Samuel Sodje, a retired professional footballer who played as a defender said: “I was first my own manager, I had many managers who told me I wasn’t good enough, but Martin Allen then coach of Notts County was the first manager who gave me a genuine shot.”
Sam Sodje emphasized on self-belief, saying “if you don’t believe in yourself as a player or in anything you do, you will not meet your full potential”.
As a player who excelled as a defender across England, he said he always played as himself, not trying to imitate or compete with others, but his excellent run was first from the skills he picked up on the streets of Warri, Delta state where he spent some of his childhood.
unlike other players, despite being born into a sport loving family, he had to work hard to get to the height he got to before retiring, Sam Sodje said he wasn’t too proud to start small, his first club Stevenage Borough was not a top tier side back then, but he kept playing with confidence which was important until other opportunities opened up.
Samuel Sodje joined Margate at the beginning of the 2002–03 season and scored on his debut with a header. He won the Supporters’ Player of the Year award at the end of his first season with Margate.
In the summer of 2003, he went on trial at Yeovil Town and Chester City, but neither team signed him. He returned to Margate to play Conference football for the 2003–04 season and impressed once again.
Despite the setbacks early on in his career, Sam Sodje said just playing for people to come out to pay and watch him play was all he desired.
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