By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwe international striker Macauley Bonne says he is content with his move to Pitching In Isthmian League Premier side Billericay Town despite expectations he would join a higher-level club following his Africa Cup of Nations appearance.
The 30-year-old Warriors forward has signed for the English seventh-tier outfit on a deal until the end of the season, a decision that has raised eyebrows among fans who anticipated a return to the Football League after his involvement at AFCON in Morocco late last year.
But Bonne insists his decision is driven by personal happiness rather than public perception.
“I don’t try and please anyone else – I try and do what makes me happy,” Bonne told the Billericay Town website.
“Football is just about being happy, no matter where you are.
“Yes, I’ve played in the Championship and at an even lower level than this but for me, I play football for me and no-one else. If I’m playing here or wherever, as long as I’m playing with a smile on my face or just kicking a ball, I’m happy.”
Bonne had most recently been playing for English eighth-tier side Maldon and Tiptree, with hopes of landing a bigger move after AFCON yet to materialise.
The Ipswich-born striker began his professional career at Colchester United, making 25 starts and 59 substitute appearances while scoring 16 goals. He scored his first professional goal on his 18th birthday against Peterborough United in October 2013.
He later enjoyed a prolific spell at Leyton Orient, netting 49 goals in 102 appearances, which earned him a £200,000 move to Charlton Athletic in June 2019.
Bonne went on to join Queens Park Rangers in October 2020 for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £2 million. Subsequent spells followed at Charlton, Gillingham during the 2023–24 season, and a loan stint at Cambridge United.
In September 2024, he signed for Southend United, making 43 appearances last season and scoring five goals.
Now at Billericay Town, Bonne appears unfazed by the level — focused instead on what he calls playing “with a smile on my face.”