Former Crystal Palace defender who hasn’t played in over a decade because of match fixing ban ‘admits to possessing crystal meth’ following previous drug conviction

A former Crystal Palace player has admitted to possessing crystal meth, according to a report.

The ex-defender, who made his way through the ranks at the Premier League club before playing for the likes of Bristol Rovers and Newport, is said to have been arrested at his flat, where the drug was found.

Michael Boateng, now 33, was taken into custody after police found 16.6kg worth of meth in his flat in Cryoydon, south London, according to The Sun.

It is said that the raid was one of the biggest ever seizures in the United Kingdom, with Croydon crown court told that the class A drugs were worth up to £1.5million.

Boateng, who played as a right back and has already done time in prison, has not played professionally since being sacked in 2013 by Whitehawk amid a match fixing investigation.

Boateng hasn’t played since receiving a life ban from football in 2015 for involvement in a match fixing probe

He played for the likes of Palace, Bristol Rovers and Whitehawk before being sacked by the latter

Born in Peckham, London, Boateng joined Crystal Palace in 2005 as a teenager, spending two years in the club’s academy before he was released.

Upon leaving the Eagles, he joined Woking’s youth academy, featuring regularly for the club’s reserves, before signing Carshalton Athletic and finally seeing regular first team football.

He then began to work his way back up the pyramid, joining Bristol Rovers in 2011 after a trial period at the club. 

He spent just one year with Rovers, signing for Tonbridge Angels and Sutton United on loan and enjoying regular game time, and was released at the end of the 2011-12 season.

He then moved on to Bromley following trials at Oxford United, Bradford City and Mansfield Town, but left after two months to rejoin Sutton, evntually going onto play for Newport and then Whitehawk.

On December 5 2013, Boateng was the first player convicted in relation to match-fixing in the UK since the 1960s. He was sent down of conspiracy to commit bribery and sacked by Whitehawk.

Just over a year later in January 2015, he was given a lifetime ban from football for admitted charges of conspiracy to commit bribery.

He was also said to have been sentenced to 16 months in prison for the offence, and was jailed in June 2015 for drug dealing.

He became a personal trainer for Premier League stars such as Reece James (pictured) after serving time for a drug-related offence

Now, however, he has been remanded in custody ahead of a hearing and will be sentenced in November

Boateng, who has been a personal trainer for some top Premier League stars including the likes of Reece James, is said to have admitted to possessing crystal meth, cocaine and MDMA with intent to supply.

He is reported to have been remanded in custody ahead of a hearing on October 18, where a judge will hear evidence before sentencing in November.