Abu Ogogo

Abu Ogogo

Ogogo playing for Dagenham & Redbridge in 2014
Personal information
Full nameAbumere Tafadzwa Ogogo[1]
Date of birth3 November 1989[2]
Place of birthEpsom, England
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Playing positionDefender / Midfielder
Club information
Current team
Dagenham & Redbridge
Number8
Youth career
2000–2004Wimbledon
2004–2007Arsenal
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2007–2009Arsenal0(0)
2008–2009→ Barnet (loan)9(1)
2009–Dagenham & Redbridge224(17)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:21, 28 April 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Abumere Tafadzwa "Abu" Ogogo (born 3 November 1989) is an English footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for Dagenham & Redbridge.

Career

Early career

Ogogo began his career as a striker with his local Sunday league club when a scout from Wimbledon approached him for a trial.[3] His trial was successful and he signed for Wimbledon, where he stayed until the club went into administration and the youth team disbanded due to the club's move to Milton Keynes.[4] He was spotted as a fourteen-year-old by Arsenal playing for Fulham and joined after successfully completing a six-week trial, along with former Wimbledon teammates Kieran Gibbs and James Dunne.[4][5] He started a scholarship with the club in the summer of 2006, and came to prominence in the 2006–07 FA Youth Cup run, where Arsenal were seconds away from reaching the final.[6][7] It was during this period that Arsenal converted Ogogo from a central midfielder to a right back.[8] In September 2007, he signed his first professional contract with the club on a two-year deal.[8] It was the first time that all the second-year scholars had received professional contracts.[8] He remained a regular in the reserves and also featured twice on the bench in Football League Cup games.[9] In October 2008, Ogogo joined Football League Championship side Nottingham Forest on a two-week trial from Arsenal along with James Dunne and Paul Rodgers, with the view to a permanent deal.[10] He featured in a reserve game victory over Shrewsbury Town but failed to earn a deal with Forest.[10]

In November 2008 he joined League Two side Barnet on a month's loan.[11] He made his debut for Barnet in the 4–0 home defeat by Notts County on 15 November 2008.[12] He scored his first goal in senior football when he slotted home a Kenny Gillet cross in a 3–1 defeat to bottom of the table Luton Town.[13] He then went on to receive a second booking and a subsequent red card.[13][14] Later on in the month, his loan was extended for a further month until January, and then later extended until the end of the season.[15][16] His Barnet career ended in disastrous fashion as he was sent off for handball in the final game of the season against Port Vale.[17] He made a total of nine appearances for the club scoring once. In May 2009, it was announced that he would be released by Arsenal, after failing to make a breakthrough at the club.[18]

Dagenham & Redbridge

In June 2009, he signed for Football League Two sdie Dagenham & Redbridge on a two-year contract, as a direct replacement for Danny Foster who had recently departed to Brentford.[19] His Daggers career got off to an indifferent start with Ogogo gaining a reputation for getting sent off.[20] When Ogogo was sent off against Macclesfield Town in October 2009, he was consigned to a spell on the bench after the Daggers replaced him with loan signing Seth Nana Twumasi.[20] He made his debut for the club in August 2009, in a 2–1 win at Crewe Alexandra, replacing Jon Nurse as a substitute on the right wing.[3] When he returned to the side in a match against Shrewsbury Town, he came close to another red card following another reckless challenge.[20] Ogogo admitted he learned the hard way, waiting for his chance and slowly cemented his place at right back in the Daggers side as they pushed for the play-offs.[20] He featured for the side in the 2010 Football League Two play-off Final win over Rotherham United at Wembley Stadium.[21] In August 2010, he signed a new two-year contract extension with the Daggers.[22] He took his impressive form into the clubs maiden season in Football League One, showing his ability to play at a higher level during the 2010–11 season.[21] However, he could not save the Daggers from relegation on the final game of the season in a 5–0 defeat to Peterborough United.

