It’s not often you’ll find a former FA Cup Quarter Final goalscorer in the National League North, but Stockport County possess exactly that in the shape of Kayode Odejayi. It is the Nigerian forward the Shaymen must be wary of at Edgeley Park if they are to avoid defeat.
The 34 year old was picked up by Bristol City as a youngster and in his three-year stay, which included loan a spell at Forest Green, he scored just once, albeit in only 12 appearances. The Gloucestershire non-leaguers signed Odejayi permanently for a season where he achieved a healthy goal tally of 13.
He spent four years at Cheltenham Town, making 138 appearances and where an impressive performance against Newcastle United in the FA Cup earned the Nigerian plaudits from the national press.
Barnsley then signed the striker for a £200’000 fee, a record amount received by Cheltenham in their history. After a series of poor performances in the 2007/08 season, Odejayi fell out of favour, but promised the club he would step up. It was in the FA Cup quarter final against Chelsea that this promise came into fruition. He scored the only goal as the Oakwell side beat the Premiership giants 1-0 to set the Championship side up a semi-final against Cardiff City.
Loan spells at Scunthorpe and Colchester saw Odejayi earn a permanent contract at the latter, scoring 11 times in his two year spell. He was named their player of the season 2011/12.
Odejayi then signed for Rotherham, and scored his first goal for the club against burton Albion, coincidentally in the first game at their new stadium. He was then loaned to Accrington Stanley, before Tranmere signed him in the summer of 2014. Following the Wirral side’s relegation to the National League, he was releaed and signed for Stockport County in July 2015.
Last season, Odejayi scored seven times for Stockport.
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