Bivesh Gurung

Bivesh Gurung (born 1 July 2001) is an English footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for club Maidstone United.

Early life
Gurung was born in Maidstone, Kent to Nepalese parents, Bhupal and Sanu, from the Khotang District.

Career
Having first played football at his school, Gurung joined the academy of Maidstone United at the age of fourteen in 2015. After eighteen months with the club's academy, he moved to Premier League side Crystal Palace, after five months of trialling. After two years in the academy of Crystal Palace, he moved to Norway in 2019, joining Trysil, where he went on to score four times in thirteen Norwegian Fourth Division appearances.

He remained in Scandinavia for the following season, joining Swedish side Ytterhogdal. He scored twice in twelve league appearances for the side, including the only goal in a 1–0 win against Boden, but left the club at the end of 2020. On his return to England, he went on trial with Premier League side Chelsea, and was named on the bench for a friendly match against Brentford B, going on to feature briefly as a substitute.

Having not been offered a contract by Chelsea, Gurung dropped down to the Isthmian League, joining Margate at the beginning of the 2021–22 season. After only seven league appearances, he was scouted and signed by former side Maidstone United, now in the National League South, but featured sparingly in his first season with the club as they achieved promotion to the National League. Despite starting the following season with more game time, including scoring his first goal for the club, he was sent on a one-month loan to National League South side Tonbridge Angels in January 2023, reuniting with former manager Jay Saunders, whom he had worked with at both Margate and Maidstone United.

On his return to Maidstone United, he established himself in the first team squad, before extending his contract in May 2023, despite the club's relegation back to the National League South. The following season, having helped Maidstone United to a 2–0 win against Chesham United in the FA Cup first round proper, he was named as a starter in the club's second round match against League Two side Barrow. With the score at 1–1, Gurung received the ball on the edge of the area from Sam Bone, before driving a shot past Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman into the top left-hand corner of the goal. The match-winning strike was later voted 'goal of the round', with Gurung crediting his mother for the goal, revealing that she had encouraged him to shoot more.

Style of play
Gurung describes himself as "a defensive midfielder, a bit like a deep-lying playmaker", a position in which he has flourished. During his second spell with Maidstone United, he was also utilised as a central defender.