DUBLINER Jimmy Mwanga has signed for Vorwarts Steyr.
Mwanga, 26, returns to Austria after a previous stint with ASK-BSC Bruck/Leitha in 2022.
He will bid to help the club avoid a second relegation in three years.
Vorwarts Sporting Director Gerald Perzy said: “He is physically very strong and can secure the ball well.”
Mwanga will bid to add firepower to a side which has scored only 13 times in 15 games.
The ex-Ballyowen Celtic, Esker Celtic and Mountview schoolboy has also plied his trade in both southern and northern Cyprus and spent the second half of last season with Qingdao Lions.
He scored twice in seven starts in the Chinese Second Division but has now opted to return closer to home.
The Johannesburg-born player – who grew up in Lucan – spoke to SunSport in December about his nomadic career.
At 16, when he heard of the Nike Most Wanted trials being hosted by Peamount United he got himself over to Greenogue.
He gave little thought to the fact he did not have the bus fare to get home.
He arrived without a consent form and there was no hope of him getting to his mam or dad at work to sign it and get back in time.
In the moment, he improvised,
Mwanga recalled: “I saw this black fella there watching his son so I told him my story and asked if he would pretend to be my uncle and sign the form.
“So he came over to the Nike truck with me, started asking, ‘How’s your ma?’ and all that, signed the form and they let me train.”
It was a sliding doors moment.
He was the only player selected and, after he cadged a lift back to Lucan, he was brought to Manchester City for further trials.
It was after this that he was one of six chosen to go to Clairefontaine.
He said: “That was the only thing on my mind. I didn’t do much study for the Leaving Cert.
“I’d be up training at 7am before school, making sure I was eating right because it was all I could think of.
“They called us the Great Britain team but I said, ‘I’m not from here’ so they changed it to Great Britain and Ireland.”
