Guy Ipoua
Encyclopedia
Guy Ipoua is an Cameroon
ian footballer who has played for Oryx Douala
and a string of British and Continental clubs. His elder brother Samuel Ipoua
represented Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup
.
Ipoua was born in Cameroon and moved to Strasbourg
, France
at the age of four. His early football career is unclear but he joined AS Nancy
in 1992, and had a spell at Torino
where his brother was also on loan from Inter Milan
, for six months. He was also on the books of Atlético Madrid, at the time the reigning La Liga
champions and cup holders. He has also played for Sevilla
, Alicante
, Écija Balompié
and Novelda
.
In the summer of 1998, he spent 3 weeks on trial at Crystal Palace
, but failed to secure a contract. He spent a season at Bristol Rovers
where he scored 3 goals in 24 league games, before being released the following summer. A trial at Torquay United
followed trial in July 1999, but he again failed to secure a contract. He subsequently went for trials at a number of clubs in England and Scotland, including Wycombe Wanderers
and St. Johnstone.
He eventually signed for Scunthorpe United
in August 1999, scoring on his debut against Bournemouth
, and again against Cardiff City
two days later. This earned him a contract with the club, and he enjoyed almost two successful seasons with Scunthorpe, notably scoring seven times in the space of a week. He was sold to Gillingham
for just £
25,000, a low fee because he could have left for free a couple months later under the Bosman ruling
. He was mainly used as a substitute for Gillingham up to the end of the season.
After rejecting a possible move to the United States with FC Dallas
, he joined Scottish
side Livingston
in July 2003, having missed a substantial amount of pre-season training. However he was to make just one appearance for the club, as a substitute.
In July 2004, Ipoua signed for Doncaster Rovers
, but again failed to establish himself in the first team. He joined Mansfield Town
on loan in October 2004 and Lincoln City
on loan in February 2005 before being released at the end of the season.
In August 2005 he joined Hereford United
and scored a goal in each of his first three league games. His season was disrupted by injury and in the latter stages he was used as only as a substitute. However he shone in Hereford's successful play-off campaign
, scoring an extra-time winner in the semi-final against Morecambe
. In the final itself he was brought on in the second half with Hereford 2-1 down, and soon made an impact. He skillfully controlled a flick on by Andy Ferrell
, played the ball out to Simon Travis and then powerfully headed the return cross into the net to equalise. In the dying minutes of extra time he also did well to run the clock down by keeping the ball in the corner while fending off the attentions of several opposing players and earning Hereford 3 consecutive corners.
Unfortunately, Guy was one of several Hereford players released shortly after the final. In August 2006 he signed for Forest Green Rovers
. However he was released in September 2006 and signed for Oryx Douala
in his native Cameroon
.
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian footballer who has played for Oryx Douala
Oryx Douala
Oryx Douala is a football club from Douala, Cameroon, that achieved most of its success in the 1960s.It won the inaugural African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1964 beating Stade Malien on a score of 2-1 in the final, and so becoming the first club outfit from Cameroon to win the title. The have also...
and a string of British and Continental clubs. His elder brother Samuel Ipoua
Samuel Ipoua
Samuel Ipoua Hamben is a former Cameroonian football player.He played for several European clubs, including OGC Nice , A.C. Torino , Rapid Vienna , Toulouse FC , FSV Mainz, TSV 1860 München and LR Ahlen in Germany...
represented Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
.
Ipoua was born in Cameroon and moved to Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the age of four. His early football career is unclear but he joined AS Nancy
AS Nancy
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy. The club was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of...
in 1992, and had a spell at Torino
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
where his brother was also on loan from Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, for six months. He was also on the books of Atlético Madrid, at the time the reigning La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
champions and cup holders. He has also played for Sevilla
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
, Alicante
Alicante CF
Alicante Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football team based in Alicante, in the autonomous community of Valencia. Founded in 1918, it plays in Tercera División – Group 6, holding home matches at Ciudad Deportiva Villafranqueza.-History:...
, Écija Balompié
Écija Balompié
Écija Balompié, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Écija, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1968, it currently plays in Segunda División B - Group 4.-Season to season:----*2 seasons in Segunda División...
and Novelda
Novelda CF
Novelda Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football team based in Novelda, in the Valencian Community. Founded in 1925, it currently plays in Tercera División – Group 6, holding home games at Estadio La Magdalena, which has a capacity of 7,000 seats....
.
In the summer of 1998, he spent 3 weeks on trial at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, but failed to secure a contract. He spent a season at Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
where he scored 3 goals in 24 league games, before being released the following summer. A trial at Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
followed trial in July 1999, but he again failed to secure a contract. He subsequently went for trials at a number of clubs in England and Scotland, including Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
and St. Johnstone.
He eventually signed for Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
in August 1999, scoring on his debut against Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, and again against Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
two days later. This earned him a contract with the club, and he enjoyed almost two successful seasons with Scunthorpe, notably scoring seven times in the space of a week. He was sold to Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
for just £
Pound (currency)
The pound is a unit of currency in some nations. The term originated in England as the value of a pound of silver.The word pound is the English translation of the Latin word libra, which was the unit of account of the Roman Empire...
25,000, a low fee because he could have left for free a couple months later under the Bosman ruling
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
. He was mainly used as a substitute for Gillingham up to the end of the season.
After rejecting a possible move to the United States with FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
, he joined Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
side Livingston
Livingston F.C.
Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team...
in July 2003, having missed a substantial amount of pre-season training. However he was to make just one appearance for the club, as a substitute.
In July 2004, Ipoua signed for Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
, but again failed to establish himself in the first team. He joined Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
on loan in October 2004 and Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
on loan in February 2005 before being released at the end of the season.
In August 2005 he joined Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
and scored a goal in each of his first three league games. His season was disrupted by injury and in the latter stages he was used as only as a substitute. However he shone in Hereford's successful play-off campaign
Conference National Playoff Final 2006
The 2005-06 Conference National Playoff Final took place on 20 May 2006 and was contested between Halifax Town and Hereford United. It was held at the Walkers Stadium, Leicester for the first time, the previous Playoff Finals having been held at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke...
, scoring an extra-time winner in the semi-final against Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
. In the final itself he was brought on in the second half with Hereford 2-1 down, and soon made an impact. He skillfully controlled a flick on by Andy Ferrell
Andy Ferrell
Andrew Eric "Andy" Ferrell is an English footballer who plays for Barrow as a midfielder. He played in League Two for Hereford United during the 2006–07 season.-Career:...
, played the ball out to Simon Travis and then powerfully headed the return cross into the net to equalise. In the dying minutes of extra time he also did well to run the clock down by keeping the ball in the corner while fending off the attentions of several opposing players and earning Hereford 3 consecutive corners.
Unfortunately, Guy was one of several Hereford players released shortly after the final. In August 2006 he signed for Forest Green Rovers
Forest Green Rovers F.C.
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...
. However he was released in September 2006 and signed for Oryx Douala
Oryx Douala
Oryx Douala is a football club from Douala, Cameroon, that achieved most of its success in the 1960s.It won the inaugural African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1964 beating Stade Malien on a score of 2-1 in the final, and so becoming the first club outfit from Cameroon to win the title. The have also...
in his native Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
.