Beyond the Game: Ivan Toney’s True Humble Beginnings

Embark on the inspiring journey of Ivan Toney, whose roots is deeply planted by his mother, Lisa and whose extended family spans the globe. He is a footballer whose path from childhood dreams to footballing acclaim is a compelling tale of determination and a celebration of perseverance.

Beyond the goals and the glory, this Ivan Toney’s biography sheds light on the man off the pitch: Ivan’s lifestyle, the values he holds dear, and the financial savvy behind the scenes. From overcoming rejection to embracing the challenges of professional football, Ivan Toney’s story is not just about success; it’s about the strength and character forged along the way.

We present this story from his Early Days in Northampton, right until the moment he became famous.

To reassure your autobiography appetite on the engaging nature of Ivan Toney’s Biography, we’ve deemed it fit to present you with his Early Life and Success Gallery.

Behold a summary of Toney’s life trajectory – from his childhood days, early life in soccer, right to that moment of fame.

Ivan Toney Biography - Behold his Early Life in Football and Success Gallary.

Ivan Toney Biography – Behold his Early Life in Football and Success Gallary.

Yes, everyone knows Toney, like Julian Alvarez, as a classic Predatory Forward who has a dominant force in the opposition penalty area. His runs are intelligent, and they always create problems for defenders.

Despite the accolades surrounding his name, only a few fans have read a concise piece of Ivan Toney’s Biography. For this reason, we have come to your service. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.

Ivan Toney Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, the English footballer bears the full name – Ivan Benjamin Elijah Toney.

The English Forward was born on the 16th day in March 1996 to his mum, Lisa, in the town of Northampton, situated in England’s East Midlands region. Behold the footballer and his best friend.

Meet one of Ivan Toney's Parents - His mother, Lisa.

Meet one of Ivan Toney’s Parents – His mother, Lisa.

Growing Up years:

Ivan Toney grew up with his two sisters, Jemma and Jasmine, as well as two half-brothers from his mother’s side. Raised primarily by his mother, Lisa, Ivan has had little to no contact with his father since childhood.

Just like fellow Swiss Footballers (Breel Embolo and Kevin Mbabu), including Kalvin Phillips, the Northampton native spent the most vital time of his childhood years with his Mum.

Ivan Toney Family Background:

Because his parents parted ways, it was difficult for the youngster to fair comfortably. Although Toney’s Mum (Lisa) was there, but the absence of a Dad created a void in him.

Indeed, any child who has lived through a parental break-up will know the deep emotional pain and the possible damaging psychological consequences it can cause.

Ivan Toney is among a few footballers (to name a few)—the likes of Dele Ali, ex-Chelsea star Dominic Solanke, and Renato Sancheswho felt the pains of parental breakup.

What Ivan Toney’s Mum (Lisa) went through:

It was hard to keep her little family going after the departure of the man she had loved.

Just like Melanie and Adolphine (the mothers of Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku), Lisa skipped meals to make sure her son saw food to eat.

Shockingly, she kept that away from her son for many years – only for Toney to discover lately. Upon finding out, he vows to repay his mum for that sacrifice. According to him,

My Mum’s sacrifice was to make sure I was always eating correctly.

She made sure I was doing good and getting to where I wanted.

I can’t thank my Mum enough for what she has done for me.

By just looking at him, you can tell that Toney is truly a hard man. He is not someone who breaks down emotionally. Surprisingly, the Baller broke down upon discovering what his Mum did for him when he was a child.

Truly and without doubt, such a discovery about parents (mostly a mother) would move any son or daughter.

Having a new Dad:

In other to repair her life, Lisa made the decision to remarry. With her new husband (Ivan Toney’s step Dad), she bore two sons. In terms of family relationships, these siblings are his stepbrothers.

Ivan Toney Family Origin:

Many fans are aware he has English Nationality. Following an intensive research, we found out more about Ivan Toney’s family roots, which are traced to two far-away countries.

They include; Jamaica (through Ivan Toney’s Mum) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (from Ivan Toney’s Dad).

This map explains Ivan Toney Family Origin.

This map explains Ivan Toney’s Family Origin.

By ethnicity, Ivan Toney is English-Jamaican. The Brentford Superstar has a similar family origin with many European footballers.

