Mustapha Dumbuya being unveiled as a Partick Thistle player
December 17, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jr.
Sierra Leone international Mustapha Dumbuya has signed a two years contract extension with Scottish Premier League side Partick Thistle, which takes him up to May 2018.
The 28-year-old full-back joined the Ladbrokes Premiership side on a one-year deal in the summer after leaving Notts County.
Dumbuya told Press Association Sport: “I am very pleased. I am glad it is over and done with. It dragged on for a couple of weeks but I knew I wanted to sign.”
The defender, who played 45 minutes as a trialist for the Jags development team against Falkirk before landing the contract, was signed by Thistle on 2 September 2015. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3-0 win over Dundee United and won the club’s ‘Player of the Month’ award earlier that day.
Although born in Sierra Leone, Dumbuya was brought up in England after his family fled the country at the height of the civil war.
He started his career with non-league sides Wingate and Finchley, Maidenhead and Potters Bar before signing for Doncaster Rovers in August 2009.
He spent three seasons with Rovers, and enjoyed a short loan spell with Crystal Palace in January 2012, before moving to Portsmouth six months later.
After a short stint with Crawley, Dumbuya then moved to Notts County, for whom he made more than 50 appearances.
Dumbuya was called up to the Sierra Leone national team squad Leone Stars for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against São Tomé and Príncipe, however a mix up with tickets meant it was too late for him to join up with the squad.
He reacted then: “Obviously I’m a bit gutted to miss out but the next qualifier is in June and I hope to be called up again then.” He was called up again for the qualifier against Tunisia.
On 14 October, 2013, he finally made his debut for Leone Stars in the second tie against Tunisia.