Macauley Bonne speaks in first sit-down interview on decision to sign for Southend

Macauley Bonne speaks in his first sit-down interview on the decision to sign for National League club Southend United.

The 28 year old expressed his desire to continue from where he previously left off upon his return to the National League.

He aims to be a big help for Southend United’s promotion hopes, similar to the success he had with with Leyton Orient five years ago.

Bonne joins to Essex club on a one-year contract after being released by League Two team Gillingham at the conclusion of the 2023/24 season.

During the 2018-19 campaign, he scored 24 goals, helping Orient secure the National League title on the final day, and hopes he can play with a smile on his face again with Southend.

🆕 We are thrilled to announce the signing of prolific striker Macauley Bonne!

Macauley will wear the number nine shirt. pic.twitter.com/VHjwYkmcAo

— Southend United FC (@SUFCRootsHall) September 9, 2024

CLUB STATEMENT:

We are delighted to announce the arrival of striker Macauley Bonne!

Bonne joins us on a one-year deal with a Club option and will wear the number nine shirt at Roots Hall.

Having been born in Ipswich, the forward was in the academies of Ipswich Town, Norwich City and Colchester United, signing his first professional contract at the U’s.

While at Colchester, Bonne would play with current Blues man George Moncur, before he joined Leyton Orient in 2017.

There, the striker enjoyed the most successful spell of his career. Between 2017/18 and 2018/19, he scored 45 goals in 90 appearances as Orient were promoted back to the EFL.

The season after, he netted at a ratio of one in three at Championship level for Charlton before doing similar for Ipswich in League One in 2021/22.

Last term Bonne spent time at both Gillingham and Cambridge, and the 28-year-old arrives in Essex fresh and ready for the challenge ahead!

He said: “I’m really happy to be here and crack on. I’ve been in today and trained with the boys and it’s a really good group, so I’m really happy.

“It’s been me my whole career, scoring goals. The last couple of years haven’t really gone to plan but I spoke with the manager and hopefully I can get back in the swing of things and back to scoring goals in a league I know really well.

“I’ve done my own training here and there where I can. I thought my fitness would be a lot worse off than where I was today, and if I can get 90 minutes or one minute, I’ll be grateful to be back playing.”

Head Coach Kevin Maher added: “[Macauley]’s got a proven record in the National League and has played higher up so we’re really pleased to have someone of his pedigree in.

“He’s at an age where he’s still got loads to offer the Club and the team. He’s not been playing but he’s kept himself in good shape, so we’ll look at how we get his football fitness up to speed.

“He’s still got the desire and the hunger to score goals and he wants to be part of something successful, and that’s the most important thing.”

Welcome to the Club, Macauley!

Bonne could make his debut tomorrow [Tuesday] evening at home to Eastleigh.

He said in his interview: Really happy to be here and get going, hopefully come here and crack on, play well and see how it goes really, but I’m really really happy to be here and I’ve been in today training with the boys and it’s a really good group and no I’m really really happy to be here

Interviewer: Yeah the last time you were in this league you scored 45 goals across two seasons, are you hopefully of doing something similar this time around?

Bonne: Yeah I just, few years ago played at Leyton Orient, but no, I just, it’s been me my whole career scoring goals and last two seasons of my career haven’t really gone to plan but that’s why I say I spoke to the manager and he’s just come back to try and get back in the swing of things and hopefully back to scoring goals that I know I can at a rate in the league I know really well

Interviewer: Yeah you said it was a really good feeling around the training ground was that one of the reasons why you wanted to come here

Bonne: Yeah no I know few the boys here as well and the manager been really keen to get it on as I have as well and I think just it’s felt right and for me put my career on now I just need to come somewhere and get back play on the smile on my face and hope you putting the ball back in net

Interviewer: Yeah like you’ve touched upon there I think you’ve had four clubs in in the last two seasons so you’re just looking to sort of settle down a bit and ready kick on

Bonne: Yeah I’ve been chucked about all over the gaff and it’s just one of the things as a footballer you got to get used to it happening and yeah no hopefully this could be somewhere where I can come and settle and real crack on and show people what I can do

Interviewer: Yeah since you left Gillingham have you been able to get any sort of fitness work in have you had much of a pre-season at all?

Bonne: No I’ve just done bits where I can stay fit and done my own training here there where I can and stuff that can can keep me on top, I train today and I thought it be a lot worse off than I was and I felt really good today so for me I think I’m miles ahead of where I thought I would be at this point in time

Interviewer: Yeah there’s there’s a lot of games coming up to sort of build up that fitness, six more games this month alone so um even if you sort of don’t go straight in there’s a chance sort of slowly build things up isn’t there

Bonne: Yeah that’s the good thing about the Conference, there’s so many games coming Saturday Tuesdays and unfortunate to sign today and there’ll be a game tomorrow night whether the gaffer will do tomorrow night, but I’m grateful to get back on the pitch and if this 90 minutes or 1 minute just to feel just to get back and play in the football environment is something I’ve been itching for

Interviewer: Yeah so good good chance to sort of make a good start because there aren’t to many fit strikers around the club at the moment so do you see that as a chance for you to sort of go in and really score some goals and make that starting spot your own?

Bonne: Yeah that’s the plan come in hopefully step up and hopefully be the striker with the players already got here can help me and I can help them and hopefully push that push up the league now and and take the club somewhere

HIS CAREER:

Youth
2003–2009 – Ipswich Town
2009 – Norwich City
2009–2013 – Colchester United

Senior
2013–2017 – Colchester United – 84 games (15 goals)
2016 → Lincoln City (loan) – 7 games (1 goal)
2017 → Woking (loan) – 7 games (0 goals)
2017–2019 – Leyton Orient – 103 games (49 goals)
2019–2020 – Charlton Athletic – 40 games (12 goals)
2020–2023 – Queens Park Rangers – 44 games (3 goals)
2021–2022 → Ipswich Town (loan) – 46 games (12 goals)
2023 – Charlton Athletic – 16 games (2 goals)
2023–2024 – Gillingham – 31 games (5 goals)
2024 → Cambridge United (loan) – 16 games (1 goal)
2024– Southend United

International –
2014– Zimbabwe – 5 games (2 goals)