Who Is Sam Ayorinde?

[Olé]

In the Skonto Riga result post, Sipowicz mentions Sam Ayorinde played. To quote my erstwhile fellow fan, he "has been playing in Sweden and China", though unless he's fast, not at the same time I presume.

I did a google for Sam Ayorinde and the top result was Nigeria's version of The Sun, describing him as a healing minister on TV. I know we need a miracle but this is ridiculous.

A Bangor City website (http://tinyurl.com/ddk9e) presents slightly tamer news that he came from Austrian side Sturm Graz in 1995, and went on trial at Stockport County. There's a pic of him in a top hat.

This means he can't exactly be young. He's also not short of clubs as it mentions he joined Leyton Orient, Altrincham, Dover, and FF Jaro in Finland, as well as coaching Colorado Springs Stampede, USA.

He became the only League of Wales player to earn an international cap when playing for Nigeria whilst with Bangor City (don't laugh). He then went to Hampton and then Staylbridge Celtic.

Last I found he was 28 two and a half years ago, playing on loan at Swedish 2nd division side Assyriska Foreningen, then starring for his owners, top division AIK (http://tinyurl.com/9epc9).

His last two years, much like City's, don't seem to exist, which makes it very difficult for me to remember where I started, who Ayorinde is, or what Skonto Riga have to do with anything.

This is all getting very weird. What happened to that nice Liam Robinson chap?

[RedUn]

Who he ... ?

He is Carl Hegg's smarter younger brother.

[mozo]

He then went to Hampton and then Staylbridge Celtic.

He can't be bad!!

What about the mystery man that scored a volley? Liam Robinson perhaps?

[dagest]

I feel this well researched and interesting topic deserves more replies:

Here you are and thank you for the Sam Ayorinde show.

[Red Ferret]

Top marks for the piccy of Mr Ayorinde in a top hat! Good stuff

[JudgeRed]

Sam Ayorinde profile

[GrahamC]

That IS a nice picture of a bloke in a top hat, however that definitely isn't the same Sam Ayorinde who played for us yesterday, who, as you can see on the picture on the main site, is much more in the Isaac Hayes mould (if you get my drift) than the bloke in the hat, who looks much more like Brian Stein.

Without wishing in any way to make a sweeping generalisation about Nigerians, it is by no means uncommon for identity fraud to take place there, which makes you wonder who that guy in the top hat picture actually is.

As with the infamous incident with Souness and the bloke who said he was George Weah's cousin, you have to be very careful that the guy you see is definitely who he says he is.

I remember Andy King having a guy on trial pre season who claimed to be a Nigerian international but who King described as "useless" and took him off inside half an hour.

Ade Akinbiyi is Nigerian, don't suppose he'd fancy helping us out again?

[Guest ScottishRed]

Appearances and goals. All from www.soccerassociation.com - superb web-site

1994/95 Stade Tunisien

1995/96 SK Sturm Graz 0 0

Leyton Orient 1 0

1996/97 Leyton Orient 12 2

1997 FF Jaro 20 4

1997/98 Dover Athletic 5 5

1998/99 Bangor City 9 3

1999 Lira Luleå back 16 3

1999/00 Hapoel Beit Sh'an

2000 Assyriska 22 6

2001 Assyriska 28 8

2001/02 Stalybridge Celtic 19 6

2002 AIK 5 1

2003 AIK 7 1

[Olé]

That IS a nice picture of a bloke in a top hat, however that definitely isn't the same Sam Ayorinde who played for us yesterday, who, as you can see on the picture on the main site, is much more in the Isaac Hayes mould (if you get my drift) than the bloke in the hat, who looks much more like Brian Stein.

Without wishing in any way to make a sweeping generalisation about Nigerians, it is by no means uncommon for identity fraud to take place there, which makes you wonder who that guy in the top hat picture actually is.

Well the image file is called 'ayorindesam.jpg' and the Bangor City website it appears on, refer to him as Sam Ayorinde. Unless it's the Nigerian faith healer, that's our man, he's obviously aged considerably by the time he appeared on bcfc.co.uk, but then the infamous top hat photo was taken 10 years ago.

However, given that he has 'since been playing in Sweden and China' the possibility that more than one Sam Ayorinde exists does seem fairly high, for a start if there's only one of them, that's not the easiest commute (yes, I'm going to run with this joke for all it's worth).

I honestly don't think it's identity fraud though, I just think 10 years, 18 clubs and 4 continents and one comedy photo shoot has taken it out of the poor guy. Until Richard Latham obliges by getting Sam to doff a top hat for us (perhaps it could be a BCFC World exclusive) we'll never be entirely sure if it's him though.

But from my point of view, I'm confident it's the same guy, a good quality top hat can take years off your appearance, and to think that more than one player of the exact same name exists playing professional football is rather fanciful! In the meantime I see that nice Aaron Brown chap has signed for Reading.

Rob F