Akinwale Joseph Odimayo

Akin Odimayo An injury two days before the campaign began kept him out for nearly four months after he joined Northampton Town on a free transfer. During the recovery he learned to play at left-back. He then became a key player in the side that won the EFL League Two title and went up to League One.

The centre-back came through the academy at Reading, where he signed his first professional contract in July 2018. His senior debut came on 27 August 2019 in an EFL Cup tie against AFC Wimbledon. He did not play a league game for the club. Loans followed to Hungerford Town, where he made eight appearances, and to Waterford, where he made four. Reading released him in 2020.

Swindon Town signed him that August on a free transfer, and it was there that he established himself as a regular starter. He made 76 appearances over two seasons, and supporters voted him their Player of the Year for 2020–21. Championship clubs were interested, but he signed a one-year extension in August 2021 and stayed until July 2022.

At Northampton he made 98 appearances before leaving at the end of the 2024–25 season. He has not scored a league goal in his career. His one recorded assist came in November 2022, for Sam Sherring.

Odimayo joined Newport County on a short-term contract in October 2025 and made seven appearances before leaving in January 2026. He then signed an 18-month contract with Crawley Town on a free transfer.