They include Michail Antonio, Isaac Hayden, Mason Holgate, Bobby Reid, Max Aarons, Nathan Redmond, Raheem Sterling, etc.

According to a GiveMeSport report, the uncapped English players of Jamaican origin can form a full first-eleven team. These Jamaican first 11 players are even more powerful than most national teams.

Helping his Grandparents from his Father’s side:

Around April 2021, a Volcanic eruption left the ‘entire population’ of Saint Vincent (where Ivan Toney’s biological Dad comes from).

It left the entire population without clean water. In fact, the eruption is tagged as one of the worst in St. Vincent’s history.

Irrespective of the split between Ivan Toney’s parents, the English striker didn’t hesitate to provide financial assistance to his Dad’s relatives and the entire country. His immediate response came just after the disaster struck. What a Man!

Here is Ivan Toney, expressing heartfelt sentiments for his family members and the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Here is Ivan Toney, expressing heartfelt sentiments for his family members and the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Ivan Toney Education and Career BuildUp:

From an early age, football became Ivan Toney’s primary focus and source of solace, offering an escape from the challenges of life in Northampton. Following in the footsteps of the former world’s strongest footballer, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Toney chose to attend the soccer academy in his hometown instead of pursuing a traditional school path.

To the delight of his mother, Lisa, Ivan Toney became the youngest professional footballer to represent Northampton Town. He set this record when he made his senior debut at just 16 years old in 2012.

To the delight of his mother, Lisa, Ivan Toney became the youngest professional footballer to represent Northampton Town. He set this record when he made his senior debut at just 16 years old in 2012.

Ivan Toney Biography – Early Life in Professional Football:

In the first three seasons of his senior career, Ivan Toney established himself as an entertainer known for his goal-scoring prowess and impressive ball skills. During this time, Toney’s primary dream was to play in the Premier League. With numerous predatory finishes in front of goal, he quickly became the most promising footballer in League Two, the 4th division of England’s Football League system.

In November 2014, the fast-rising Star got a transfer deal to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Unfortunately, the deal collapsed because Toney had an undisclosed medical issue.

Despite the disappointment, Toney was still optimistic about getting another big move. He had hoped for a transfer – even bigger than – the one offered by Wolves.

Ivan Toney Bio – The Road to Fame Story:

Finally, Ivan Toney’s aspirations became a reality. On August 6, 2015, he signed a long-term contract with Premier League club Newcastle United.

Ivan Toney Newcastle days.

Ivan Toney Newcastle days.

Truly, that 2015/16 Magpies team contained stars who can now win the EPL. They include names likes; Kevin Mbabu, Papiss Cissé, Andros Townsend, Tioté, Jamaal Lascelles, Tim Krul, Georginio Wijnaldum, Sam Ameobi, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Florian Thauvin, etc.

The Newcastle Disappointment:

At the time Ivan Toney signed with the Magpies, he thought he had made it. In fact, he felt his BIG dream of becoming a star in the Premier League had been realized. More so, the belief that his trajectory would forever be upward.

Sadly, all these wishes didn’t turn out to be true. First, the newly acquired Newcastle striker suffered from homesickness– BBC Reports. Speaking about the difficulty of leaving his family as a teenager, Toney said,

It was my first time away from home in my entire life. I notice my mum wasn’t there to do everything for me.

With advice from Ivan Toney’s parents, he finally turned into a big man. Toney began working on his physical strength, all of which he needed to use in order to compete in the English top flight.

At Newcastle, he realized that first-team opportunities were very limited. Again, Toney admitted that his mindset wasn’t right because Newcastle considered him as a low-key signing. In fact, someone who should get less consideration for first-team football.

Getting Bullied via Loans:

Ivan Toney suffered the pain of regret and rejection with his beloved Magpies. According to DailyMail, he accused Steve McClaren and Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle of bullying him out on loan.

A frustrated Toney vowed to take revenge, with a promise that he would come back to the Premier League to prove himself.

At this point, Toney knew his days with Newcastle were over. This was when the club took action by throwing him away – downwards.

They sent Ivan Toney away on loan, not to the Championship (a level below the EPL) but to English League One club – Barnsley.

