Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Samuel Okeremute Sodje | ||
Date of birth | 25 May 1979 | ||
Place of birth | Greenwich, London, England | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Playing position | Defender | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Charlton Athletic | ||
Number | 18 | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
1998–2002 | Stevenage Borough | 29 | (3) |
2002–2004 | Margate | 68 | (8) |
2004–2006 | Brentford | 83 | (12) |
2006–2009 | Reading | 3 | (0) |
2007 | → West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 7 | (1) |
2007–2008 | → Charlton Athletic (loan) | 27 | (2) |
2008 | → Watford (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2009 | → Leeds United (loan) | 5 | (0) |
2009– | Charlton Athletic | 27 | (4) |
National team‡ | |||
2005– | Nigeria | 4 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10:08, 2 May 2010 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
Samuel Okeremute Sodje (born 25 May 1979) is an English-born Nigerian footballer who plays as a defender for Charlton Athletic. Sodje also represents Nigeria at international level.
Contents |
Club career
Early years
Sodje was born in Greenwich, London and joined Margate at the beginning of the 2002–03 season and scored on his debut with a header. He quickly established himself as a huge favourite with the supporters and won the Supporters' Player of the Year award at the end of his first season with Margate.
In the summer of 2003, he went on trial at Yeovil Town and Chester City, but neither team signed him. He returned to Margate to play Conference football for the 2003–04 season and impressed once again.
At the beginning of the 2004–05 season, he moved from Margate to League One side Brentford on a free transfer. He became popular with the Brentford fans through a combination of his goal-scoring, and his crazy hairstyles. At the end of that season he won a local newspaper award for player of the season, and at the end of the 2005–06 season he was honoured with a place in the PFA League One team of the year.[1]
Reading
It was revealed Sodje had turned down a move to Southampton on 31 January 2006, the final day of the transfer window.[2] Much transfer speculation followed until it was announced on 12 July 2006 that Sodje would join Reading, subject to a medical;[3] the transfer was completed on 14 July 2006.[4]
Sodje made his Reading debut away to Wigan Athletic on 26 August 2006 because of a suspension to Ibrahima Sonko, and scored his first Reading goal against Burnley in the FA Cup on 9 January 2007.[5] However, his first team opportunities in the 2006–07 proved to be limited, so on 16 March 2007 he signed a month's loan deal with West Bromwich Albion,[6] which was subsequently extended to the end of the 2006–07 season.[7] Whilst there, he helped The Baggies to a place in the Championship Playoff Final, which they lost 1–0 to Derby County.[8] He scored once for West Brom, in a 2-1 win over Norwich City on 9 April 2007.[9]
In the summer 2007 transfer window, Sheffield Wednesday agreed a fee with Reading for Sodje, with Sodje given the opportunity to think over the move.[10] However, Sodje eventually joined Charlton Athletic on loan for the remainder of the 2007–08 season.[11] He made his Charlton debut in the club's 2–0 victory over Norwich City as a late substitute on 18 September 2007. His performance in Charlton's 3–1 home win over Ipswich Town on 8 December 2007 earned him a place in the Championship Team of the Week.[12]
In September 2008 Sodje joined fellow Championship side Watford on a month's loan as cover for the team's injuries.[13] He played in one game away at Sheffield United before returning to Reading after aggravating a knee injury.[14]
Leeds United loan
On 26 March 2009, Sodje joined Leeds United on loan for a month with an option to extend the loan until the end of the 2008–09 season.[15] Sodje partnered Richard Naylor at centre back and formed a strong partnership with him during his loan spell, even though Sodje only played 8 times during his loan spell with Leeds including the playoff semi finals against Millwall he quickly became a cult hero, with many Leeds fans demanding he be signed on a permanent basis. Instead Leeds signed Patrick Kisnorbo and Sodje had to look elsewhere.
