King career in ruins

Marlon King's football future is in tatters after he was jailed for 18 months for sexual assault and actual bodily harm. We look at the striker's fall from grace and examine his chances of playing again...

Last updated: 30th October 2009  

King career in ruins

King: will he be given yet another chance?

I do personally regret the day... when we signed him I always thought his heart and soul wasn't in being a professional footballer.

Dave Whelan on Marlon King
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Marlon King's career is in tatters after he was jailed for 18 months for sexual assault and actual bodily harm.

The striker will be past the 30 threshold when he is a free man again, something which will count against him should he attempt to continue in professional football.

As damaging, though, was a picture painted by Wigan chairman Dave Whelan of a player whose heart was not in the game.

Whelan immediately confirmed the club's intention to sack the striker and suggested the club had been very keen to sell King in the summer - but nobody would take him.

"This sets a very, very poor example," Whelan told Sky Sports News.

"I do personally regret the day... when we signed him I always thought his heart and soul wasn't in being a professional footballer.

"We loaned him out last year, we were trying to offload him this year and couldn't.

"I sat him down this year personally and said, 'Marlon, this is your last chance to get yourself into the game and be a professional footballer'."

One suspects this was not King's first final chance, as brushes with the law have blighted his career.

Jurors were told their 10-2 majority verdicts were but the latest from a string of courtroom appearances involving 13 other offences.

Roger Daniells-Smith, prosecuting, said that since the age of 17 the Jamaica international had found himself in the dock on no less than seven previous occasions.

They feature dishonesty, drink driving and other motoring offences, and violence against women.

Spitting

Only one, receiving a stolen £30,000 BMW resulted in prison - 18 months reduced to nine on appeal. Apart from a couple of community penalties, he was invariably fined.

The violence solely involved women, and included common assaults on two he chased through Soho with a belt wrapped round his fist in 2003.

Three years later he was convicted of threatening behaviour after slapping another woman on her bottom and head and then spitting at her when police arrived.

His first stint in prison interrupted what was a successful spell at Gillingham, where he moved after beginning his professional career at Barnet.

The Gills gave King another chance following his first stint in prison and he went on to earn a move to Nottingham Forest.

Perhaps the highlight of his career was helping Watford gain promotion in 2005/6 and performing well in his first Premier League season, showing good pace and finishing ability in a campaign hampered by injury.

After relegation with Watford, though, he could not replicate his success at Wigan, nor during loan spells at Hull City and Boro.

He has also courted controversy in an international career with Jamaica, earning a ban, later overturned, for an alleged breach of discipline in 2006.

His past undoubtedly makes him tainted goods although, should King decide to continue his career after serving his sentence, there will surely be a club willing to offer him yet another opportunity.

Then he will have to prove Whelan wrong and show he wants to succeed with all "his heart and soul".

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Comments (9)

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Sujinder Tung says...

marlon king is a disgrace. i am personally shocked that he has done this. i'm not a wigan fan and i am very glad that justice has been served and hes has been jailed. also i agree withe whelan and i don't think anyone will want king, unless it's someone form league 2.

Posted 14:02 30th October 2009

Nick Bennett (Arsenal fan) says...

Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting, and they say he could be out in 9 months if his appeal is successful, in other words if he can pay people off. Marlon King is not a God and Marlon King is not above the law as he so tried to be waving his millions in front of an innocent woman. Glad he's behind bars and when he comes back to football if he does, think to Joey Barton's hostility Marlon and that is what you will be welcomed by.

Posted 13:46 30th October 2009

John Smith (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Another footballer confusing ambition with ability, no loss to the sport, a man with a great future, behind him !!

Posted 13:38 30th October 2009

Karl Jones says...

No sports person is above the law. Im glad to see justice has been served to marlon king. I am a wigan latics fan and im ashamed for all latics fans.

Posted 11:08 30th October 2009

John Bannister (Manchester City fan) says...

Just another example of disgusting behaviour from a Premiership footballer, No more chances make an example of him. Don't feel sorry for him feel for the victim no sorry victims.

Posted 10:41 30th October 2009

Lee Haymer says...

This is what can happen when professional football players begin to believe in their own 'hype'. They are put on a pedestal and adored by thousands, paid ridiculous wages for chasing a spherical, leather object around a field and given honorary status wherever they wish to go! This is society today!!! Forgoten and held in disregard are the 'real' stars; the medical staff who save lives, education staff who provide life opportunities, the soldiers who protect life amongst other professions. The key word is 'life'! Football is a game and should be treated as such and wages applied accordingly. The problem is now that 'some' pro's have lost touch with reality and with their over inflated wages and egos see life as one big game also!

Posted 10:30 30th October 2009

King A ding (Dorchester fan) says...

king will be back in football within a year it goes without saying.. remember lee hughes? chairmen and managers have short memories and are desperate for natural finshers.. he may be the mike tyson of the football world but he will play league football again mark my word. these words will be uttered by a chairman next year.. 'everyone deserves a second chance'

Posted 10:19 30th October 2009

Roger Luffman says...

Im disgusted at the comments of the paper report concerning Marlons Kings conviction and the only concern was it may be a good 18 months before he can play foottball again...what about the poor victim???

Posted 10:01 30th October 2009

Michael Carter (Xerez fan) says...

We shouldn't feel sorry for Marlon. After all, as he said the young woman before he hit her "Don't you know who I am? I'm a millionaire".

Posted 08:49 30th October 2009
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