Olufela Olomola
{{short description|English footballer (born 1997)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Olufela Olomola
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|full_name = Olufela Oladele Ayodeji Olomola{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Carlisle United |publisher=English Football League |page=15 |access-date=18 October 2019}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|9|5|df=y}}
|birth_place = Brent, England
|height = {{convert|1.70|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ytfc.net/teams/first-team/forward/olufela-olomola/ |title=First Team – Forward – Olufela Olomola |publisher=Yeovil Town F.C. |access-date=2 August 2017 }}
|currentclub = Bromley
|clubnumber = 29
|youthyears1 =
|youthclubs1 = Arsenal
|youthyears2 = 2014–2016
|youthclubs2 = Southampton
|years1 = 2016–2018
|clubs1 = Southampton
|caps1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
|years2 = 2017–2018
|clubs2 = → Yeovil Town (loan)
|caps2 = 21
|goals2 = 7
|years3 = 2018–2021
|clubs3 = Scunthorpe United
|caps3 = 11
|goals3 = 0
|years4 = 2018–2019
|clubs4 = → Yeovil Town (loan)
|caps4 = 17
|goals4 = 3
|years5 = 2019–2020
|clubs5 = → Carlisle United (loan)
|caps5 = 27
|goals5 = 5
|years6 = 2021–2022
|clubs6 = Hartlepool United
|caps6 = 12
|goals6 = 0
|years7 = 2022
|clubs7 = → Yeovil Town (loan)
|caps7 = 8
|goals7 = 1
|years8 = 2022–2023
|clubs8 = Wealdstone
|caps8 = 47
|goals8 = 7
|years9 = 2023–
|clubs9 = Bromley
|caps9 = 29
|goals9 = 11
|club-update = 22:32, 1 October 2024 (UTC)
}}
Olufela Oladele Ayodeji Olomola (born 5 September 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger or as a forward for {{English football updater|Bromley}} side Bromley.
Known to teammates as "Fela", Olomola holds both British and Nigerian citizenship.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefinalball.com/player.php?id=448902|title=Olufela Olomola: Profile|work=The Final Ball|access-date=25 November 2016}}
Club career
=Southampton=
Born in London, England to Nigerian parents, Olomola is a former Arsenal youth graduate. He scored five goals in 26 appearances for the Southampton under-18s during the 2014–15 campaign. The following season, Olomola was appointed captain of the under-18s side ahead of the 2015–16 season. He was promoted to the Southampton under-21 squad later that season. Olomola was named as an unused substitute by first-team boss Ronald Koeman in Saints' 1–1 home draw against Sunderland on 5 March 2016.{{Cite news|url=http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/14324276.Koeman__Olomola_s_a_talented_Fela/|title=Koeman: Olomola's a talented Fela|last=Walter|first=Simon|date=6 March 2016|newspaper=Hampshire Chronicle|access-date=2 September 2016}} He made a fine start to the 2016–17 campaign, scoring a brace in Southampton's 4–1 away drubbing of Liverpool at Prenton Park in the first match of the U23 Premier League 2 (Division 2) Championship.{{Cite web|url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/20160814-under-23-report-liverpool-1-4-southampton-3247975.aspx|title=Southampton FC: U23 Report: Liverpool 1–4 Southampton|date=14 August 2016|publisher=Southampton F.C.|access-date=2 September 2016}}
Olomola made his professional debut for Southampton on 26 October 2016, coming on in the 26th minute for Jay Rodriguez in a 1–0 EFL Cup win over Sunderland.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37700028 |website=BBC Sport | title=Southampton 1–0 Sunderland | date=26 October 2016 | access-date=26 October 2016}}{{cite web|title=Olomola: Debut a dream come true|url=https://southamptonfc.com/news/2016-10-26/olufela-olomola-southampton-sunderland-efl-cup-reaction|publisher=Southampton F.C.|date=26 October 2016|access-date=23 November 2016}}
==Loan to Yeovil==
On 9 July 2017, Olomola joined League Two club Yeovil Town on loan until January 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40549499 |title=Southampton striker Olufela Olemola joins Yeovil on loan |website=BBC Sport |date=9 July 2017 |access-date=9 July 2017 }}
==Return to Southampton==
