Akpo Sodje
Sodje playing for Sheffield Wednesday
Personal information
Full name Idoro Akpoeyere Ujoma Sodje[1]
Date of birth (1980-01-31) 31 January 1980[2]
Place of birth Greenwich, London, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Position(s) Centre forward
Youth career
Dynamos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001 Queens Park Rangers 0 (0)
2001 → Stevenage Borough (loan) 3 (1)
2001–2002 Margate 17 (3)
2002 Gravesend & Northfleet 7 (2)
2002–2003 Heybridge Swifts 31 (7)
2003–2004 Erith & Belvedere 21 (18)
2004–2005 Huddersfield Town 7 (0)
2005 → Darlington (loan) 7 (1)
2005–2006 Darlington 36 (8)
2006–2007 Port Vale 46 (14)
2007–2010 Sheffield Wednesday 41 (9)
2009–2010 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 9 (2)
2010 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 17 (3)
2010–2011 Charlton Athletic 15 (1)
2011–2012 Hibernian 28 (6)
2012 Tianjin TEDA 10 (1)
2012 Preston North End 14 (4)
2013 Scunthorpe United 16 (6)
2013–2014 Tranmere Rovers 9 (0)
2014 → Macclesfield Town (loan) 5 (0)
Total 339 (86)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Idoro Akpoeyere Ujoma "Akpo" Sodje (born 31 January 1980) is an English former professional footballer. A journeyman striker, he is usually an instantly recognisable figure on the pitch due to his original – and most of all colourful – hairstyles.

With Queens Park Rangers in 2001, he was loaned out to Stevenage Borough, before beginning a career in non-League football with Margate in 2001. He moved on to Heybridge Swifts via Gravesend & Northfleet the following year, before joining Erith & Belvedere in 2003. He rejoined the Football League with Huddersfield Town in 2004, before joining Darlington the next year, after a successful loan spell. He spent the 2006–07 season with Port Vale, before becoming a Sheffield Wednesday player. He found success and popularity at both clubs, before he joined Charlton Athletic in 2010, after two loan spells. He moved into Scottish football with Hibernian in 2011, before departing in January 2012. Two months later he emigrated to China to sign with Tianjin TEDA to become the first English footballer in the Chinese Super League. He returned to the English game in August 2012, when he joined Preston North End for a brief spell. He joined Scunthorpe United on a short-term basis in January 2013, before signing with Tranmere Rovers in July 2013. He was loaned out to Macclesfield Town in February 2014.

After three of his brothers, Efe, Bright and Stephen Sodje, were sentenced to 18, 21 and 30 months in prison respectively for fraud in September 2017 (having siphoned off money from a charity, the Sodje Sports Foundation), a European Arrest Warrant was issued in relation to Akpo.

Family sporting connections

Born in Greenwich, London, his family originate from Warri, in Delta State, Nigeria.[3] Sodje has four brothers who also play football; three of them professionally and one semi-professionally. Sam and Efe have represented Nigeria at international level. Steve, has never played a Football League game. Another brother, Bright, used to play rugby league and rugby union. His cousin Onome Sodje, also played professionally in England.

Akpo is the youngest of the ten Sodje children:[3]

"I am very proud to come from the Sodje family, which is a very big family. I want to thank our dad and mum for the sacrifices they made in bringing us up. We are all very close, Bright, Sam, Efe, and the rest. I am number 10 among the children, and they all treat me as their pet because I am the youngest member of the family."

In January 2019 it was reported that Akpo refused to return to Britain for questioning by police in a money laundering investigation into his family's business that saw three of his brothers jailed.[4]

Career

Early career

"When I was playing in Warri, I started as a defender. The coach whom I played under said I was fast and tall, and because of these qualities he saw in me, he converted me to a striker... I started playing in England when I was just about seven years old; and as I was growing up, I started from the lower divisions."

