Kenna to take a shot at big time
FORMER CITY HOPEFUL THRILLED AT APPRENTICE CHANCE
BEING selected for The Apprentice is likely to be the biggest moment of a budding entrepreneur’s career. But for Ashton hopeful Kenna Ngoma, this is the latest in a string of milestones in the young businessman’s life.
Football-mad Kenna, 24, has a pretty impressive list of sporting achievements under his belt, beginning at Fletcher Moss Rangers – which features the likes of United stars Marcus Rashford and Jessie Lingard in its alumni.
Kenna’s big break came when aged 12 he was scouted by City, before being transferred to Barnsley four years later, where he hoped to secure a full-time contract.
The future was bright for the young player, but sadly his dream became a nightmare after sustaining a serious injury aged 17 – ending his future in football before it began.
“It was horrible. I’d say it was the worst time of my life,” Kenna told The Diary.
“Three or four months into the scholarship I got a torn hamstring and was out for nine months, so by then it was past the point of being able to get a contract.
“I was hoping that a back-up plan could be that I’d go to America and try to make it there, but it wasn’t meant to be.”
Despite the devastation over his footballing future, Kenna has fond memories of his time at both academies, and remembers a certain John Stones fondly from when he was at Barnsley.
“John is a total prankster,” laughed Kenna. “You wouldn’t think it by how serious he is on the pitch, but he’s a total class clown.”
Kenna was five when his family moved to the UK from Tanzania after his dad, a doctor, secured work here. After six months in London, they moved to Ashton where he later attended the former Hartshead High School. Business had always interested Kenna so it was a natural progression for him to decide, with the help of the Players Football Association, to look elsewhere for his next challenge. “I was offered a place at Gloucester University to study business,” he explained. After working for a year in London, Kenna decided he wanted to set up a business. He moved back up to Manchester and worked at a finance company in Cheadle while he set the wheels in motion for his business – alcoholic ice cream.
His business, Beaumonde Desserts, offers alcohol-infused ice cream. Realising he needed an injection of cash, Kenna turned his thoughts back to when, aged 10, he vowed to one day apply for The Apprentice.
“It’s my favourite show so it’s a dream come true to be part of it,” he said.
The Apprentice 2019 launches tomorrow night on BBC One.
It’s my favourite show so it’s a dream come true to be part of it Kenna Ngoma on The Apprentice