 (UTC)

Early and personal life

Born in Cameroon, Mbu moved to London at the age of one, and then to Scotland six years later.[1] As well as playing football, Mbu has also worked as a banker.[2]

Career

Mbu spent six years playing football at youth level at Hibernian before being released by the club due to being deemed "too small".[3][4] He then joined Whitburn Junior who play in the East Region of Scottish junior football and was voted their Player of the Year twice.[4][5] During his time there he played for the Scottish junior national team several times and won the Quadrangular Tournament with Scotland.[4][5]

Mbu was ready to join Arthurlie,[4] but instead joined Cowdenbeath on a one-year deal in 2008.[4][5] He enjoyed successive promotions with the club in 2008–09 and 2009–10 to the reach Scottish First Division,[4] but was regularly injured as the team were relegated in their first season as a First Division club.[4] Mbu won the Scottish Second Division in 2011–12 with the club and was voted in Team of the Year.[6][7]

He signed on loan for Stenhousemuir in March 2013.[8] He signed for East Fife on 1 July 2013.[9] In July 2014, Mbu signed for Edinburgh City of the Scottish Lowland League.[10] Mbu won the Lowland League title twice with City in 2014–15 and 2015–16. He also helped City become the first non-league team to earn promotion to Scottish League Two of the SPFL in 2015–16 via the new pyramid system.[11][12]

Mbu played in City's first ever SPFL league match on 6 August 2016 against Forfar Athletic, in which he was sent-off in the 93rd minute for an altercation with Forfar forward David Cox.[13][14] Mbu announced his retirement from football at the end of the 2016–17 season due to injury,[15] with his final appearance for Edinburgh City coming in a 3–2 defeat against Berwick Rangers on 6 May 2017.[16]

References
  1. "Joe's dreaming of a Cameroon cap". Daily Record. 3 February 2006.
  2. "Joe out to bank big win". Daily Record. 22 April 2009.
  3. http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/edinburgh-city/edinburgh-city-s-joe-mbu-was-freed-by-hibs-for-being-too-small-1-4153332
  4. "Mbu has grown into his role in Cowdenbeath defence". SFL. 10 February 2012.
  5. Eric MacKinnon (17 July 2008). "Mbu takes step up and signs a one year deal at Cowdenbeath". West Lothian Courier.
  6. "Steady Big Joe wins Times Trophy for a second time". Central Fife Times. 3 May 2012.
  7. "PFA SCOTLAND DIVISION TWO TEAM OF THE YEAR". PFA Scotland. 3 May 2012.
  8. "Stenhousemuir vs Brechin City - 2nd March 2013: Match Preview". SFL. 2 March 2013.
  9. "East Fife FC". East Fife F.C.
  10. "Lowland League: City boss Jardine rates Spartans favourites". Edinburgh Evening News. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  11. "Edinburgh City's Joe Mbu mystified by 'ridiculous' red card". Edinburgh News. 9 May 2016.
  12. "East Stirlingshire 0:1 Edinburgh City". BBC. 14 May 2016.
  13. "Scottish League Two: Edinburgh City begin life in senior league with loss". BBC Sport. BBC. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  14. "Edinburgh City 2 – 3 Forfar Athletic". Scottish Professional Football League. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  15. http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/edinburgh-city/veteran-edinburgh-city-defender-joe-mbu-may-delay-retirement-1-4416349
  16. "Berwick Rangers 3 – 2 Edinburgh City". BBC Sport. BBC. 6 May 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
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