— Sodje explains his early career.[3]

He was signed to First Division Queens Park Rangers, though never made an appearance, instead was loaned out to Conference National club Stevenage Borough in March 2001.[5] He scored on his first outing for the club, in a 2–1 win at Morecambe on 31 March, replacing Darran Hay on 36 minutes.[6]

He was still with Stevenage for the start of the 2001–02 season, getting sent off against Doncaster Rovers on 27 August. He left Broadhall Way the next month for Margate, making 16 appearances before the season's end, scoring goals against Yeovil Town, Woking and Hayes.

He began 2002–03 with Margate, playing in their 2–0 defeat at Leigh Genesis on 31 August. The next month he joined Gravesend & Northfleet, scoring on his debut on the 7th, in a 4–1 home win over Nuneaton Borough. Seven days later he scored against Forest Green Rovers, before he made his final appearance on 2 November, getting sent off in a 2–1 defeat at Halifax Town. He was released later in the month and had spells with virtual unknowns Heybridge Swifts (Isthmian League) and Erith & Belvedere (Southern Football League).

At age 24 (at the time he was often reported as 22 or 23), he got a second chance at a professional career, joining Huddersfield Town of League One.[7] He was handed a three-month deal in September 2004, his foot in the door because his brother Efe was captain of the club.[8] He replaced Andy Booth 86 minutes into a 3–0 win at Vale Park on 11 September, Pawel Abbott grabbing the headlines with a hat-trick. In November his contract was extended by six months, allowing him further time to impress boss Peter Jackson.[9] In all he made nine appearances for the "Terriers" in 2004–05, getting just two starts and impressing only in the reserves. In March 2005 he was loaned out to League Two Darlington, after impressing on trial,[10] and scored in the final moments of the season in a 3–1 home win over Cheltenham Town. He was released by Huddersfield in May.[11]

He spent 2005–06 with Darlington. He made 39 appearances, scoring eight goals, including a hat-trick at Chester City in a 4–4 draw on 27 August. His performances caught the eye of Port Vale's manager Martin Foyle, who won his signature in May 2006.[12]

Port Vale

On 5 August 2006, his prolific strike partnership with Leon Constantine had begun – Constantine scoring a brace and Sodje putting the third past Leyton Orient in a 3–0 win. Three days later he scored the only goal at Boundary Park. The pair teamed up to put one each past Preston North End in the League Cup, by the season's end the pair had 42 goals, sixteen coming from Sodje. On 10 March 2007, he also became the first Port Vale player to score four goals in an away league match since Lewis Campbell in 1893, as Vale completed a 5–1 victory at Millmoor against Rotherham United.[3] His hat-trick came in just 18 minutes to break a spell of eight games without scoring.[13] Awarded with the player of the year award,[14] he stated his aim of trying to beat Constantine's 26 goals last season and try to get Vale into the Championship in 2007–08.

Sheffield Wednesday

Vale sold Sodje for an undisclosed fee (later reported to be £300,000)[15] in August 2007, and the player signed a three-year contract with Sheffield Wednesday.[16] The bid (believed to be around £300,000) was made after Sodje was placed on the transfer list, at his own request.[17] At the same time, Wednesday were also attempting to buy Sam from Reading,[18] though the deal did not go through.

He made his debut by coming on as a substitute for Jermaine Johnson in the 63rd minute on 1 September 2007 at Hillsborough, against Bristol City in a 1–0 loss. His full debut came in another 1–0 loss against Preston at Deepdale on 15 September. He scored his first goal for the club on 3 November away at Plymouth Argyle in the 52nd minute to help his club win 2–1. After not scoring in his first six starts and two substitute appearances his first goal spurred him on to score a total of seven league goals in 16 starts and three substitute appearances in his first season at the club, including a brace in a 5–0 victory over Southampton on 10 November. After being hailed by some Wednesdayites as "The black David Hirst", because of his strength and determination, Sodje cemented his place in Wednesday folklore with the opening goal in their 2–0 win over fierce rivals Sheffield United on 19 January.[19] Unfortunately for his new fans, his season was cut short by an ankle injury in February.[20] Despite this setback, he was still voted striker of the year by fans of the club.[21]

