Crystal Palace

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It is not an Easy Road Back for Mike 'boats' Boateng, the twice-imprisoned former Bristol Rovers defender, now helps, in England, the young talent on the track.

Mike served 16 months in prison for an attempted match-fixing, fraud in 2013, before receiving a lifetime ban from football.

Now, a qualified Personal Trainer , his clients include Jadon Sancho , the stars for Borussia Dortmund in Germany. He also works with the twins, Ryan and Steven Sessegnon , who was playing for Tottenham and Fulham respectively.

"I was The Scapegoat for match-fixing. It was to be punished in The Public interest for me," the 28-year-old admits.

"I went to a preliminary meeting in a café, and I did not agree to anything. But things happen for a reason and a positive is now to help others not make the same mistake I did. "

match-fixing is where the individuals guarantee a particular result in a game and the money can then be made from betting on the result. The fastening is prohibited by the Football Association and treated very seriously.

Mike remembers getting a call from a friend when he came out of the prison in which he him on The News .

"you said, 'Michael Boateng has a lifetime ban from football". I was like, 'Wow. What can I do?'

Not a bad stretch of Sancho, Mike would be pleased,

He led the former Crystal Palace Academy player to drive football out of his life, and a second spell Behind Bars , followed for a drug-dealing charge in 2015.

Now Peckham-born Mike has Popped up with ex-prison-mate Rob on a podcast, where you can chat prison lawyer Claire about what life is really like away.

"It is very revealing. People are afraid to ask me about the prison. are usually I was rather tentative to me Out There , but in The End it was refreshing," says Mike. The podcast series dives into The World of sharing cells with violent criminals, as you go to maintain relationships, what to wear, and the many methods of smuggling in illegal items.

It was in prison that Mike earns his PT qualification and he is now able to help the likes of Sancho, who is Dortmund's top scorer this season in the Bundesliga.

"the sky is The Limit with Jadon," says Mike. "He is amazing and he is such a good guy. It is still mad that The Boys don ' T judge me, the [in prison], and this is a good example of motivated me for you. "

And his help is not limited to training.

"I also close protection. If the young boys go on a Night Out or a holiday they ask me to come," he chuckles. "I'm just rolling with them like a Big Brother , you feel comfortable around me. It's fun and I get some free holidays!"

Mike recording of the Popped-Up-podcast

Mike says the biggest thing he learned, his Time In prison, keeps his positivity Intact to cope with Something that has also helped him with the coronavirus lockdown.

"I was young and naive. I would have gone and done it [to The Meeting ] if I knew the consequences? Of course not, but it happened. I have just grow to be and help others not go in the same direction as I did. "

What other support there is for young players?

"Almost every Premier League club has a dedicated player Liaison Officer (PLO) now," explains Lorna McClelland, The Pioneer behind The Role , which she held at Aston Villa for 14 years.

A PLO-player, with the support of the Clubs, language classes and help to buy A House , to mentoring and talking about problems.

"I think there are more support systems and education to better clubs," says Lorna, who is now working as a consultant on player welfare and a consultant for athletic people.

"forced [to be, in the illegal transactions involved] is quite common in football, unfortunately, and the players don't always understand the consequences if you are caught, which they almost always do.

"I want to talk to you encourage players to PLO-help immediately and we can help you. We have someone to be the players are familiar and do not know, we go to The Manager , or press, or your parents. "

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Source of news: bbc.com