Antoine Semenyo’s rise in football nearly ended before it began, until a casual midfield return changed everything.
The Ghanaian forward, now known for his attacking prowess, revealed that when he reignited his football journey in his mid-teens, he was playing deeper on the pitch.
At a time when he had fallen out of love with the game after being rejected by Crystal Palace, Semenyo had no plans of going pro. A casual invite from his uncle to an open trial changed everything. With no expectations, he joined a college setup in Swindon simply to get fit and enjoy the sport again.
His performances caught the attention of coach Dave Hockaday, who later moved him to Bristol. That period became the turning point, reigniting his belief and setting him on the path to signing for Bristol City in 2017.
“We had a college set up in Swindon. He was coaching a couple of the boys and they were playing loads of games. So he just said, “Come get your fitness back. You can do education in the meantime as well.” But I got there with no expectations to be honest, I just wanted to play football. And that first year I did so well,” he told Showmax
“I just got fit again and I was just scoring goals left, right and centre. It’s crazy. I was playing midfield around that time as well, so I was just shooting from range and having that left foot, right foot, from early was so helpful. So I did really well that year. And David Hockaday moved to Bristol, so I ended up moving to Bristol with him.
“I was still going to school in Swindon, but then I was playing football in Bristol. I was taking the train, David would come and pick me up sometimes as well. I’m so grateful for him, to be honest. I don’t know where I’d be without him. But, yeah, it was a great experience at Bristol,”