Sodje started the 2008–09 season by scoring two goals and setting one up for strike partner Marcus Tudgay in a 4–1 win over Burnley. However, he also picked up a hamstring injury in the match and had to be substituted after just 21 minutes.[22] He made his return coming off of the bench for Jermaine Johnson after 68 minutes against local rivals Sheffield United. Injury limited him to only nine further appearances that season. He picked up a hamstring injury in April.[23]

Charlton Athletic

On 14 November, Sodje joined his brother Sam at Charlton Athletic. Initially signed on a 28-day emergency loan, this signing was made with an option of making the deal permanent.[24] He made his debut on the same day, coming on for Dave Mooney. Sodje scored at Yeovil Town seven days later, after his brother was sent off. On 31 January 2010, he returned to Charlton Athletic on loan until the end of the season. On 20 May 2010, Sodje signed a permanent deal with the Addicks after participating in enough games to activate a clause in his loan deal.[25] Sodje mainly appeared for Charlton as a substitute during the 2010–11 season.[26] His only goal this season came on the opening day in a 1–0 victory for Charlton over AFC Bournemouth.

Hibernian

Sodje signed for Scottish Premier League (SPL) side Hibernian on a free transfer on 31 January 2011.[26] He made his debut two days later, setting up the opening goal in a 2–0 win against St Mirren.[27] Sodje scored his first goal for the club in their next game, a 2–1 win over Kilmarnock.[28] Sodje scored six goals for Hibs in the latter part of the 2010–11 season, as well as winning a penalty in an Edinburgh derby which saw opposing player Marius Žaliūkas sent off, but became a squad player in the following season.[29] In January 2012, Hibs allowed Sodje to join Belgian club K.V.C. Westerlo on trial,[29] and then released him from his contract on 31 January.[30]

Tianjin Teda

In March 2012, he signed a contract with Chinese Super League side Tianjin TEDA, then managed by Josip Kuže.[31] The club represent the city of Tianjin, and play at the 37,450 capacity TEDA Football Stadium. The league restricts clubs to sign at most five non-Chinese players, the other four in 2012 being Lucian Goian, Sjoerd Ars, Veliče Šumulikoski, and Milan Susak. He scored his first and the only goal for Tianjin on 16 March, in a 2–1 defeat by Qingdao Jonoon at Qingdao Tiantai Stadium. On 1 July, Sodje was released by Tianjin TEDA.

Preston North End

In August 2012, Sodje signed for Preston North End, having impressed with four goals in three games during pre-season.[32] He won a first team place after coming off the bench to score against Bournemouth, and then followed this up with goals against Crystal Palace and Swindon Town in his next two games.[33][34][35] Following an impressive start to his career at Deepdale, Sodje signed for a second-month.[36] He then signed another contract, to remain at Preston for a third month.[37] However, he refused to stay at the club beyond December, leaving his final tally at seven goals in 17 appearances.[38]

Scunthorpe United

Sodje signed with Scunthorpe United in January 2013 on a short-term deal lasting until the end of the 2012–13 season, and stated that "I'm feeling good and I'm glad that everything is sorted and I've got the chance to work with Brian Laws again... There's no doubt that we'll be able to stay up. We've been having a bad time but that is all changing now."[39] After three away games, he marked his debut at Glanford Park with two goals in a 2–1 win over Portsmouth.[40] He hit six goals in 16 games as the "Iron" were relegated into League Two, and was released in the summer.[41]

Tranmere Rovers

In July 2013, Sodje signed a one-year contract with Ronnie Moore's Tranmere Rovers.[42] He made eleven appearances without scoring a goal at the start of the 2013–14 season.[43]

On 20 February 2014, Sodje joined Conference side Macclesfield Town on a one-month loan; brother Efe was manager John Askey's assistant at the "Silkmen".[44] He played five games for the "Silkmen" without scoring, and he was released by Tranmere Rovers after returning to Prenton Park in April.[45]

