Ben Starosta

Starosta started his club career with Sheffield United and had a spell in early 2006 on work experience with non-league Tamworth.[4] He signed a new two-year contract with Sheffield United in May 2007,[5] before joining Brentford in a five-month loan deal in August 2007 after impressing in two pre-season friendlies.[6] Starosta played 23 games in all competitions for Brentford but was sent off during his last game for the club, a Boxing Day fixture against Wycombe Wanderers.[7] In January 2008, he signed for Bradford City on loan for the rest of the 2007–08 season.[8] Starosta made his debut for Bradford on 26 January 2008 as a half-time substitute in a 1–1 draw away at Wrexham.[9] He took Darren Williams' place at right back the following game and played in a total of 15 games for Bradford, sharing first team duties with Williams.[10]

Starosta returned to Sheffield United at the end of the season, but he moved back to League Two when he joined Aldershot Town on a one-month loan deal for the start of the 2008–09 season, with a view to a permanent transfer.[11] He made his Aldershot debut in Town's game against Accrington Stanley at the start of the season,[12] and played four games during his loan spell.[13] With a permanent deal with Aldershot not materialising, Starosta instead joined Polish side Lechia Gdańsk on a six-month loan deal in September 2008.[14] He returned to Sheffield United in February 2009 having played eleven times for Gdańsk but was released at the end of the season as the Blades cut back their squad.[15]

In the summer of 2009, Starosta was unveiled as one of ten new signings made by Colin Todd at League Two side Darlington following their spell in administration.[16][17] With the club still in financial difficulty however, he left by mutual consent before the season even started as Darlington tried to cut the wage bill.[18] Starosta then spent a spell with Conference North side Alfreton Town,[19] before, seeking a new club, he took up an offer from Australian Victorian Premier League side Dandenong Thunder, where he played on non-contract terms for a period, but soon left citing the poor quality of football on offer.[18] Starosta returned to the UK and signed a short-term deal with Frickley Athletic of the Northern Premier League in March 2011,[20] but failed to make an appearance for the club.

In the summer of 2011 Starosta returned to Poland and signed a one-year deal for II liga side Miedź Legnica with the option of extending the deal for another two seasons.[21] After a slow start he broke into the first team in August, appearing as a second-half substitute in a game against Bytovia Bytów.[22] Establishing himself in the first team he played regularly through the season, making nineteen appearances as Miedź gained promotion to I liga.[22][23] Miedź took up the option of extending his deal for him to remain with the club for the new season,[24] however he subsequently left Legnica after the club cancelled his contract by mutual consent.[25]

In January 2013 Starosta signed for UFL side Global in the Philippines,[26] making his league debut for Global at the start of February, scoring in a 2–0 victory over Pachanga Diliman.[27] Starosta was released by Global the following March, having played 26 games and scored five goals and being made captain of the club.[28]

After leaving Global, Starosta rejoined his former Global manager Brian Reid, signing for Nuneaton Town in May 2014.[29]

After a very short spell at Harworth Colliery F.C., Starosta became player-coach at the South Yorkshire, England based club. He signed in 2018 before leaving in 2019 for personal reasons, however, he featured in a Northern Counties East Football League match day squad in early 2020.