Akpo Sodje

Football player infobox


playername = Akpo Sodje
fullname = Idoro Akpoeyere Ujoma Sodje
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1980|1|31
cityofbirth = Greenwich
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=2
currentclub = Sheffield Wednesday
clubnumber = 30
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2001
2001–2002
2002
2004–2005
2005
2005–2006
2006–2007
2007–
clubs = Stevenage Borough
Margate
Gravesend & Northfleet
Huddersfield Town
→ Darlington (loan)
Darlington
Port Vale
Sheffield Wednesday
caps(goals) = 03 0(1)
17 0(3)
07 0(2)
07 0(0)
07 0(1)
36 0(8)
46 (14)
20 0(9)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 19:11, 11 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Idoro Akpoeyere Ujoma "Akpo" Sodje (born January 31, 1980 in Greenwich, England) is an English footballer of Nigerian heritage, currently playing for Sheffield Wednesday.

Family sporting connections

Sodje has four brothers who also play football: three of them professionally and one semi-professionally. Sam Sodje currently plays for Reading. Efe Sodje currently plays for Bury, being on loan from Gillingham and has represented Nigeria at international level, being in the squad for both the African Cup of Nations in 2000 and World Cup 2002. Steve Sodje currently plays for Ashford Town.

Another brother, Bright used to play rugby league for Sheffield Eagles. His cousin Onome Sodje left Charlton Athletic in summer 2006, and is now playing for Conference National team York City.

Football career

Akpo Sodje currently plays for Sheffield Wednesday, after joining in August 2007 from Port Vale, after previously having unsuccessful spells at Darlington and Huddersfield Town. He became the first Port Vale player to score four goals in an away league match since 1893 on 10 March 2007 as Vale completed a 5–1 victory at Millmoor against Rotherham United. His hat-trick came in just 18 minutes to break a spell of 8 games without scoring. Akpo went on to score 16 goals in the 2006–07 season, his best tally to date as a professional footballer, which earned him the player of the year award at Vale Park. Sodje had announced that he was going to try to beat old partner Leon Constantine's 26 goals last season and try to get Vale into the Championship.

Sodje signed a three year contract with Sheffield Wednesday for an undisclosed fee in August 2007.] 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 2007 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 2007. 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 2008.] Unfortunately, his season was cut short by an ankle injury. [ [http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11703_3162800,00.html Sky Sports | Football | Championship | Sheffield Wednesday | Sodje ruled out for Owls ] ] Despite this setback, he was still voted striker of the year by fans of the club. [ [http://www.swfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10304~1295830,00.html Beevers Is YOUR Player Of The Year!] ]

Sodje started the 2008–09 season in fashion scoring two goals and setting one up in a 4–1 win over Burnley. Unfortunately he also picked up a hamstring injury in the match and had to be substituted after just 21 minutes.

References

* [http://www.swfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10304~23073,00.html Akpo Sodje player profile] at swfc.co.uk
* [http://www.port-vale.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10381~23073,00.html Akpo Sodje player profile] at port-vale.co.uk
* [http://www.darlingtonfc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10339~23073,00.html Akpo Sodje player profile] at darlingtonfc.com
*soccerbase|id=24524|name=Akpo Sodje
*ESPNsoccernet|id=9563|name=Akpo Sodje