Ex-Man Utd youth player John Cofie, 30, appears in court charged with raping woman in 2019
24 January 2023, 16:38
Former Manchester United youth player John Cofie appeared in court on Monday charged with rape.
The ex-footballer, 30, denied the charge at Manchester Minshull Street crown court for the offence, which allegedly occurred in 2019.
Mr Cofie, along with co-defendant Nathan Stuart, is accused of raping a woman in Trafford, Greater Manchester.
He became the youngest ever £1million footballer at 14, when former Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson signed him from Burnley for the youth team.
But the talented youngster's career at Old Trafford didn't take off, and he never made a full appearance for the Premier League side.
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Mr Cofie was loaned out to clubs including Sheffield United and Belgian side Royal Antwerp, before being released by the club in 2013.
He then had short spells at various clubs including Barnsley, Crawley Town and Welsh side Wrexham.
Mr Cofie retired from playing at 27, and now works as a football coach at a school in Lancashire.
Both defendants deny the charge.
