Samson Tovide: Injured Colchester United striker spends time with community club

Samson Tovide made his Colchester league debut in October 2021

Colchester United striker Samson Tovide's injury lay-off is enabling him to devote more time to the community team he helped found three years ago.

He damaged ankle ligaments against Crawley in December and is likely to be out for two to three months.

Get Rich Together FC are based in Hackney, the area of London where the 20-year-old grew up.

"It's a team I coach on a Sunday, a team of young players from around 16 to 19," Tovide told BBC Essex.

"Playing in a men's league is a bit harder, we get that experience of playing against older men.

"We're in our third season now, won the league last season, and have had a couple of players go through to professional clubs, Blackpool, and another one at Charlton."

Get Rich Together have their own Youtube and social media presence, using the slogan #protectthishouse.

He added: "Where I come from a lot of kids work hard and don't have the chance to get noticed. My job is to try to help them and give back to the community where I grew up.

"I'm a bit of a shouter (on the touchline) but I shout for the right reasons. I want them to keep learning, keep level heads, I'm kind of a controlled manager."

Tovide had scored five goals in 21 appearances this season before suffering his injury and is hoping he will be able to make an impact for new U's manager Danny Cowley before the end of the season.

"I'm into my fourth week of rehab, obviously it's come off the back of surgery, and I'm off the crutches, it's going well really," he said.

"I just can't wait to get back and learn from what the gaffer and (assistant) Nick (Cowley) want to do."