Ivan Toney Biography – The Success Story:

At Barnsley, the Forward began a quest to work his way back up. During that time, nearly everyone could tell that Toney was hungry for success. During this time, determination and self-belief became his ideal watchwords.

With his goals, the now happy Boy guided Barnsley into winning the Football League Trophy and also the play-offs.

Happiness is when you leave a club that doesn't value you and then, go to a new family to become successful.

Happiness is when you leave a club that doesn’t value you and then go to a new family to become successful.

After accomplishing his first mission with Barnsley, Toney took further loan spells, first to Shrewsbury Town and later to Scunthorpe United and Wigan Athletic.

While at these clubs, the Rising Star scored tons of goals. Toney also helped one of those clubs (Wigan) to win the EFL League One – an enormous boost for his CV.

Finally, Letting go of Newcastle:

After achieving significant success with Scunthorpe United, Toney decided against returning to Newcastle United, the club that had previously let him down. Instead, he opted for a permanent move to Peterborough United.

But rather than crumble, the Predatory Forward went from strength to strength with his new family. Ivan Toney became more ruthless in front of goal. The Footballer showed no mercy for goalkeepers. Here is a piece of video evidence.

Toney performed so well to the amazement of crowds – with his many goals, including hat-tricks.

As a reward for his hard work, the Forward got voted as the Player of the Season at the EFL Awards. These are the last accolades he won before COVID-19 struck.

Ivan Toney awards with Peterborough United.

Ivan Toney awards with Peterborough United.

The Brentford Success Story:

After a successful mission with Peterborough United AND STILL, with that Big Dream of making a statement in the Premier League, Toney agreed to a move to Brentford.

In his new home came so much faith. Toney developed that tough mentality and a belief that he, together with his teammates, can get Brentford to the English top tier.

For Toney, it was NOW or NEVER to reach the Premier League. Since joining Brentford, Ivan Toney has never looked back.

With a fantastic leap and a determined attitude, he scored an amazing 31 goals – all in a single season. Behold a video summary of his performance.

Thanks to so many standout moments with Brentford, Toney set a new Championship record for the most goals scored in a single season.

In fact, he bettered the 25 goals Ollie Watkins scored for the club in the previous season.

With those goals and a sublime performance, Toney won the EFL Championship Golden Boot and the Brentford Supporters’ Player of the Year awards.

He defied all odds with Brentford.

He defied all odds with Brentford.

More importantly, the EFL hottest property (as he was nicknamed), alongside David Raya (GK), Christian Norgaard and Bryan Mbeumu, helped Brentford win the EFL Championship play-off Final.

Behold the celebration of the moment Toney had waited for. At last, he, together with his beloved teammates, celebrated their long-awaited promotion to the Premier League.

The truth must be said here, the rejection and further sale of Toney is one of the biggest mistakes made by Newcastle United.

Again, his dreams of becoming a star in the Premier League had been realized, and his trajectory is now likely to be forever upwards.

As I write this Biography, Toney ranks among the Fantasy Premier League budget-friendly players that football fans consider for their 2021/2021 FPL team.

The Taste for Revenge:

When Toney, along with Bryan Mbeumo, helped Brentford gain promotion to the Premier League, he told Sky Sports he couldn’t wait to Shut People Up.

Now, the big question is; Who was Toney referring to? Is it the Newcastle fans or Rafa Benitez?… Well, only time will tell. The rest, as we say, of his Bio is history.

Ivan Toney’s Wife and Son:

Undoubtedly, living alone without family or a partner can be incredibly challenging. Reflecting on his time at Newcastle, Ivan Toney likely experienced this hardship, perhaps even receiving advice from friends urging him to “get a girlfriend.”

Ivan Toney did have a girlfriend in the past, a relationship that ended and about which he rarely speaks publicly. Like Erling Haaland, Toney moved on from the past. In moving forward, Ivan met Katie Toney, who became his chosen life partner and the mother of his children. The couple, pictured below, are proud parents to a son named Ivan Toney Jr.

Meet Ivan Toney's wife and Son (Junior).

Meet Ivan Toney’s wife and Son (Junior).

