James Olayinka
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = James Olayinka
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname = Olujimi James Ayodele Olayinka{{cite web|url=http://www.premierleague.com/news/844127|title=2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed|website=www.premierleague.com|accessdate=1 February 2020}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|10|5|df=y}}{{cite web |title=James Olayinka|url=https://www.11v11.com/players/james-olayinka-264486/|publisher=11v11 |accessdate=1 February 2020}}
|birth_place = Lambeth, England
|height = {{convert|1.75|m|order=flip}}
|position = Midfielder
|currentclub = Waterford
|clubnumber =
|youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2019
|youthclubs1 = Arsenal
|years1 = 2019–2022
|clubs1 = Arsenal
|caps1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
|years2 = 2020
|clubs2 = → Northampton Town (loan)
|caps2 = 1
|goals2 = 0
|years3 = 2020–2021
|clubs3 = → Southend United (loan)
|caps3 = 20
|goals3 = 2
|years4 = 2022–2024
|clubs4 = Cheltenham Town
|caps4 = 38
|goals4 = 1
|years5 = 2025–
|clubs5 = Waterford
|caps5 = 3
|goals5 = 0
|club-update = 12:37, 29 March 2025 (UTC)
}}
Olujimi James Ayodele Olayinka (born 5 October 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club Waterford.
Career
= Arsenal =
Olayinka began his career with Arsenal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arsenal.com/academy/players/james-olayinka|title=James Olayinka|website=www.arsenal.com}} He signed his first professional contract with the club in January 2019.{{Cite web|title=James Olayinka signs professional contract|url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/james-olayinka-signs-professional-contract|access-date=25 March 2021|website=www.arsenal.com|language=en}}
On 29 August 2020, Olayinka was named an unused substitute in the 2020 FA Community Shield, with Arsenal clinching a 5–4 victory over Liverpool in the penalty shootout after the match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes.{{Cite web|last=Association|first=The Football|title=Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool (5–4 on penalties)|url=http://www.thefa.com/news/2020/aug/29/arsenal-liverpool-mens-fa-community-shield-match-report-290820|access-date=25 March 2021|website=www.thefa.com|language=en}}
== Loan to Northampton Town ==
In January 2020, Olayinka moved on loan to League Two side Northampton Town until the end of the season,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51272587|title=James Olayinka & Callum Morton: Northampton Town loan Arsenal and West Brom youngsters|work=BBC Sport |date=27 January 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Olayinka joins Northampton Town on loan|url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/olayinka-joins-northampton-town-loan|access-date=25 March 2021|website=www.arsenal.com|language=en}} making his debut in a 3–0 win over Scunthorpe United on 28 January.{{Cite web|title=NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3 SCUNTHORPE UNITED 0|url=https://www.ntfc.co.uk/news/20202/january/scunthorpe_h_report/|access-date=25 March 2021|website=www.ntfc.co.uk|language=en-gb}} He helped Northampton Town to secure promotion to League One by winning the play-off final.{{Cite web|last=Critchlow|first=Dan|title=James Olayinka ends loan with promotion win at Wembley|date=30 June 2020 |url=https://dailycannon.com/2020/06/james-olayinka-ends-loan-with-promotion-win-at-wembley/|access-date=25 March 2021|language=en-US}}
== Loan to Southend United ==
In October 2020 he joined Southend United on loan until January 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54583228|title=Southend sign Arsenal's Olayinka on loan|work=BBC Sport |date=17 October 2020 }} He scored his first goal for the club, and his first professional goal, in an FA Cup tie against Boreham Wood on 7 November 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54839964|title=Boreham Wood 3–3 Southend|publisher=BBC|date=7 November 2020 |accessdate=8 November 2020}} On 1 February 2021, Olayinka extended his loan with Southend United to the end of the 2020–21 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2021/february/olayinka-stays/ |title=Olayinka stays |publisher=Southend United FC |date=1 February 2021 |accessdate=2 February 2021}}
=Cheltenham Town=
He signed a two-year contract with Cheltenham Town on 1 September 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62757909|title=Cheltenham sign Arsenal midfielder Olayinka|work=BBC Sport |date=September 2022 }} On 2 January 2024, manager Darrell Clarke announced that Olayinka had been made available for transfer.{{cite web|url=https://www.ctfc.com/news/2024/january/six-loan-players-return-to-parent-clubs/|title=Six loan players to return to parent clubs|website=www.ctfc.com|date=2 January 2024|accessdate=2 January 2024}}
He was released by the club at the end of the 2023–24 season.{{Cite web |date=30 April 2024 |title=Curtis Davies one of seven released by Cheltenham Town |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c4n192zp35xo |access-date=30 April 2024 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
=Waterford=
On 14 November 2024, it was announced that Olayinka would be joining League of Ireland Premier Division club Waterford ahead of their 2025 season.{{Cite web|url=https://waterfordfc.ie/2024/11/14/olayinka-becomes-a-blue/|title=Olayinka Becomes A Blue!|first=Waterford|last=FC|date=14 November 2024}}
Personal life
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 28 March 2025}}
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National Cup !colspan=2|League Cup !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="6"|Arsenal U21
|colspan="2"|2018–19 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|116146|2018|accessdate=8 May 2021}} |colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 4{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.}} | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"|2019–20 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|116146|2019|accessdate=20 June 2020}}
|colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| colspan="2"|2020–21 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|116146|2020|accessdate=8 May 2021}}
|colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"|2021–22 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|116146|2021|accessdate=12 September 2022}}
|colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| colspan="2"|2022–23 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|116146|2022|accessdate=12 September 2022}}
|colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| colspan=2|Total
!colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 12 | 3 | 12 | 3 | ||||
| rowspan="4"|Arsenal
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020–21
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021–22
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Northampton Town (loan)
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3{{efn|Appearances in the League Two play-offs.}} | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Southend United (loan)
|League Two |20 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 3 | |
| rowspan="3"|Cheltenham Town
|27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|116146|2023|accessdate=14 November 2024}}
|11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!38 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| Waterford
|2025{{cite web | url=https://ie.soccerway.com/players/james-olayinka/453132/ | title=England - J. Olayinka - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway }} |3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| colspan=3|Career total
!62 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 83 | 7 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{Waterford F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olayinka, James}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Lambeth
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Northampton Town F.C. players
Category:Southend United F.C. players
Category:Cheltenham Town F.C. players
Category:Waterford F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:League of Ireland players
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:English people of Nigerian descent