James Olayinka
Personal information
Full name Olujimi James Ayodele Olayinka[1]
Date of birth (2000-10-05) 5 October 2000[2]
Place of birth Lambeth, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Cheltenham Town
Number 17
Youth career
0000–2019 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Arsenal 0 (0)
2020 → Northampton Town (loan) 1 (0)
2020–2021 → Southend United (loan) 20 (2)
2022– Cheltenham Town 33 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:00, 22 October 2023 (UTC)

Olujimi James Ayodele Olayinka (born 5 October 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Cheltenham Town.

Career

Arsenal

Olayinka began his career with Arsenal.[3] He signed his first professional contract with the club in January 2019.[4]

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.[5]

Loan to Northampton Town

In January 2020, Olayinka moved on loan to League Two side Northampton Town until the end of the season,[6][7] making his debut in a 3–0 win over Scunthorpe United on 28 January.[8] He helped Northampton Town to secure promotion to League One by winning the play-off final.[9]

Loan to Southend United

In October 2020 he joined Southend United on loan until January 2021.[10] 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.[11] On 1 February 2021, Olayinka extended his loan with Southend United to the end of the 2020–21 season.[12]

Cheltenham Town

He signed a two-year contract with Cheltenham Town on 1 September 2022.[13] On 2 January 2024, manager Darrell Clarke announced that Olayinka had been made availably for transfer.[14]

Career statistics

As of match played 15 April 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Arsenal U21 2018–19 EFL Trophy[15] ———4[lower-alpha 1]040
2019–20 EFL Trophy[16] ———2[lower-alpha 1]121
2020–21 EFL Trophy[17] ———2[lower-alpha 1]020
2021–22 EFL Trophy[18] ———3[lower-alpha 1]232
2022–23 EFL Trophy[19] ———1[lower-alpha 1]010
Total ———123123
Arsenal 2019–20[16] Premier League 0000000000
2020–21[17] Premier League 0000000000
2021–22[18] Premier League 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Northampton Town (loan) 2019–20[16] League Two 1000003[lower-alpha 2]040
Southend United (loan) 2020–21[17] League Two 202110000213
Cheltenham Town 2022–23[19] League One 271100000281
Career total 4832100153657
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.
  2. ↑ Appearances in the League Two play-offs.

Honours

Northampton Town

Arsenal

Personal life

Olayinka is of Nigerian descent.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 "James Olayinka". 11v11. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  3. ↑ "James Olayinka". www.arsenal.com.
  4. ↑ "James Olayinka signs professional contract". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  5. ↑ Association, The Football. "Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool (5–4 on penalties)". www.thefa.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  6. ↑ "James Olayinka & Callum Morton: Northampton Town loan Arsenal and West Brom youngsters". 27 January 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. ↑ "Olayinka joins Northampton Town on loan". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3 SCUNTHORPE UNITED 0". www.ntfc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  9. ↑ Critchlow, Dan. "James Olayinka ends loan with promotion win at Wembley". Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "Southend sign Arsenal's Olayinka on loan" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  11. ↑ "Boreham Wood 3–3 Southend". BBC. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  12. ↑ "Olayinka stays". Southend United FC. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  13. ↑ "Cheltenham sign Arsenal midfielder Olayinka" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  14. ↑ "Six loan players to return to parent clubs". www.ctfc.com. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "Games played by James Olayinka in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  16. 1 2 3 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  17. 1 2 3 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  18. 1 2 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  19. 1 2 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  20. ↑ Pilnick, Brent (29 June 2020). "Exeter City 0–4 Northampton Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  21. ↑ Sanders, Emma (29 August 2020). "Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  22. ↑ "Nigerian-born James Olayinka signs professional contract with Arsenal". Pulse. 29 January 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
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