Katie and Ivan Toney welcomed their son, Junior, into the world on August 17, 2019, a period when Ivan was in peak form, scoring 40 goals for Peterborough United. Junior’s birth brought immense joy to Ivan Toney, completing his world in a way he had never experienced before.

Ivan Toney’s Son – Already a Celebrity:

Despite not reaching school age, Kate and Toney’s son (Junior) has begun working his way to becoming a celebrity – like his famous Dad.

The boy’s Mum and Dad do manage his Instagram account that reads hundreds of followers – most of whom are fans of his parents.

The coast is clear for Junior. He would surely become a celebrity like his famous Dad.

The coast is clear for Junior. He would surely become a celebrity like his famous Dad.

From what it seems, Katie and Toney are not waiting for Junior to be a man to make him great; they are making him great as a boy. We sincerely hope Baby Ivan will follow in his father’s footsteps and push his way to become a professional footballer.

Personal Life away from football:

We have found three things that will help you understand the England-Jamaican Striker. First is his free-mind approach to life. Toney is a hardened man, someone who doesn’t get moved – at whatever life throws at him.

Secondly, Ivan Toney’s workout routine gives you an idea as to how he gets his strength, physical capacity, and indomitable will to perform well on the pitch.

Ivan Toney Personal Life - EXPLAINED.

Ivan Toney’s Personal Life – EXPLAINED.

Finally, it’s worth noting that he’s a devoted family man, deeply attached to his wife, Katie, who prefers to keep a low profile, and his son. This video beautifully captures their strong father-son bond.

Ivan Toney Lifestyle:

The English Striker isn’t the type who is excessively proud or someone who uses his social media to deliver self-satisfied talks about his wealth.

Despite being an antidote to showcasing exotic living, Toney doesn’t shy away from having his favourite car (a Mercedes G Wagon) for himself and his family. Both Dad and son look fully kitted – up and ready – for an outing.

Ivan Toney and Son - looking all ready for an outing.

Ivan Toney and Son – looking all ready for an outing.

Ivan Toney Family Life:

Indeed, he is more than just a footballer who scores goals for fun. Ivan Toney is a family man who is very fond of his relatives and not just his Mum, Wife, and Son (as we know). Here, we will give you proof of that.

Ivan Toney Relatives:

They are the ones who helped him understand the local Caribbean way of life better.

Ivan Toney’s relatives draw him closer to his family roots in Georgetown, a municipal in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. This town (below) was where his grandparents were buried.

Ivan Toney with a relative.

Ivan Toney with a relative.

For the English-Jamician forward, travelling to his parent’s home countries brings that wonderful opportunity to learn new cultures which he had missed during childhood. He still has plenty of friends in Jamaica and Saint Vincent.

Ivan Toney’s Mother:

Even to date, Lisa still likes to take good care of her son. She always makes sure he gets the best out of himself.

Since the Newcastle disappointment, Lisa has remained super cautious on matters relating to her beloved son. Toney told SunSport about his Mum;

She messages me after games, saying, ‘Please don’t let them stress you, don’t let them get into your head’.

This is because my Mum knows how hot-headed I can be sometimes.

Again she always tells me, ‘Be the big strong striker I am and also, do the right things.’

The truth is, even if Toney scores goals or not, his Mum would still message him – all in the name of confirming that everything is alright.

Since he was very young, Lisa’d always get worried each time her son goes out to play with friends.

Ivan Toney Stepfather:

While little documentation exists on him, we are aware he is the man who gave (Lisa) a chance to have a better life after her husband left her. Together, Ivan Toney’s Mum and his StepDad are parents to his half-brothers.

Ivan Toney Siblings:

From what we’ve gathered, the English footballer has two immediate sisters (from his parents) and two half-brothers (from his Mum and StepDad).

Ivan Toney Facts:

Rounding up his Biography, we’ll use this concluding section to unveil more truths about the Brentford goal machine. Without further ado, let’s begin.

Meaning of Ivan Toney Tattoo:

One distinctive physical characteristic of the Brentford forward is his body arts. Tattoos that speak to his life and football story cover Ivan Toney’s body. Let’s tell you the meaning of the Footballer’s tattoos.

First, there is a kitten gazing into a clear pool. Rather than having its reflection, the kitten sees a tiger looking back at him through the water. Ivan Toney explained the meaning of the tattoo by saying;

That is how I see myself when I look in the mirror.