He continued to be a first team regular as the Daggers struggled on their return to League Two finishing in the bottom half of the table. In July 2012, he committed to another three-year contract with the club, after impressive for a third successive campaign.[23] He was also appointed captain, succeeding from departing skipper Mark Arber.[24] It was during the 2012–13 season that he was moved from right back to central midfield under new manager Wayne Burnett, after he convinced the manager for the opportunity to switch.[25] However, the club struggled and had to battle for Football League survival, which came as a surprise to Ogogo.[26] He went on to make his 200th appearance for the Daggers in February 2014, in a 1–1 draw with Burton Albion.[25] In April 2014, Ogogo claimed the supporters' and club Player of the Year awards, after scoring nine goals during the campaign.[27]

Personal life

Ogogo of Ghanaian descent was born in Epsom, Surrey and raised in nearby Tadworth.[5][28] He attended The Beacon School in Banstead, Surrey.[29] In May 2010, he was sentenced to eight month's imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and ordered to perform 120 hours of unpaid community service, after pleading guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm in an assault in Croydon in August 2008.[30]

Career statistics

As of match played 25 April 2015.
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barnet (loan)
2008–09[31]
 League Two 9100000091
Dagenham & Redbridge 2009–10[32] League Two 30200104[lower-alpha 1]0352
2010–11[33] League One 33120101[lower-alpha 2]0371
2011–12[34] League Two 40160101[lower-alpha 2]0481
2012–13[35] League Two 46110101[lower-alpha 2]0491
2013–14[36] League Two 44810103[lower-alpha 2]1499
2014–15[37] League Two 31410101[lower-alpha 2]0344
Total 224171106011125218
Career total 233181106011126119
  1. ↑ One appearance in Football League Trophy, three in Football League Two play-offs
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy

Honours

Dagenham & Redbridge

References

  1. ↑ "Professional retain lists & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. May 2013. p. 60. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 474. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Career ladder: Abu Ogogo". Football League. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "CGibbs: Wimbledon bust led me to Arsenal". Tribal Football. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Young Guns - Abu Ogogo". Arsenal F.C. 3 April 2006. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "Whatever happened to #4… Lansbury, Bentley, Ogogo, Butcher, Connolly". Jeorge Bird's Arsenal Youth. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Young Guns - Abumere Ogogo". Arsenal F.C. 3 May 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Young Guns: Defender Abu Ogogo". Arsenal F.C. 3 October 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "Abu Ogogo joins League Two Barnet on loan". Arsenal F.C. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Forest impressed by young Gunners". BBC Sport. 2 October 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "Ogogo joins Barnet on month loan". BBC Sport. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  12. ↑ "Barnet 0–4 Notts County". BBC Sport. 15 November 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Loan Watch: Ogogo scores first senior goal". Arsenal F.C. 8 December 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "Luton 3–1 Barnet". BBC. 6 December 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  15. ↑ "Ogogo extends his loan spell at Barnet". Arsenal F.C. 15 December 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  16. ↑ "Ogogo to stay at Barnet for rest of season". Arsenal F.C. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  17. ↑ "Loanees- Ogogo sent off on Barnet farewell, Fonte+Hoyte complete loan spells + Simpson and Botelho". Arsenal Youth. 3 May 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  18. ↑ "Bischoff among Arsenal released players". Tribal Football. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  19. ↑ "Daggers bring in Arsenal defender". BBC Sport. 29 June 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 "Ogogo keeps his nose clean to reap rewards". Welywn Hatfield Times. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Abu Ogogo profile". Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  22. ↑ "Abu Ogogo signs two-year Dagenham & Redbridge deal". BBC Sport. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  23. ↑ "Abu Ogogo the latest Dagger to re-sign for club". London 24. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "Ogogo gets armband". Eurosport. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "ABU OGOGO: 200 Appearances". Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  26. ↑ "After life at the top, battle at the bottom with Dagenham is new to Abu Ogogo". London Evening Standard. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  27. ↑ "Daggers captain Ogogo ‘proud’ after clean sweep of awards". Barking & Dagenham Post. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  28. ↑ "Assifuah And Yartey Inspire Sion, While Gyan, Benson, Quaison And Eghan Score Abroad, Read More How Ghanaian Players Fared". Modern Ghana. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  29. ↑ "REVIEW OF THE YEAR: So, what exactly happened in 2006?". Surrey Comet. 29 December 2006. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  30. ↑ "Epsom footballer spared jail for assault". Your Local Guardian. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  31. ↑ "Barnet 2008/2009 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  32. ↑ "Dag & Red 2009/2010 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  33. ↑ "Dag & Red 2010/2011 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  34. ↑ "Dag & Red 2011/2012 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  35. ↑ "Dag & Red 2012/2013 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  36. ↑ "Dag & Red 2013/2014 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  37. ↑ "Dag & Red 2014/2015 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 August 2014.

External links

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