Ken Monkou

Dutch footballer

Kenneth John Monkou (born 29 November 1964) is a Dutch former professional footballer and pundit. As a player, he was as a centre back who notably played in the Premier League for both Chelsea and Southampton, where he played just under 300 league appearances for both. He had previously played in the Eredivise for Feyenoord and wound up his career in the Football League with Huddersfield Town. Monkou is an ambassador for the Professional Footballers' Association and Show Racism the Red Card. He has also appeared as a pundit for Chelsea TV.

Monkou was born in Nickerie in Suriname and was raised in the Netherlands. He became passionate about football as a child in The Hague, where he played at RK VVP.

Monkou's first major side was Feyenoord Rotterdam. He played in a reserve match against a side featuring Chelsea manager Bobby Campbell's son and moved to England in May 1989 to play for newly promoted Chelsea for £100,000. He was their first player from outside the Commonwealth of Nations since Petar Borota in 1982. He was voted club player of the year in his first season – the first black player to do so for Chelsea – as the team finished fifth in the First Division and won the Full Members Cup. However, disagreements with Huddersfield manager Steve Bruce ensured his time with the club was short lived.

Monkou's cousin Arsenio Halfhuid is also a footballer. He ran a Dutch pancake house in the Dutch city of Delft and is actively involved in Dutch media and on Chelsea TV. Monkou has also worked as a corporate hospitality host at Stamford Bridge, and is an ambassador for the Professional Footballers' Association and Show Racism the Red Card.