Olomola then returned from loan to help the Saints U23s reach the Southampton FA Senior Cup final.{{cite news |first=Simon |last= Walter |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/15823374.Saints_U23s_reach_Southampton_FA_Senior_Cup_semi_finals/|title=Saints U23s reach Southampton FA Senior Cup semi-finals|work=Daily Echo |location=Southampton |date=12 January 2018|access-date=29 July 2019}}{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/football/nonleague/16127419.Own_goal_puts_Saints_in_St_Mary_s_cup_final/|title=Own goal puts Saints in St Mary's cup final|work=Daily Echo|location=Southampton|date=30 March 2018|access-date=29 July 2019}}
=Scunthorpe United=
On 21 May 2018, following his release by Southampton, Olomola signed for League One side Scunthorpe United on a three-year contract.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44198883 |title=Olufela Olomola: Southampton striker joins Scunthorpe on three-year deal |website=BBC Sport |date=21 May 2018 |access-date=21 May 2018 }}
On 31 August 2018, Olomola returned to Yeovil Town on loan until January 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45371095 |title=Olufela Olomola: Yeovil Town sign Scunthorpe United striker on loan |website=BBC Sport |date=31 August 2018 |access-date=31 August 2018 }}
On 29 July 2019, Olomola joined Carlisle United on a season-long loan deal until the end of the 2019–20 campaign.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49157867 |title=Olufela Olomola & Aaron Hayden: Carlisle United bring in striker and defender |website=BBC Sport |date=29 July 2019 |access-date=29 July 2019 }}
He scored his first goal for Scunthorpe on 10 November 2020 in an EFL Trophy group game against Mansfield Town.{{cite news |title=Scunthorpe United 1-2 Mansfield Town: Report and reaction as losing streak continues in EFL Trophy |url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/scunthorpe-mansfield-efl-trophy-report-4688850 |newspaper=Grimsbylive |date=10 November 2020 |access-date=11 November 2020}}
He was one of 17 players released by Scunthorpe at the end of the 2020–21 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/scunthorpe-united-retained-list-players-5412359|title=Scunthorpe United release 17 players including several key men|newspaper=Grimsbylive |date=13 May 2021|via=www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk}}
=Hartlepool United=
On 21 July 2021, Olomola signed for Hartlepool United following a successful trial.{{cite web |url=https://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/pools-sign-olomola/ |title=Pools Sign Olomola |work=Hartlepool United Football Club |publisher=Hartlepool United FC |date=21 July 2021 |access-date=21 July 2021 }} He made his Hartlepool debut in a 1–0 victory against Crawley Town.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58036215 |title=Hartlepool United 1-0 Crawley Town |website=BBC Sport |date=7 August 2021 |access-date=8 August 2021}}
On 11 February 2022, Olomola returned to National League side Yeovil Town for a third loan spell, until the end of the 2021–22 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.ytfc.net/transfer-olomola-returns-for-a-loan-spell/ |title=Transfer {{!}} Olomola returns for a loan spell |work=ytfc.net |publisher=Yeovil Town F.C. |date=11 February 2022 |accessdate=11 February 2022 }} Due to a high number of injuries in the Hartlepool team, Olomola was recalled by Pools on 21 April 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/news/2022/april/pools-recall-olomola/ |title=Pools recall Olomola |publisher=Hartlepool United |date=21 April 2022 |access-date=21 April 2022}} At the end of the 2021–22 season, Olomola was released by Hartlepool.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/news/2022/may/retained-list-2223/ |title=Retained list 22/23 |publisher=Hartlepool United FC |date=19 May 2022}}
=Wealdstone=
On 20 July 2022, Olomola joined National League side Wealdstone, following his departure from Hartlepool.{{cite web |url=https://www.wealdstone-fc.com/post/new-signing-striker-olomola-joins-the-stones |title=NEW SIGNING {{!}} Striker Olomola joins the Stones |work=Wealdstone F.C. |date=20 July 2022 |access-date=20 July 2022 }} Olomola made an immediate impact for Wealdstone scoring on his debut after 16 minutes in a 3-2 victory against Bromley on 6 August 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62358274 |title=Wealdstone 3-2 Bromley |website=BBC Sport |date=6 August 2022 |access-date=7 August 2022 }}
