| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 January 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Bignona, Senegal | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
| Playing position | Centre Back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Ipswich Town | ||
| Number | 31 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2002 | Grenoble | 47 | (2) |
| 2002–2004 | Brentford | 80 | (8) |
| 2004–2008 | Reading | 127 | (8) |
| 2008–2011 | Stoke City | 14 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | → Hull City (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | → Portsmouth (loan) | 23 | (1) |
| 2011– | Ipswich Town | 14 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2008– | Senegal | 4 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:49, 31 December 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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Ibrahima Sonko (born 22 January 1981 in Bignona in Senegal) is a Senegalese international professional footballer who currently plays for Ipswich Town.
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Sonko started his career at Saint-Étienne in France, before moving to Grenoble. He then joined English club Brentford in 2002, before leaving to join Reading on a Bosman transfer in 2004. He quickly became a fans' favourite, being nicknamed Superman for his prodigious leaps into the air to powerfully head the ball away. "Sonko is Superman" t-shirts have been made available by Reading.[1]
Sonko's first season in the Premier League was eventful. He received a straight red card against Aston Villa for tripping Luke Moore in the penalty area, meaning Reading lost 2–1.[2] Royals coach Kevin Dillon condemned the referee's actions, saying "The reaction of the referee was disappointing. It was a penalty, fair enough, but the referee sprinted across. He couldn't wait to get his red card out".[3]
He was the subject of further controversy in a match against Chelsea on 14 October 2006, when his challenge left goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini unconscious.[4] Cudicini was carried off the field wearing a neck brace.[4] On 22 December 2006 Sonko announced that he was scared after receiving death threats in connection with the Chelsea match.[5]
On 11 December 2006, Sonko signed an extension to his contract with Reading, keeping him at the Madejski Stadium until the summer of 2010.[6]
However, on 20 January 2007 he injured knee ligaments when he fell awkwardly whilst playing for Reading in their 3–1 home win against Sheffield United,[7] and it was subsequently announced that he would miss the rest of the 2006–07 season.[8] He returned to first team action on 20 October 2007 in a 4–2 defeat away to Blackburn Rovers.[9] Sonko, along with teammate Emerse Fae refused to play in a reserve match at the end of the 2007–08 season and was suspended for their last 2 matches.
Sonko signed for Midlands-based club Stoke City for a fee of £2 million, which could rise £2.25 million depending on appearances, on 29 August 2008.[10] Ibrahima made his Stoke City Debut on 14 September 2008 in a 3–2 defeat to Everton
On 1 September 2009 Sonko joined Hull City on a season-long loan deal. Sonko made his debut for Hull on 12 September 2009, in a 4–1 loss away to Sunderland.[11] Sonko then went on loan at Portsmouth and made his debut in a 2-0 defeat away to Coventry on 7 August 2010. He scored his first goal for Portsmouth against Nottingham Forest on 30 October 2010.
After an unsuccessful time at Stoke he was released at the end of the 2010–11 season.[12]
On 26 August 2011, Sonko signed for Championship club Ipswich Town on a one-year deal. He now lives in Ipswich. [13] He scored his first goal for Ipswich in a 3–1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on 1 October 2011.[14]
Sonko was born in Senegal, but moved to France when he was six months and 14 days old. Despite this, Sonko initially elected to play for the Senegal national team. He represented Senegal at U23 level, but declined his call-up to their African Cup of Nations squad of 2006, opting instead to help Reading's ultimately successful bid for promotion to the Premier League.[15] He then announced that he would play for France if selected, but if called up to the Senegal squad before a French call-up, he would play for the African team.[16]
Sonko was named in Senegal's provisional 38-man squad for the African Cup of Nations, which runs from 20 January to 10 February 2008.[17] Senegal coach Henryk Kasperczak also included Sonko in his final 23-man squad making him the only uncapped player in the squad. He finally made his debut for Senegal on 12 January 2008 in their 3–1 win over Namibia in Dakar; he played the entire game in the centre of defence.[18]
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| France | League | Coupe de France | Coupe de la Ligue | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 1999–00 | Grenoble Foot 38 | Championnat National | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2001–02 | Ligue 2 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| England | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2002–03 | Brentford | League One | 37 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 6 |
| 2003–04 | 43 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 3 | ||
| 2004–05 | Reading | Championship | 39 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 1 |
| 2005–06 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 3 | ||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | |
| 2007–08 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Championship | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | Stoke City | Premier League | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Hull City | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2010–11 | Portsmouth | Championship | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| Total | France | 47 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 2 | |
| England | 244 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 266 | 17 | ||
| Career total | 294 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 313 | 19 | ||
His cousin Bacary Sagna plays in the English Premier League for Arsenal.[19]
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