Jordan John Obita (born 8 December 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays for Wycombe Wanderers.
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Jordan John Obita[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1993-12-08) 8 December 1993 (age 28) | ||
Place of birth | Oxford, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Left back, Winger | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Wycombe Wanderers | ||
Number | 23 | ||
Youth career | |||
2001–2010 | Reading | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2010–2020 | Reading | 163 | (5) |
2012 | → Barnet (loan) | 5 | (0) |
2012 | → Gillingham (loan) | 6 | (3) |
2012 | → Portsmouth (loan) | 8 | (1) |
2013 | → Oldham Athletic (loan) | 8 | (0) |
2020–2021 | Oxford United | 12 | (1) |
2021– | Wycombe Wanderers | 50 | (5) |
National team | |||
2010 | England U18 | 1 | (1) |
2011 | England U19 | 6 | (0) |
2014 | England U20 | 2 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:17, 7 May 2022 (UTC) |
Born in Oxford,[3] Obita had trials with his hometown club,[4] but chose instead to sign for Reading, joining their Academy at the age of seven.[5] He played initially as a central midfielder but competition for places and his abundance of pace meant he was moved out to the wing.[6] He made his first team debut for Reading aged 16 in the first round of the League Cup against Torquay United on 11 August 2010, coming on as a 113th-minute substitute for Michail Antonio.[7] He travelled with the first team squad for Reading's pre-season trip to Slovenia prior to the 2011–12 season and made his first senior start in a League Cup game against Charlton Athletic in August that season.[8][9]
On 27 January 2012 he signed for League Two side Barnet on loan, making his debut for the club the following day against Crewe Alexandra.[10][11] After one month with Barnet he joined Gillingham on a similar arrangement and scored his first professional goal against his former loan side.[12][13] He scored twice in the next game against Cheltenham Town and made a further three appearances before returning to Reading in April after turning down the chance to extend his stay.[14][15] During his loan spell he was also nominated for 2011–12 Football League Championship Apprentice of the Year though he ultimately lost out to Coventry City's Gael Bigirimana.[16]
In August Obita signed for League One club Portsmouth on a one-month loan,[17] adding that he "didn't have to think twice" about joining the club.[18] Later that evening he made his debut against Colchester United and scored a late equaliser with his first touch.[19] His loan was extended for a second month in September though he eventually returned to Reading a few days early following a death in his family.[20][21] He left on loan again in January 2013, signing a one-month agreement with Oldham Athletic.[22] He scored his first goal for the club in their televised FA Cup fifth round tie against Everton the following month.[23] After expressing an interest in extending his stay with the club,[24] his loan was renewed for a second month after which he returned to Reading.[25][26] Despite the option of remaining at Oldham, Obita ended his spell early with a view to impressing incoming Reading manager Nigel Adkins and breaking into the first team.[3]
He made his first Reading appearance for two years in their heavy 6–0 League Cup defeat to Peterborough United in August 2013 before making his league debut a month later at Derby County.[27][28][29] After securing his place in first team squad for the following games he expressed his desire to play in a central midfield role, a position he played in during his formative Academy years.[6] In November, he scored his first goal for the club with the winner in a 3–2 victory away at Nottingham Forest and the following month signed a new contract until the summer of 2017.[30][31] In the second half of the season, the absence of Wayne Bridge through long-term injury,[32] and the inability of Stephen Kelly and Shaun Cummings to cement their place in his stead,[33][34] saw Obita move to left-back for the game against Watford. He helped the team keep a clean sheet in a 1–0 win and provided the assist for Kaspars Gorkšs' early winner.[35] He retained his place for the next game, a 7–1 win against Bolton Wanderers, and from then on was a regular in the team, making 22 of his 36 appearances after his move to full-back.[36] He was praised by club captain Jobi McAnuff who described his adaptation to the left-back role as "fantastic",[37] and was voted as the club's Player of the Season for 2013–14 by the fans.[38] Obita signed a new contract, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2018, on 30 July 2015.[39] On 30 August 2017, Reading announced that Obita had signed a new three-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2020.[40]
With his contract with Reading due to expire on 30 June 2020, and due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 2019–20 season, Obita signed a short-term extension with Reading until the end of the season on 26 June 2020.[41] Following the completion of the 2019–20 season, Reading announced that Obita would leave the club at the end of July 2020.[42]
On 9 November, he signed for League One club Oxford United, his hometown club.[43]
On 29 January 2021, Obita joined Championship side Wycombe Wanderers on a two-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee.[44]
Obita was born in England and is of Ugandan descent.[45][46] Obita has represented England at under-18 and under-19 level.[47]
In May 2014 he was called up by the England under-20s and under-21s for the Toulon Tournament and a game against Wales.[48] He was an unused substitute for the game against Wales but started the first game of the Toulon Tournament and scored the opener in a 3–0 win over Qatar.[49]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Reading | 2010–11[50] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2011–12[51] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
2012–13[52] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2013–14[53] | Championship | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 1 | ||
2014–15[54] | Championship | 43 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 51 | 0 | ||
2015–16[55] | Championship | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||
2016–17[56] | Championship | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 3 | |
2017–18[57] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
2018–19[58] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2019–20[59] | Championship | 21 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 26 | 3 | ||
Total | 163 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 191 | 7 | ||
Barnet (loan) | 2011–12[51] | League Two | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Gillingham (loan) | 2011–12[51] | League Two | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
Portsmouth (loan) | 2012–13[52] | League One | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
Oldham Athletic (loan) | 2012–13[52] | League One | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
Career total | 190 | 9 | 17 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 221 | 12 |
Wycombe Wanderers F.C. – current squad | |
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Reading F.C. Player of the Season | |
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