Clarke Oduor
{{short description|Kenyan footballer (born 1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Clarke Oduor
| image = Clarke Oduor 2023.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Oduor with Bradford City in 2023
| fullname = Clarke Sydney Omondi Oduor{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Barnsley |publisher=English Football League |page=3 |accessdate=18 October 2019}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|6|25| df=y}}
| position = Winger
| currentclub = Bradford City
| clubnumber = 12
| youthyears1 = 2010–2017
| youthclubs1 = Leeds United
| years1 = 2017–2019
| clubs1 = Leeds United
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2019–2023
| clubs2 = Barnsley
| caps2 = 48
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = → Hartlepool United (loan)
| caps3 = 11
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2023–
| clubs4 = Bradford City
| caps4 = 51
| goals4 = 4
| nationalyears1 = 2020–
| nationalteam1 = Kenya
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 15:38, 4 May 2025
| ntupdate = 22 October 2023
}}
Clarke Sydney Omondi Oduor (born 25 June 1999) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays for {{English football updater|BradforC}} club Bradford City and the Kenya national team. He plays as a left back, however he has also played as an attacking midfielder and winger.{{cite news|url=https://tbrfootball.com/is-clarke-oduor-leeds-next-breakthrough-star/|title=Is Clarke Oduor Leeds' next breakthrough star?|date=6 October 2018|accessdate=24 January 2019|publisher=The Boot Room}}
Career
=Leeds United=
Oduor started his career at Leeds United's academy, signing a professional contract on 16 January 2017.{{cite news |url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/21514/clarke-oduor-signs-professional-deal |title=CLARKE ODUOR SIGNS PROFESSIONAL DEAL|publisher=Leeds United |date=16 January 2017|accessdate=6 January 2019}}
He made his professional debut on 6 January 2019, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute during a 2–1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the FA Cup.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46713169 |title=QPR 2–1 Leeds United |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 January 2019 |accessdate=6 January 2019}}
On 17 February, Oduor signed a new contract with Leeds, extending his deal until the end of the 2019–20 season with the option of a further year.{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/new-deal-for-leeds-united-youngster-clarke-oduor-1-9599978 |title=New deal for Leeds United youngster Clarke Oduor |publisher=YEP|date=17 February 2019 |accessdate=19 February 2019}}
Oduor featured regularly for Carlos Corberán's Leeds United under-23 side over the course of the 2018–19 season, showing his versatility by playing as left back, left wing back, winger and as a forward over the course of the year.{{cite news |url=https://tbrfootball.com/true-leader-leeds-under-23-captain-hugo-diaz-impresses-the-fans-once-again/ |title='True leader' – Leeds under-23 captain Hugo Diaz impresses the fans once again |publisher=The Boot Room |date=12 March 2019 |accessdate=1 June 2019}} With Oduor's help, Leeds won the PDL Northern League championship as well as the national PDL championship, beating Birmingham City in the final.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-latest/carlos-corberan-on-what-the-future-can-hold-for-leeds-united-s-pdl-champions-1-9754577|date=7 May 2019|accessdate=15 May 2019|publisher=YEP|title=Carlos Corberan on what the future can hold for Leeds United's PDL champions}}
=Barnsley=
On 31 August 2019, Oduor signed a four-year deal to join EFL Championship side Barnsley.
On 7 December, Oduor made his league debut for Barnsley as a 93rd-minute substitute in the Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2019/december/cardiffreport/|title=REPORT: Cardiff City 3–2 Barnsley|website=www.barnsleyfc.co.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=2019-12-17}} On 14 December, Oduor made his first league start for the side.{{Cite web|url=https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2019/december/qpr-report/|title=REPORT: Barnsley 5–3 QPR|website=www.barnsleyfc.co.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=2019-12-17}} On 26 December, he earned Man of the Match honours in a league match against West Bromwich Albion.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50846968|title=Barnsley 1–1 West Bromwich Albion: Tykes hold high-flying Baggies for second time|date=2019-12-26|access-date=2020-01-13|language=en-GB}} He scored his first goal in the 91st minute of the last game of the 2019–20 season against Brentford to keep Barnsley in the Championship.{{Cite news|title=Barnsley win at Brentford to stay up|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53412705|access-date=2022-01-25}}
On 1 September 2022, Oduor signed for Hartlepool United on loan.{{Cite news|title=Pools sign Clarke Oduor|language=en-GB|work=Hartlepool United FC|url=https://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/news/2022/september/pools-sign-clarke/|access-date=2022-09-01}} He scored his first goal Hartlepool in a 2–1 defeat to Swindon Town.{{cite news|url=https://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/sport/football/swindon-town-2-1-hartlepool-united-pools-remain-bottom-despite-nicky-featherstone-return-3890234 |title=Swindon Town 2–1 Hartlepool United: Pools remain bottom despite Nicky Featherstone return |author=Joe Ramage |publisher=Hartlepool Mail |date=23 October 2022 |access-date=23 October 2022}}
=Bradford City=
Upon expiry of his contract at Barnsley, Oduor moved to EFL League Two side Bradford City on a three-year deal.{{Cite web |title=ODUOR ARRIVES AT CITY |url=https://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/oduor-arrives-at-city/ |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk |language=en-gb}}
International career
Oduor was eligible for both the Kenyan national team and the England national team.{{cite web|url=https://futaa.com/zw/article/173361/harambee-stars-prospect-signs-contract-extension-with-english-side|date=18 February 2019|accessdate=27 June 2019|publisher=YEP|title=Harambee Stars prospect signs contract extension with English side|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627175722/https://futaa.com/zw/article/173361/harambee-stars-prospect-signs-contract-extension-with-english-side|url-status=dead}} He made his senior debut for Kenya in a 2–1 friendly win over Zambia on 9 October 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/10/09/world/friendlies/kenya/zambia/3399514/|title=Kenya vs. Zambia - 9 October 2020 - Soccerway|website=uk.soccerway.com}}
Style of play
Oduor is known for his versatility, being able to play as a winger on either flank or as a left back, left wing-back or left-sided forward.{{cite news |url=https://tbrfootball.com/is-clarke-oduor-leeds-next-breakthrough-star/ |title=Is Clarke Oduor Leeds' next breakthrough star?|publisher=The Boot Room |date=6 October 2018|accessdate=24 January 2019}} With Oduor style known for his pace, incisive footwork and his ability to both defend and attack.{{cite news |url=https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-u23s-player-ratings-16049880 |title=Leeds United U23s player ratings as Corberan's men follow title success with place in cup semi-finals|publisher=Leeds Live |date=29 March 2019|accessdate=31 July 2019}}
Career statistics
{{updated|matches played 4 March 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Bradford City A.F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oduor, Clarke}}
Category:Footballers from Nairobi
Category:Kenyan men's footballers
Category:Kenya men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Leeds United F.C. players
Category:Barnsley F.C. players
Category:Kenyan expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Kenyan expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players
Category:Bradford City A.F.C. players