From eating raw potatoes and snakes in Cameroon to playing in the EPL and coaching in the FA Cup

Retired footballer George Elokobi's journey from hardship in Cameroon to football stardom and managing Maidstone in the English National League South has been nothing short of remarkable. Despite his challenging upbringing, where he had to scavenge for food, hunt birds, and play football without proper equipment, Elokobi's determination and resilience have defined his life and career.

Now a 37-year-old coach of sixth-tier Maidstone United, Elokobi can tell his unbelievable story of resilience and progress.

"I sometimes had to go without meals. I was having to eat out of trash cans. I was a scavenger. Also, I hunted birds. I'd either used a catapult or set traps. I also had to catch and eat snakes or digest raw potatoes taken from the ground without even washing them. I had to make do with anything I could put in my stomach."

In an interview with The Sun, the former defender left no stone unturned. Growing up in Kumba, Cameroon, without access to proper resources or coaching, he faced significant hardships after his father's passing.

"Life was tough as a kid. My dad died when I was 10 of diabetes. He was my role model."

©The Sun

His mother, Irene, ventured to the UK to seek better opportunities for the family. Eventually, after six years, she managed to bring Elokobi over to the United Kingdom on a visa for his studies, a pivotal moment in his life. Starting with Dulwich Hamlet FC youth system, Elokobi was later scouted by Colchester United and signed by Wolves' legendary Irish coach Mick McCarthy in 2008 - and then helped the club get promoted to the Premier League despite a nasty knee injury. It was all a far cry from his childhood of playing barefoot in the streets of Kumba. What is even more remarkable is that George only started getting real coaching when whe was deep in his teenage years.

"I was so proud of winning promotion to the Premier League because, until I moved to England aged 16, I had not received any coaching. In Cameroon, I didn't have access to that. I owe my whole football career to my mum because she got me over here and has been my rock. As a youngster, I was a rough diamond and made up for any limitations in my ability with sheer hard work when I came to England. From the moment I joined Colchester to the day I moved to Wolves, I didn't take a single day off. I spent every day improving myself."

During his career, Elokobi played 103 matches for Wolves before moving to other clubs, including Bristol City, Oldham, Colchester again, Braintree, Leyton Orient, and Aldershot. He eventually retired from professional football while playing for Maidstone. Remarkably, despite being a defender, he achieved the rare feat of scoring in every level of competition, starting from the National League South and progressing all the way up to the Premier League.

Moreover, he was briefly a part of the Indomitable Lions camp, although he never got to appear in a match for his birth country. In March, when he was appointed as the manager of Maidstone, he made history as the first individual from the West African nation to manage an English football team. For his current club, Elokobi remains optimistic, believing that anything is possible, even in the face of a challenging FA Cup fixture against Barrow. If they win today, they'll reach the third round and will have a chance to meet some of the biggest clubs in the country. Their head coach has been everywhere already.

FA CUP

Second round

Saturday

15.30: (3.60) Alfreton (3.40) Walsall (1.95)

18.00: (1.45) Sutton United (4.20) Horsham Fc (6.50)

18.00: (1.45) Peterborough (4.20) Doncaster (6.50)

18.00: (1.62) Wycombe (3.70) Morecambe (5.20)

18.00: (1.95) Stevenage (3.35) Port Vale (3.70)

18.00: (1.42) Oxford (4.30) Grimsby (7.00)

18.00: (3.60) Gillingham (3.45) Charlton (1.95)

18.00: (3.60) Maidstone Utd (3.45) Barrow (1.95)

18.00: (1.38) Bolton (4.50) Harrogate T. (7.50)

18.00: (2.35) Newport (3.35) Barnet (2.80)

18.00: (2.90) Crewe (3.35) Bristol Rovers (2.30)

18.00: (2.50) Cambridge (3.30) Fleetwood (2.65)

Sunday

16.30: (3.60) Eastleigh (3.45) Reading (1.95)

17.00: (2.70) Chesterfield (3.30) Leyton (2.45)

17.00: (4.50) Aldershot (3.50) Stockport (1.75)

18.45: (1.38) Wrexham (4.50) Yeovil (7.50)

Monday

22.45: (1.20) Wimbledon (6.25) Ramsgate (11.0)

***odds are subject to change