Second spell at Charlton Athletic
On 28 May 2009, Reading told Sodje that he was free to leave the club. Sodje returned on a free transfer to the club he was on loan with two-seasons prior, Charlton Athletic. Sodje made his full debut in the 0–0 game at his former club Leeds United. The club being local to his birthplace of Greenwich, he stated that the club was 'in my blood'. On 14 November, Sodje's brother Akpo, joined him at the club on loan from Sheffield Wednesday. Sodje was part of the Charlton side which reached the League 1 playoffs, they were knocked out of the playoffs after losing on penalties to Swindon Town. Sodje missed the two semi finals after suffering an injury.
International career
He made his international debut for the Nigeria national football team in 2005 in an international friendly against Romania.[16] After some impressive performances for Leeds United Sodje was recalled to the Nigerian squad for an international friendly against the Republic of Ireland in 2009.[17]. Sodje started the game for Nigeria, and put in a very impressive performance before being substituted.
Personal life
Born in Greenwich, London, his family originate from Warri, in Delta State, Nigeria.[18] Sodje has four brothers who also play football; three of them professionally and one semi-professionally. Akpo is currently at Charlton Athletic. Efe, the eldest of the four, currently plays for League Two side Bury. Both Sam and Efe have represented Nigeria at international level. Meanwhile Steve the third brother has never played a Football League game.
Another brother, Bright, used to play rugby league for Sheffield Eagles. His cousin Onome Sodje played for Charlton Athletic and Conference side York City before signing for Barnsley in June 2009 and is now currently playing for FK Senica in the Slovak Superliga.
Honours
Club
Margate
References
- ^ "Gerrard named player of the year". BBC Sport. 2006-04-23. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4935884.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
- ^ "Sodje turns down move to Saints". BBC Sport. 2006-02-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brentford/4669656.stm. Retrieved 2006-07-12.
- ^ "Royals agree £350k fee for Bees' Sam Sodje". Reading F.C.. 2006-07-12. http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~866744,00.html. Retrieved 2006-07-12.
- ^ "Royals to complete signing of defender Sam Sodje this afternoon". Reading F.C.. 2006-07-14. http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~866744,00.html. Retrieved 2006-07-14.
- ^ "Reading 3-2 Burnley". BBC. 9 January 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/6213943.stm. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ "Sodje to join West Brom on loan for a month". Reading F.C.. 2007-03-16. http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~998183,00.html. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
- ^ "West Brom extend Sodje loan spell". BBC Sport. 2007-04-17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/6562767.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
- ^ "Derby 1-0 West Brom". BBC Sport. 2007-05-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6689971.stm. Retrieved 2007-05-28.
- ^ "Norwich 1-2 West Brom". BBC. 9 April 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6513513.stm. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ "Sodje thinking over Owls move". Reading F.C.. 2007-08-24. http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1098220,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^ "Friday's lunchtime transfer update". Reading F.C.. 2007-08-31. http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1103237,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
- ^ "Coca-Cola Championship Team Of The Week (10/12/2007)" (pdf). The Football League. 2007-12-10. http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/staticFiles/c2/c4/0,,10794~115906,00.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
- ^ "Sodje signs to soothe injury woe". Watford F.C.. 2008-09-26. http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~1403564,00.html. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^ "Sodje heads back". Watford F.C.. 2008-09-30. http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~1408041,00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
- ^ "Leeds capture Sodje & Flahavan". BBC Sport. 2009-03-26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/7966696.stm. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- ^ Sodje doubt for Bees, Football.co.uk. 2005-11-17. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
- ^ Nigeria Squad, Fulham F.C. 2009-05-27. Retrieved on 2009-05-27.
- ^ Ocholi, Danusa (24 February 2009). "Nigerian Soccer Stars Abroad". Newswatch. http://www.newswatchngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=659&Itemid=35. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
External links
- Sam Sodje career stats at Soccerbase
- Sam Sodje profile at the Reading website
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