![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/8727537_2011-08-02__mark_Bristol__mark_-Rovers-_m.jpg\")
Bristol Rovers – Michael Boateng\n01\/08\/2011<\/p>\n
Police found almost 20 kilos of crystal meth with a street value of more than \u00a32 million at his home<\/p>\n
13:51, 18 Aug 2025Updated 14:06, 18 Aug 2025<\/p>\n
Bristol Rovers – Michael Boateng
\n01\/08\/2011<\/p>\n
Photographer: Dan Regan\/Staff<\/p>\n
Reporter: Sport<\/p>\n
Copyright: Northcliffe Media Ltd<\/p>\n
A former Bristol Rovers defender has been jailed for 14 years after being caught with a bag full of \u00a32.3 million worth of crystal meth in his home. Michael Boateng played for Rovers in 2011<\/a> and went on to be a personal trainer to footballers including Manchester United star Jadon Sancho.<\/p>\n But after being banned from football for life for matchfixing, he battled drug addiction, drug dealing and spent time in prison. In between, he became a high-profile figure in the media<\/a> talking about prison, rehabilitation and mental health.<\/p>\n Boateng’s life spiralled back down again in 2023, and he started using Class A drugs. Croydon Crown Court heard earlier this month that police stopped him in 2023 and found thousands of pounds worth of drugs.<\/p>\n He was given bail, but when police raided his home on Valentine\u2019s Day 2024, they found almost 20 kilos of crystal meth with a street value of more than \u00a32 million. He was jailed for 14 years last Monday (August 11).<\/p>\n The 34-year-old came through the academy at Crystal Palace as a teenager before being released. He was signed by Bristol Rovers from non-league Carshalton Athletic in the summer of 2011 after a successful pre-season trial, and made his debut for Rovers in September 2011<\/a>, just after he turned 20. His career at Rovers didn\u2019t last long – he was loaned back to non-league clubs in South London, and was formally released at the end of the season.<\/p>\n Within 18 months, he had been arrested and charged as part of a match-fixing conspiracy. He had been playing for Whitehawk, a non-league side in Brighton, but was wrapped up in a larger match-fixing syndicate involving a Singaporean betting organisation involving fixing results and yellow cards.<\/p>\n Boateng was jailed for bribery, for a failed conspiracy to fix a game between AFC Wimbledon and Dagenham & Redbridge in November 2013, being sentenced to 18 months in prison.<\/p>\n On his release he was banned from football for life, and soon got involved in drug dealing. In February 2015, he was given a two-year suspended sentence and 300 hours of community service by a judge at Taunton Crown Court for his part in a drugs gang who operated a \u2018County Lines\u2019 style network to sell Class A drugs from London in Taunton and Bridgwater in Somerset.<\/p>\n At the time, the judge in the case said he was giving Boateng a \u2018second chance\u2019. \u201cEverybody deserves a second chance. I’m giving you yours,\u201d said Judge Ticehurst back in 2015. \u201cIf I see you again in this court you will go to prison.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2020, Bristol Live reported how Boateng was telling his story<\/a> and advising young footballers as a mentor. After completing a personal training qualification in prison, he was the co-host of a a podcast called \u2018Banged Up\u2019, talking about life in prison, and was working with young players – including future England star Jadon Sancho, and Ryan Sessegnon, saying he was providing them with \u2018personal training sessions, mentoring and protection in order to stop them falling into the same traps\u2019 he did.<\/p>\n \u201cI have known them since they were really young. They are really good kids. The fact they don\u2019t judge me for my background is a blessing,\u201d he said at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Sancho is back in the country and he needs training I train him. He is a world beater. If the boys need to go on a night out, or if they go on holiday and need me to come with them, then I will do that.<\/p>\n READ MORE: ‘I hope I can help people’ – Former Bristol Rovers defender on prison and mentoring Tottenham Hotspur star<\/a>READ MORE: Isaac Hutchinson calls for unity from all fronts as Bristol Rovers look to kickstart new season<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt is very rare [that there is a threat]. It is more for their peace of mind when they want to wear their watches and their jewels. They just want to feel safe because there are a lot of predators out there; a lot of people are opportunists who will be out to hurt you for whatever they want.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are intrigued by my story. There isn\u2019t much I can teach them with a ball at my feet \u2014 but in terms of life experiences I can,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The former footballer said he was keen to give his expertise to help others, having rediscovered a passion for football.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope I can help people. Back then there was nothing. There was no-one I could go to to ask. Time has moved on. The players have good agents advising them and mentors and player liaisons, people who can intervene. I feel I paved the way for them; a scapegoat.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was in prison I trained my mind to be done with football, to hate it \u2014 but it was my first love,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n But his life spiralled back down again in 2023, and he started using Class A drugs. Croydon Crown Court heard earlier this month that police stopped him in 2023 and found thousands of pounds worth of drugs. He was given bail, but when police raided his home on Valentine\u2019s Day 2024, they found almost 20 kilos of crystal meth with a street value of more than \u00a32 million. He was jailed for 14 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Police found almost 20 kilos of crystal meth with a street value of more than \u00a32 million at…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":355586,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8818],"tags":[381,10648,2707,748,30,188,393,4884,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-355585","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bristol","8":"tag-bristol","9":"tag-bristol-live","10":"tag-bristol-rovers-fc","11":"tag-britain","12":"tag-courts","13":"tag-crime","14":"tag-england","15":"tag-great-britain","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115052870851766096","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=355585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/355586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=355585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=355585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"File](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_Footballers-face-bribery-charges.jpg\")
File photo dated 25\/03\/14 of former Conference South player Michael Boateng who is accused of conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery.(Image: PA)<\/p>\n![\"Conference](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_Football-match-fixing.jpg\")
Conference South player Michael Boateng leaving Birmingham Magistrates Court after he faced charges of conspiracy to defraud following an inquiry into alleged match-fixing.(Image: PA)<\/p>\n