Efe Sodje
Personal information
Full name	Efetobore Sodje
Date of birth	5 October 1972 (1972-10-05) (age 37)
Place of birth	Greenwich, London, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Bury
Number	16
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1994–1997 1997–1999 1999–2000 2000 2000–2003 2003–2005 2005–2006 2006–2007 2007–2008 2008 2008–	Stevenage Borough Macclesfield Town Luton Town → Colchester United (loan) Crewe Alexandra Huddersfield Town Yeovil Town Southend United Gillingham → Bury (loan) Bury	40 (1) 83 (6) 09 (0) 03 (0) 97 (3) 67 (5) 25 (3) 36 (2) 13 (0) 16 (1) 55 (8)
National team2
2000–2002	Nigeria	09 (1)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:47, 25 October 2009 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 16:14, 10 May 2009 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

Efetobore "Efe" Sodje (born 5 October 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 Macclesfield 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.^[1]

On 10 July 2007, he joined League One side Gillingham on a two-year deal,^[2] and made his debut in the 1–0 away defeat to Cheltenham Town on 11 August. In February 2008 he joined Bury on loan until the end of the season,^[3] and was transfer listed on 5 June 2008.^[4]

It was announced on 1 July 2008, that his contract had been terminated by Gillingham.^[5]

[edit] Family and headwear

He is from a footballing family, with two brothers in the football league — Sam, a defender with Charlton Athletic, and Akpo, a striker with Sheffield Wednesday. Their cousin Onome, also a striker, is at Barnsley. 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.^[6]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Efe Sodje

• Efe Sodje career stats at Soccerbase
• Bury profile

v • d • e Nigeria squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Shorunmu • 2 Yobo • 3 Babayaro • 4 Kanu • 5 Okoronkwo • 6 West • 7 Ikedia • 8 Adepoju • 9 Ogbeche • 10 Okocha • 11 Lawal • 12 Ejide • 13 Afolabi • 14 Udeze • 15 Justice • 16 Sodje • 17 Aghahowa • 18 Akwuegbu • 19 Ejiofor • 20 Obiorah • 21 Utaka • 22 Enyeama • 23 Opabunmi • Coach: Onigbinde