Truly, It only matters how I see myself and not how others see me.

Last but not least is the No17 – his most precious shirt number. That number has been on the back of Ivan’s shirt ever since. This was what gave him so much luck in scoring goals. For that reason, the Forward has kept it as a tattoo.

Tribute to Ivan Toney’s Grandparents:

Ivan Toney dedicates the whole of his goal-scoring first season with Peterborough to his grandparents. Sadly, both his Grandpa and Grandma died within a short space of time.

Before their death, the England footballer was particularly close to his grandmother. As a way of honouring her, Toney made a tattoo of both of them during his childhood moment.

The tattoo of Ivan Toney and his grandmother.

The tattoo of Ivan Toney and his grandmother.

At the time of writing Ivan Toney’s Biography, he plans to get another tattoo. This time, it is one with the symbol (31) and a Golden Boot next to it. This body art would reflect the honours of his first season with Brentford.

The only person to stop him from making that tattoo is his Mother. It is pertinent to note that Ivan Toney’s Mum (Lisa) is not keen on her son adding more tattoos to his body than he already has.

Comparing Ivan Toney’s Salary to that of the average Jamaican:

Here, we’ll compare his earnings to that of the average citizen of the Caribbean country.

Did you know?… The average Jamaican who earns 96,400 JMD per month would need 75 years to make Ivan Toney’s weekly salary with Brentford.

The Non-Friendly Song:

Because he disliked the song Peterborough United fans made for him, Ivan Toney once mandated the club’s supporters to change the words of their chant so as to make it more family-friendly.

The Ivan Toney song includes a line about the size of his PE*IS or gen*tal. It is similar to one Man United fans sang for their Ex-striker Romelu Lukaku in 2017. Read more at BBC.

The chant marked as offending contains the following lyrics;

“Ivan Toney, Ivan Toney, He hates the Cobblers, He hates the Cambridge, his c*** is f**k**g massive!”

Here is the video of Ivan Toney’s Chant – which the footballer brands as offensive.

His stand on taking a knee:

While at Brentford, Toney contributed to making his club stop taking a knee against racism.

In an interview, the striker said that footballers were being “used as puppets” to make a gesture that society itself can not change.

Ivan Toney Profile (Football):

Despite being a Poacher or Fox in the Box (similar to Darwin Nunez), Toney is one of those who suffer from a poor FIFA rating. Behold his Low hilarious overalls for 2021. Truly, FIFA needs to act because this striker deserves stats similar to Harry Kane‘s.

Ivan Toney Religion:

Lisa raised her son as a devoted Christian. In fact, she reminds Toney to say his prayers before each game.

As a way of showing his faith (also a tribute to his grandparents), the England star forms the habit of pointing his hands to the sky when he scores.

Ivan Toney Religion - Explained.

Ivan Toney Religion – Explained.

Conclusion:

He is English football’s next big thing – as of 2021. Toney – in his pursuit for greatness, has encountered stumbling blocks.

That didn’t defeat him but rather strengthened the beast in him. Bombed out by Rafa Benitez at Newcastle, he has vowed to prove his doubters wrong.

Ivan Toney’s Biography reminds us that “You can be successful only if you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe“. At age 25, he is considered a Late Bloomer – like these men: Martin Braithwaite, Di Natale, Iago Aspas, Vardy, Papu Gomez, and Dani Parejo. Let’s not forget Mikel Merino, who also didn’t fulfil his potential at Newcastle United.

Finally, it behoves us to appreciate Ivan Toney’s Mum (Lisa). Without question, there is no love greater than hers and no sacrifice compared to what she gave.

Toney acknowledges the efforts of his mother, and she herself is proud of her son’s goal-scoring superpowers.

Stay tuned for more Football Stories – like that of Yoane Wissa and Mikkel Damsgaard. Dear esteemed reader, we say Thank You for taking the time to digest her version of Ivan Toney’s Biography. We care about accuracy and fairness while delivering these amazing life stories of English Footballers.

Kindly place a comment to share your thoughts about the footballer. Again, you can contact us if you notice anything that wasn’t written right in our Biography of Toney.

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