Richard Kingson facts for kids
Kingson with Ghana in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Richard Kingson | ||
| Date of birth | 13 June 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1996 | Great Olympics | 0 | (0) |
| 1996–2005 | Galatasaray | 27 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | → Sakaryaspor (loan) | 21 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | → Göztepe (loan) | 19 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | → Antalyaspor (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | → Elazığspor (loan) | 20 | (0) |
| 2005–2007 | Ankaraspor | 4 | (0) |
| 2007 | → Hammarby (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | Birmingham City | 1 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | Wigan Athletic | 4 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Blackpool | 20 | (0) |
| 2013 | Doxa Katokopias | 10 | (0) |
| 2014 | Balıkesirspor | 13 | (0) |
| 2015 | Great Olympics | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 165 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1996–2012 | Ghana | 93 | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2017–2019 | Ghana (goalkeeper coach) | ||
| 2021 | Ghana A' (goalkeeper coach) | ||
| 2021–2024 | Ghana (goalkeeper coach) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Richard Kingson (born on June 13, 1978) is a Ghanaian former professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper for many years. Today, he works as a goalkeeper coach for the Ghana national football team. He is also known by his Turkish name, Faruk Gürsoy. Sometimes, his last name is spelled Kingston. This different spelling happened because of some "irregularity on his identity documents."
After leaving his home country, Richard Kingson played for several football clubs. He played in Turkey, Sweden for Hammarby, and in England. In England, he played for Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, and Blackpool. He was a very important player for the Ghana national football team, even serving as their vice-captain.
Contents
Richard Kingson's Club Career
Richard Kingson played for many different clubs during his career. He started his journey in Ghana before moving to other countries.
Playing in Turkey
Kingson moved from his home city of Accra in Ghana to Turkey in 1996. He played for six different clubs there. He even became a Turkish citizen and took a Turkish name, Faruk Gürsoy. His first club in Turkey was Galatasaray S.K.. He signed with them in December 1996.
Time at Birmingham City
After playing on loan for a Swedish club called Hammarby IF, Kingson caught the eye of other European clubs. He eventually joined Birmingham City in England. On August 28, 2007, Kingson played his first game for Birmingham. It was a League Cup match against Hereford United. He also played one game in the Premier League. His contract with the club ended in 2008.
Joining Wigan Athletic
On September 12, 2008, Kingson joined Wigan Athletic. He reunited with his former manager, Steve Bruce, there. He wore the number 22 shirt, which was the same number he wore for Ghana. He played his first game for Wigan in an FA Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur. He also made his first Premier League appearance for Wigan in May 2009. Kingson left Wigan when his contract ended in 2010.
Playing for Blackpool
After leaving Wigan Athletic, Kingson signed with Blackpool in September 2010. Blackpool was a new team in the Premier League at the time. He made his debut for Blackpool on November 10, 2010, in a game against Aston Villa. Kingson played more games when the first-choice goalkeeper, Matt Gilks, was injured. He was released by Blackpool in May 2011.
Moving to Doxa Katokopias
After not playing for two years, Kingson signed a one-year deal in July 2013. He joined Doxa Katokopias, a club in the Cypriot First Division. He played his first game for them on the first day of the league season. His team won 2–0, and he did not let any goals in.
Return to Turkey with Balıkesirspor
In January 2014, Kingson went back to Turkey. He joined Balıkesirspor, a team in the Turkish second-tier league. He signed a contract for half a year, with an option for two more years.
Final Club: Great Olympics
In 2015, Kingson signed a short-term contract with Great Olympics in Ghana. This was one of his first clubs. He later mentioned that he hoped to play for Asante Kotoko before he retired, but this did not happen.
Richard Kingson's International Career
Richard Kingson was the main goalkeeper for the Ghana national football team. He was chosen to play in many big tournaments. These included the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
During the 2006 World Cup, the Ghanaian Football Association said his name was Kingston. However, his shirt showed the correct spelling, Kingson, which he confirmed himself.
Achievements with Ghana
Kingson was named an All-Star Goalkeeper at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana. This award is given to the best players in the tournament. In 2008, he even scored a goal for Ghana in a friendly match. It was a late goal that helped his team draw 1–1 against Tanzania.
As the first-choice goalkeeper and team captain, he helped Ghana reach the final of the 2010 African Cup of Nations. He was again chosen for the all-star team.
2010 FIFA World Cup
In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Kingson played in Ghana's first game against Serbia. He kept a clean sheet, meaning he did not let any goals in, and Ghana won 1–0. In the next game, he made a mistake, and Australia scored, leading to a 1–1 draw. Ghana lost their final group game 1–0 to Germany but still moved on to the next stage.
In the Round of 16 match against the USA, Kingson made many saves. Ghana won 2–1 in extra time. The team then reached the quarter-finals. In that game, a goal was stopped by a Uruguayan player, Luis Suarez, using his hand. Ghana was given a penalty kick, but Asamoah Gyan missed it. Ghana eventually lost the game in a penalty shootout.
Richard Kingson's Personal Life
Richard Kingson has a brother named Laryea Kingston, who also played for the Ghana national team. Richard is a naturalised citizen of Turkey and his Turkish name is Faruk Gürsoy. He is married to Adelaide Tawiah. Their wedding took place in Ghana. Some of Kingson's national teammates, like Asamoah Gyan and John Paintsil, were guests at the wedding.
Richard Kingson's Coaching Career
After Richard Kingson stopped playing football, he started coaching. In May 2017, he became the goalkeeper's coach for the Ghana national football team. He held this role until 2019.
In June 2021, he was appointed as the goalkeeper's coach for the Ghana A' national football team. Kingson also worked as a goalkeeper's coach for his former club, Accra Great Olympics, in January 2021. The following month, he joined Accra Hearts of Oak for a short time in the same role. On August 4, 2021, he was again assigned to the Ghana national team as their goalkeeper's coach.
Career Statistics
International Goals Scored
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 20 August 2008 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |  Tanzania |
1–1 | Draw | Friendly |
Honours and Awards
Richard Kingson won several awards and titles during his football career.
Galatasaray S.K.
- Süper Lig: 1996–97, 1997–98
- Turkish Cup: 2004–05
Ghana National Team
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2010 (meaning they came in second place)
- Africa Cup of Nations third place: 2008
Individual Awards
- Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2008, 2010 (This means he was chosen as one of the best players in the tournament.)
See also
In Spanish: Richard Kingson para niños
