Efe Sodje

Football player infobox
playername = Efe Sodje
fullname = Efetobore Sodje


nickname = Bandana Man
height = height|ft=6|in=1
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|10|5
cityofbirth = Greenwich
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Bury
clubnumber = 16
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1994–1997
1997–1999
1999–2000
2000
2000–2003
2003–2005
2005–2006
2006–2007
2007–2008
2008
2008–
clubs = Stevenage Borough
Macclesfield Town
Luton Town
→ Colchester United (loan)
Crewe Alexandra
Huddersfield Town
Yeovil Town
Southend United
Gillingham
→ Bury (loan)
Bury
caps(goals) = 40 (1)
83 (6)
09 (0)
03 (0)
97 (3)
67 (5)
25 (3)
36 (2)
13 (0)
16 (1)
00 (0)
nationalyears = 2000–2002
nationalteam = Nigeria
nationalcaps(goals) = 09 (1)
pcupdate = 4 July 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = October 3 2006

Efetobore "Efe" Sodje (born October 5, 1972 in Greenwich) is a footballer who is currently playing for Bury. He is a central defender. He has featured at international level for Nigeria and was in the squad for the 2000 African Cup of Nations and the 2002 World Cup.

Sodje scored on his Football League debut, which was also Macclesfield Town's first game in the League. He had signed for the Silkmen from Stevenage Borough, who had been in the previous years Conference title race with Macclesfield and Kidderminster Harriers.

Sodje left Southend following their relegation from the Championship in the 2006-07 season. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southend_utd/6661025.stm|title=Hooper offered new Southend deal|work=BBC Sport|date=2007-05-16|accessdate=2007-05-16]

On July 10th 2007 he joined League One side Gillingham on a two-year deal. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/6288662.stm|title=Gills bring Sodje to Priestfield|work=BBC Sport|date=2007-07-10|accessdate=2007-07-10] and made his debut in the 1–0 away defeat to Cheltenham Town on August 11. In February 2008 he joined Bury on loan [ [http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/PressReleases/0,,10416~1241284,00.html Official Gillingham website] ] until the end of the season, and was transfer listed on 2008-06-05. [Cite news
title = Gillingham trio on available list
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/7440675.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-06-05
accessdate = 2008-06-05]

It was announced on 1st July 2008 that his contract had been terminated by Gillingham. [ [http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10416~1337110,00.html Official Gillingham website] ]

Family and headwear

He is from a footballing family, with two brothers in the football league — Sam, a defender with Reading, and Akpo, a forward with Sheffield Wednesday. Their cousin Onome is on the books of York City while his other two brothers Steve and Bright also play sports in England (football and rugby league, respectively).

Sodje is famous for wearing a bandana while playing, something he started doing in 1994 at the request of his mother. [cite web|url=http://www.prestwichadvertiser.co.uk/sport/football/bury/s/1041733_sodje_staying_to_knills_delight|title=Sodje staying to Knill's delight|publisher=Prestwich Advertiser|accessdate=2008-04-21|date=2008-03-20] Bandanas were sold in the club shop during his time with Stevenage, Macclesfield, Yeovil, Huddersfield and Southend Utd.

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=10835|name=Efe Sodje