David Ijaha (born 17 February 1990) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder or defender currently for Cray Wanderers.[1]
 Ijaha captaining Whitehawk in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 February 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | London,[1] England | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Cray Wanderers | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2005 | Chelsea | ||
| 2006–2008 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2011 | Harrow Borough[2] | 39 | (2) |
| 2011–2012 | St Albans City[3] | 62 | (3) |
| 2012–2014 | Tonbridge Angels[1] | 55 | (4) |
| 2014 | Hayes & Yeading United[3] | 7 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | Whitehawk[1] | 62 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Plymouth Argyle | 3 | (0) |
| 2017 | Wealdstone | 3 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Whitehawk | 31 | (2) |
| 2018–2019 | Welling United | 35 | (3) |
| 2019–2020 | Dulwich Hamlet | 26 | (3) |
| 2020–2021 | Dartford | 10 | (0) |
| 2022 | Dartford | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Whitehawk (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2022– | Cray Wanderers | 66 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:10, 27 April 2024 (UTC) | |||
Career
editEarly career
editIjaha was at his local Chelsea academy for three years as a youngster, being released at the age of 15. Having earned a place at an England Schoolboy training camp he met up with Kyle Bennett who introduced him to Wolverhampton Wanderers,[4] where he spent two seasons playing for the U18 side and the reserves,[5] before being released.[6]
Non-League career
editAfter a spell out of the game, Ijaha joined Harrow Borough in August 2010 and then followed his manager David Howell to Southern Premier Division club St Albans City, where he was made captain. He signed for National League South side Tonbridge Angels in December 2013.[6] Following Tonbridge's relegation, Ijaha joined Hayes & Yeading United at the start of the 2014–2015 season, where he had been a long term target of manager Phil Babb. However, he soon moved to National League South rivals Whitehawk[7] where he spent two seasons.
Plymouth Argyle
editAt the start of the 2016–17 season, Ijaha was invited down to Home Park for a trial by Plymouth Argyle's assistant manager Craig Brewster, who had previously coached in Sussex at Whitehawk. Ijaha impressed enough to be offered a contract [8] and he made his Football League debut at the age of 27, playing for Plymouth Argyle in a 3–0 loss against Luton Town on 6 August 2016.[1] After struggling with a long-term injury,[9] Ijaha was released at the end of the 2016–17 season having made three league appearances.[10]
Later career
editIjaha had a short spell with National League South club Wealdstone at the beginning of the 2017–18 season,[11] before rejoining Whitehawk and being appointed captain in September.[12]
After a season at Welling United in 2018–19 and another season at Dulwich Hamlet in 2019–20, Ijaha joined league rivals Dartford for the 2020–21 season. He re-joined Dartford towards the end of the 2021–22 season before going out on loan to former-side Whitehawk.[13]
On September 16, 2022, Ijaha signed for Cray Wanderers.[14]
Personal life
editIjaha was educated at St Thomas More School in Chelsea.[4]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Harrow Borough[17] | 2010–11 | Isthmian Premier | 39 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
| Harrow Borough total | 39 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 2 | ||
| St Albans City | 2011–12 | SFL - Premier Division | 40 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 46 | 2 |
| 2012–13 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 4[b] | 0 | 29 | 1 | ||
| St Albans City total | 62 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 75 | 3 | ||
| Tonbridge Angels | 2012–13 | Conference South | 21 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 21 | 3 |
| 2013–14 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2[c] | 0 | 36 | 1 | ||
| Tonbridge total | 55 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 57 | 4 | ||
| Hayes & Yeading United | 2014–15 | Conference South | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Hayes & Yeading United total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Whitehawk | 2014–15 | Conference South | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 6[d] | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | National League South | 36 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 42 | 2 | |
| Whitehawk total | 66 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 81 | 2 | ||
| Plymouth Argyle | 2016–17 | League Two | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[e] | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Wealdstone | 2017–18 | National League South | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Whitehawk | 2017–18 | National League South | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6[d] | 0 | 37 | 2 |
| Welling United | 2018–19 | National League South | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| Dulwich Hamlet | 2019–20 | National League South | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 27 | 3 |
| Dartford | 2020–21 | National League South | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1[f] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Dartford total | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Whitehawk (loan) | 2021–22 | Isthmian League South East Division | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Cray Wanderers | 2022–23[18] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2[c][g] | 1 | 30 | 1 |
| 2023–24[19] | 38 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 3[c] | 0 | 44 | 1 | ||
| Cray Wanderers total | 66 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 74 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 407 | 20 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 467 | 21 | ||
- ^ One appearance in the FA Trophy and one in the Southern League Cup
- ^ One appearance in the Herts Charity Cup, one in the FA Trophy, one in the Southern League Cup and one in the Herts Senior Cup
- ^ a b c d e f Appearances in the FA Trophy
- ^ a b Appearances in the FA Trophy and Sussex Senior Cup
- ^ Appearances in the EFL Trophy
- ^ Appearance in the Kent Senior Cup
- ^ Appearance in the Isthmian League Premier Division Play-Offs
References
edit- ^ a b c d e David Ijaha at Soccerway. Retrieved 8 August 2017. The discrepancy between source and infobox figures for Whitehawk is because Soccerway counts playoff matches in with league matches and Wikipedia does not.
- ^ "David Ijaha - Harrow Borough Football Club First Team". Pitchero.
- ^ a b "David Ijaha". aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Aylesbury United FC and Luke Buckingham Brown. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ a b Whitehawk Official Matchday Programme v Chippenham Town, 25 November 2017
- ^ "Stourbridge 1 Wolves 4". Birmingham Mail. 9 January 2008.
- ^ a b "David Ijaha Signs for the Angels - News - Tonbridge Angels". Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ "Ijaha Makes Hawks Switch". 2 October 2014.
- ^ "Plymouth sign midfielder Ijaha". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ Cross, Beren (8 August 2017). "David Ijaha secures non-league contract after Argyle exit". Plymouth Herald.
- ^ Munday, David (10 May 2017). "Plymouth Argyle release nine first team players as retained list is announced". Plymouth Herald. Retrieved 17 July 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Player news – one in & one out". Wealdstone F.C. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "David Ijaha". Whitehawk F.C. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
- ^ "WADHAMS STRIKES EMPHATICALLY TO LIFT WHITEHAWK OVER HIGH-FLYING RAMSGATE". Whitehawk F.C. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- ^ "CRAY WANDERERS SQUAD UPDATE – NEW SIGNING, DAVID IJAHA". Cray Wanderers. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ "D. Ijaha - Profile". Soccerway.
- ^ "Whitehawk FC".
- ^ "David Ijaha". Pitchero. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ "Cray Wanderers | Appearances | David Ijaha | Football Web Pages".
- ^ "Cray Wanderers | Appearances | David Ijaha | Football Web Pages".