Entertainment

Footballer scores FA Cup winner and league hat-trick after huge weight loss

‘I feel like I’ve been in a movie if I’m honest,’ said Kieran Amos.
‘I feel like I’ve been in a movie if I’m honest,’ said Kieran Amos. ‘I feel like I’ve been in a movie if I’m honest,’ said Kieran Amos.

A footballer who lost seven stone during lockdown scored an FA Cup winner and a league hat-trick upon his return to the game.

Kieran Amos, 24, from Bishop’s Stortford, had put weight on after an ankle injury at 17 ruled him out of the game for years.

But having been inspired by his brother at the start of lockdown in March, as well as a challenge from the Sawbridgeworth Town manager, Mr Amos began running to reach his target weight.

“I’ve said loads of times that I’d lose the weight, but actually this was the first time that I’ve really followed it through,” Mr Amos told the PA news agency.

“I weighed in at 21st 6lbs in March, and that was where the journey began.”

Rather than a change in diet, Mr Amos incorporated running into his daily routine, eventually getting his 5k time from 47 minutes down to less than 22 minutes.

Now weighing just over 14st, Mr Amos is close to his target weight and is reaping the benefits on the football pitch.

He said: “I went through pre-season, continued losing weight (and) continued getting a bit sharper. I played in a few pre-season games and before I knew it, it was the FA Cup and I was starting.”

Not only did he start against Romford in the FA Cup extra preliminary round, he managed to net the winning goal despite his role as a defender.

Two photos showing Kieran Amos before and after he lost seven stone during lockdown
Two photos showing Kieran Amos before and after he lost seven stone during lockdown Two photos showing Kieran Amos before and after he lost seven stone during lockdown (Kieran Amos)

“It didn’t sink in for a few days,” said Mr Amos of his last-minute winner. “I didn’t realise quite the magnitude of what it was I’d achieved.”

He didn’t have much time to think about it either before his first league game back, which saw Sawbridgeworth beat Southend Manor 5-2 in the Essex Senior league, the returning defender notching a volley, a header and a free-kick to seal an astonishing hat-trick.

“The lad who normally takes (free-kicks) was adamant he was going to have it, and I said go on, please, we’re winning 4-2,” said Mr Amos.

“I got around it and I think the goalkeeper was in on the script because he should have saved it really! I said after Tuesday night I didn’t think I could top it, then Saturday happened.

“It’s just justifying and re-emphasising the reason why I did this. The weight loss wasn’t for recognition across the country, it was a goal I had always had in mind and I always wanted to do.

“I feel like I’ve been in a movie if I’m honest.”