Olukayode "Kayode" Odejayi (born 21 February 1982 in Ibadan, Oyo State) is a Nigerian professional footballer currently playing for Football League One club Colchester United on loan from Barnsley.

[edit] Career

Odejayi, a striker, was at Bristol City as a trainee, before moving on to Conference side Forest Green Rovers in 2002. 2002-03 turned out to be Rovers' best ever season since their foundation in 1890, and Odejayi was a key figure, scoring 13 goals as the club finished ninth.

This brought him to the attention of Cheltenham Town, and then-manager Bobby Gould signed him that summer. His first two seasons were a struggle but in his third season (2005-06) he played almost every game as Cheltenham stormed to the play-off final, winning 1-0 against fancied Grimsby Town. He came to national attention in January 2006 when Cheltenham faced Newcastle United in the FA Cup 4th round. Odejayi was outstanding, giving French international defender Jean-Alain Boumsong no end of problems during the game. Following the game he was linked with a move to Championship team Plymouth Argyle however the move never materialised.

On May 31, 2007, Odejayi moved to Barnsley for £200,000, a Cheltenham record for a sale of a player. Forest Green Rovers will receive a windfall from the transfer as part of the terms of Odejayi's Cheltenham deal.^[1]

He scored in the Reds' first friendly against Morecambe in a 2-1 defeat. He then bagged a brace against Portuguese side Louletano DC in a 3-2 win. In a 3-1 victory against Buxton he bagged his fourth goal in three games.

Kayode netted his first competitive goal for Barnsley against Scunthorpe United which effectively sealed a 2-0 victory for the Reds.

Odejayi was booed off by his own fans against Southampton, after he missed a string of chances at goal. He himself admitted about his poor performances and promised the fans he would step it up and he did in the FA Cup quarter finals. Bobby Hassell and Barnsley manager Simon Davey have both publicly given the striker their backing. He will now unquestionably go down in folklore of Barnsley Football Club, as the scorer of one of the most important goals in their history when he secured a 1-0 victory at Oakwell, in the quarter finals of the FA Cup 2008 against Chelsea. On April 6, 2008 in the FA Cup Semi Final against Cardiff City he missed a glorious chance to score when he was put clean through on goal only to shoot wide, costing Barnsley the chance to equalise and possibly reach the FA Cup Final for the first time since 1912.

In January 2009, there was talk of him being pursued by Barnsley's South Yorshire neighbours, Rotherham United.^[2]

[edit] Colchester United (Loan)

He was loaned to Colchester United on 16 September 2009 on an 3 month emergency loan. He made a big impression at the Weston Homes Community Stadium Winning 2 Penalties in his first game against Hartlepool and scoring a brace against high flying Charlton he also scored against Huddersfield , Leyton Orient , Wycombe , Bromley and Oldham. He also set up John-Joe O'Toole's first Colchester goal in a 1 - 1 draw against Tranmere , Odejayi also assisted on Simon Hackney's goal against Bromley .

[edit] International

In Summer 2008, he earned his first ever call up to the Nigerian national team, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1-1 friendly draw against Austria. [1]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Kayode Odejayi profile at barnsleyfc.co.uk
• Kayode Odejayi career stats at Soccerbase