Style of play

Sodje was an energetic, strong and aggressive forward.[46]

Personal life

Sodje was named by a report into the 2013 English football match-fixing scandal although no charges were brought.[47]

Two of his brothers, Sam and Efe, were put on trial in the UK in September 2017 for money laundering after allegedly being involved in channelling proceeds from scams which targeted firms in Colombia, India, Italy and Abu Dhabi; Sodje himself was also alleged to have taken part in the crime but declined to return to Britain from his home in Dubai to be interviewed by police.[48]

In September 2017, Efe, Bright and Stephen Sodje were sentenced to 18, 21 and 30 months in prison respectively for fraud, having siphoned off money from a charity, the Sodje Sports Foundation. Akpo, 37, is wanted in connection with the fraud, and a European Arrest Warrant has been issued.[49]

Career statistics

Club Season Division League National Cup League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Queens Park Rangers2000–01[50]First Division0000000000
Stevenage Borough (loan)2000–01[50]Conference Premier1100000011
2001–02[51]Conference Premier2000000020
Total 3100000031
Margate2001–02[51]Conference Premier16300001[lower-alpha 1]0173
2002–03[52]Conference Premier1000000010
Total 173000010183
Gravesend & Northfleet2002–03[52]Conference Premier7200000072
Heybridge Swifts2002–03Isthmian League317000000317
Erith & Belvedere2003–04Southern Div. 1 East21180000002118
Huddersfield Town2004–05[53]League One7000000070
Darlington2004–05[53]League Two7100000071
2005–06[54]League Two36810101[lower-alpha 2]0398
Total 439101010469
Port Vale2006–07[55]League One431411412[lower-alpha 2]05016
2007–08[56]League One3000000030
Total 46141141205316
Sheffield Wednesday2007–08[56]Championship197101000217
2008–09[57]Championship112000000112
2009–10[58]Championship110001000120
Total 419102000449
Charlton Athletic2009–10[58]League One265000000265
2010–11[59]League One15140101[lower-alpha 2]0211
Total 416401010476
Hibernian2010–11[59]SPL156000000156
2011–12[60]SPL130102100161
Total 286102100317
Tianjin TEDA2012Chinese Super League101000000101
Preston North End2012–13[61]League One14400112[lower-alpha 2]2[lower-alpha 2]177
Scunthorpe United2012–13[61]League One166000000166
Tranmere Rovers2013–14[62]League One9000101[lower-alpha 2]0110
Macclesfield Town (loan)2013–14[62]Conference Premier5000000050
Career total[lower-alpha 3] 33986811238236792
  1. ↑ Appearance/s in the FA Trophy.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearance/s and goal/s in the EFL Trophy.
  3. ↑ non-League statistics prior to 2004 may be incomplete.

