Efe Sodje; signs a new deal with the promoted Shakers
He was still the best Bury player during the 1-1 draw at Roots Hall earlier last season at the age of 38, and as a senior player and coach Efetobore Sodje helped oversee the Greater Manchester club to promotion to League One, after so many near misses, that wasn't certain after manager Alan Knill left to take over at Scunthorpe.
Ironically Knill, who brought Efe to the club in 2008, will face his old club next season as the Iron were relegated back to the third tier.
Anyway, more importantly to the Bury faithful, (though they are probably working on a few songs about their ex-boss for the time when they eventually meet up again), Sodje has signed on the dotted line to remain at Gigg Lane until the end of the 2012/13 season.
The centre-back, who will be nearly 40 when his new deal comes to an end so expect a touch more coaching to be done over the next couple of campaigns, has made 145 appearances as a Shaker, scoring four goals.
The Sodje Files
 |
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Efetobore Sodje[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 October 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Greenwich, London, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Bury | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1994-1997 | Stevenage Borough | 40 | (1) |
| 1997-1999 | Macclesfield Town | 83 | (6) |
| 1999-2000 | Luton Town | 9 | (0) |
| 2000 | → Colchester United (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2000-2003 | Crewe Alexandra | 97 | (3) |
| 2003-2005 | Huddersfield Town | 67 | (5) |
| 2005-2006 | Yeovil Town | 25 | (3) |
| 2006 | → Southend United (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2006-2007 | Southend United | 36 | (2) |
| 2007-2008 | Gillingham | 13 | (0) |
| 2008 | → Bury (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2008- | Bury | 122 | (12) |
| National team | |||
| 2000-2004 | Nigeria | 9 | (1) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:22, 7 May 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
|||
(Player info supplied by Wikipedia for the full article go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efe_Sodje)