*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:49, 2 August 2017 (UTC)
Onome Sympson Sodje (born 17 July 1988) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a striker. He has played professionally for clubs in England, Slovakia, Malta, Vietnam, Algeria and Albania.
Career
Born in Warri, Delta State,[1] Sodje came through the Charlton Athletic youth system|. He scored 14 goals in 19 games in the 2003–04 U17 FA Premier Academy League. He spent time on loan at Welling United towards the end of the 2004–05 season.[3] He then went out on loan to Conference National team Gravesend & Northfleet in September 2005.[4] He rejoined Gravesend for a second loan period in February 2006.[5]
He was released by Charlton in 2006 and eventually signed for Gravesend & Northfleet permanently in August.[6]
Sodje signed for fellow Conference Premier club York City on 18 June 2007 on a free transfer.[7] He was joint top goalscorer with 17 goals in the 2007–08 season.[8] Sodje won the first Conference Premier Goal of the Month award in September 2008 with a goal against Torquay United, which won with 30% of the vote.[9] He came on as a 63rd minute substitute in the FA TrophyFinal at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 2009, which York lost 2–0 to Stevenage Borough.[10] He was largely restricted to the bench as his form dipped during the 2008–09 season,[11] which he finished with 46 appearances and seven goals.[12]
Sodje signed for Championship team Barnsley on 15 June 2009.[13] He was allowed to move on a free transfer as he was playing at York on a non-contract basis.[14] His contract status was due to his lack of a valid work permit, connected to an ongoing dispute with immigration officials over his right to reside in the UK. York spent £5,000 on legal fees to fight his case which also attracted the support of the Archbishop of YorkJohn Sentamu and MP Hugh Bayley. After winning the right to stay in the country he chose to move to Barnsley rather than sign the contract offered by York.[15]
In October 2014 he returned to England, signing for Nuneaton Town.[30]
Sodje joined Billericay Town for the 2015–16 season, scoring 7 goals for the club.[31]
Personal life
He moved to England at the age of 14 and attended Sedgehill School in south-east London.[3] Sodje's uncles, Sam, Efe, Akpo, and Steve all play football in England as well.[32] Another uncle Bright is a former professional rugby league footballer.[32]
^ ab"Another Sodje joins the ranks". Non-League Daily. 21 March 2005. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)