=Bromley =
Olomola joined fellow National League side, Bromley, on 6 October 2023 for an undisclosed fee.{{cite news |title=Raven sign forward Olufela Olomola from Wealdstone |url=https://www.bromleyfc.co.uk/news/first-team/ravens-sign-forward-olufela-olomola-from-wealdstone/ |access-date=10 October 2023 |work=Bromley FC |date=6 October 2023}} He scored 10 league goals for Bromley in his first season with the club and came on as a substitute in the club's 2024 National League play-off final victory at Wembley Stadium.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/czd8v92911dt#Line-ups |title=Bromley 2–2 Solihull Moors: Line-ups |website=BBC Sport |date=5 May 2024 |access-date=5 May 2024}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 1 October 2024}}
| 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|FA Cup !colspan=2|League Cup !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=3|Southampton
|2016–17{{soccerbase season|90347|2016|access-date=9 July 2017}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2017–18{{soccerbase season|90347|2017|access-date=9 July 2017}}
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
!0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||1||0 | ||||||||||
| Southampton U23
|colspan=3|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 3{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| Yeovil Town (loan)
|21 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 28 | 7 | |
| rowspan=4|Scunthorpe United
|2018–19{{soccerbase season|90347|2018|access-date=17 February 2019}} |6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2019–20{{soccerbase season|90347|2019|access-date=24 August 2019}}
|League Two |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020–21{{soccerbase season|90347|2020|access-date=12 November 2020}}
|League Two |5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 7 | 1 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!11||0||1||0||0||0||1||1||13||1 | ||||||||||
| Yeovil Town (loan)
|League Two |17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 21 | 3 | |
| Carlisle United (loan)
|League Two |27 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 33 | 6 | |
| Hartlepool United
|2021–22{{soccerbase season|90347|2021|access-date=2 September 2021}} |League Two |12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 17 | 1 | |
| Yeovil Town (loan)
|2021–22{{cite web |title=O. Olomola: Summary |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/olufela-olomola/437909/ |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=11 February 2022}} |8 | 1 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 1{{efn|Appearance in Somerset Premier Cup}} | 1 | 9 | 2 | |||
| rowspan=3|Wealdstone
|National League |39 | 7 | 1 | 2 | colspan=2|— | 2{{efn|One appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance and one goal in Middlesex Senior Cup}} | 1 | 42 | 10 | ||
| 2023–24
|National League |8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
!47||7||1||2||colspan=2|—||2||1||50||10 | ||||||||||
| rowspan=3|Bromley
|National League |28 | 10 | 2 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 6{{efn|Four appearances in FA Trophy, two appearances in National League play-offs}} | 1 | 36 | 11 | ||
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season|90347|2024|access-date=20 August 2024}}
|League Two |1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!29||11||2||0||1||0||8||2||40||13 | ||||||||||
| colspan=3|Career total
!172||34||10||3||6||0||27||8||215||45 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Bromley
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{Soccerway}}
{{Bromley F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olomola, Olufela}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Brent
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Southampton F.C. players
Category:Yeovil Town F.C. players
Category:Scunthorpe United F.C. players
Category:Carlisle United F.C. players
Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players
Category:Wealdstone F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:21st-century Black British people
Category:English people of Nigerian descent