Alhassan Bangura, the Watford midfielder, has had his application to stay in the United Kingdom turned down by the Asylum and Immigration Authorities.

The 19-year-old will now be forced to contemplate a mandatory return to Sierra Leone in the near future, a decision heavily criticised by the club's manager, Adrian Boothroyd.

“After the immigration hearing I said that I had faith in British justice but obviously I was totally mistaken because it’s a completely ludicrous decision," Boothroyd said.

“This country, great as it once was, seems to allow anybody in to send benefits wherever they fancy and we have one young man here who pays his taxes, has a fiancee and a newborn son and somebody somewhere thinks it’s a good decision to send him back to Sierra Leone. It’s ridiculous.

“We’ve been sent a document with the reasons why he’s being deported and they are ridiculous.

"We are appealing and I only hope that rather than these pen-pushers someone higher up - perhaps the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith herself - can look at it and make a decent decision instead of the one we’ve got.”

Watford’s Labour MP, Claire Ward, later confirmed she would ask the Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne, to use his discretionary powers to prevent Bangura being deported.

She urged the club's fans to e-mail her via her Parliamentary website, www.claire-ward.org.uk , so she can add their names to a petition she plans to present to the Home Office.

Watford, who had offered Bangura a contract to 2009, have confirmed they will be launching an immediate appeal in a bid to overturn the decision.

Iain Moody, head of football operations at Vicarage Road, said: "This is terrible news for Al and a big shock to everyone at Watford FC.

"We are very sad and disappointed that he has not been granted leave to remain in the UK."

He added: "The Home Office will shortly initiate moves to remove him from the country and as such we have instructed our legal advisors to begin preparing an appeal to this decision.

"This is a significant setback for Al and his family but we will continue to fight this case and have full confidence that common sense and justice will prevail and that Al will be able to continue his life in this country."

Bangura has yet to feature in the league this season after a succession of injuries but made 16 appearances in the Premier League last season as the Hornets were relegated.

He arrived in the UK at the age of 15 and made his debut for the club as a 17-year-old in April 2005.

Bangura became a father just nine days ago and will be forced to leave his girlfriend and son behind if he is deported back to Sierra Leone - where he has no immediate family.

It is also highly unlikely that Bangura would qualify for a work permit to return in the future as he is uncapped and Sierra Leone are outside the top 70 nations in FIFA's rankings.

Bangura claims that has lost touch with his family and settled in England after escaping from human traffickers who brought him to Europe, and said that in Sierra Leone he faced witchcraft and threats to mutilate him.