Honours

References

  1. ↑ Sherwin, Phil (2010). The Port Vale Miscellany. Brimscombe Port: The History Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7524-5777-2.
  2. 1 2 "Profile". hibernianfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Ocholi, Danusa (24 February 2009). "Nigerian Soccer Stars Abroad". Newswatch. Archived from the original on 4 January 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Three Sodje brothers jailed for taking charity money". BBC News. 21 January 2019.
  5. ↑ "Stevenage sign Sodje". BBC Sport. 29 March 2001. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  6. ↑ "Morecambe 1–2 Stevenage". BBC. 31 March 2001. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
  7. ↑ "Terriers net striker Sodje". BBC Sport. 2 September 2004. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  8. ↑ "Huddersfield sign Sodje". BBC Sport. 2 September 2004. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  9. ↑ "Sodje earns extension at Terriers". BBC Sport. 24 November 2004. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  10. ↑ "Sodje out to impress at Quakers". BBC Sport. 8 March 2005. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Striker Sodje leaves Huddersfield". BBC Sport. 11 May 2005. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  12. ↑ "Boss adds trio to Port Vale squad". BBC Sport. 19 May 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  13. ↑ Henderson, Charlie (14 March 2007). "Vale's Sodje salutes Foyle's role". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  14. 1 2 "Player of the Year Awards". port-vale.co.uk. 10 May 2011. Archived from the original on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  15. ↑ Fielding, Rob (19 March 2020). "Five of the best Port Vale signings by Martin Foyle". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  16. ↑ "Akpo Sodje signs for the owls on a three-year deal". SWFC.co.uk. 30 August 2007. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "Owls swoop to sign striker Sodje". BBC Sport. 30 August 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  18. ↑ "Owls boss bids for Sodje brothers". BBC Sport. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  19. ↑ "Derby Double Sinks Blades". SWFC.co.uk. 19 January 2009. Archived from the original on 22 January 2008.
  20. ↑ "Boss Laws bemoans loss of Sodje". BBC Sport. 19 February 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  21. ↑ "Beevers Is YOUR Player of the Year!". swfc.co.uk. 22 April 2008. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  22. ↑ "Sodje suffers fresh injury blow". BBC Sport. 11 August 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  23. ↑ "Sodje ruled out of season run-in". BBC Sport. 16 April 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  24. ↑ "Addicks sign Sodje number two". charlton-athletic.co.uk. 14 November 2009. Archived from the original on 20 November 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  25. ↑ "Sodje signs permanently". charlton-athletic.co.uk. 20 May 2010. Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  26. 1 2 Haines, Gary (31 January 2011). "Sodje heads for Hibs". cafctv.co.uk. Charlton Athletic. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  27. ↑ "Hibernian 2 - 0 St Mirren". BBC Sport. BBC. 2 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  28. ↑ "Hibernian 2 - 1 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 February 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  29. 1 2 "Sodje poised to leave Hibs as he heads for Belgium". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  30. ↑ "Striker Akpo Sodje and Hibernian agree to part company". BBC Sport. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  31. ↑ "Akpo Sodje ya se entrena con las filas del Tianjin Teda chino". planetafichajes.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  32. ↑ O'Rourke, Pete (16 August 2012). "Preston deal in Sodje". Sky Sports. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  33. ↑ "Bournemouth 1 - 1 Preston". BBC Sport. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  34. ↑ "Preston 4 - 1 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  35. ↑ "Preston 4 - 1 Swindon". BBC Sport. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  36. ↑ "Preston have confirmed striker Akpo Sodje has signed a new contract". Sky Sports. BSkyB. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  37. ↑ "Akpo Sodje extends Preston North End contract". BBC Sport. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  38. ↑ "Akpo Sodje leaves Preston North End after rejecting new contract". BBC Sport. 14 December 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  39. ↑ "Scunthorpe United sign striker Akpo Sodje". BBC Sport. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  40. ↑ "Scunthorpe 2 - 1 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  41. ↑ "Scunthorpe United: Paul Reid among seven players released". BBC Sport. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  42. ↑ "Tranmere Rovers sign Akpo Sodje after Scunthorpe release". BBC Sport. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  43. ↑ "Macclesfield Town sign Tranmere striker on loan". BBC Sport. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  44. ↑ "Akpo Sodje joins on loan". Macclesfield Town FC. 20 February 2014.
  45. ↑ "Sodje Released". tranmererovers.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  46. ↑ "Cult Hero 23: Akpo Sodje". onevalefan.co.uk. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  47. ↑ "Football spot-fixing claims: six held". The Guardian. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  48. ↑ "Former Hibs player Akpo Sodje 'helped launder cash from £80,00 fraud'". Daily Record. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  49. ↑ "Efe, Bright and Stephen Sodje jailed for fraud last September, court reveals". Sky News. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  50. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  51. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  52. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  53. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  54. ↑ "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  55. ↑ "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  56. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  57. ↑ "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  58. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  59. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  60. ↑ "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  61. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  62. 1 2 "Games played by Akpo Sodje in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
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