Bright Sodje
FirstRL
FullnameBright Sodje
Birth date21 April 1966 (age 60)
Height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Club 1Hull Kingston Rovers
Year1start1990
Year1end94
Appearances 181
Tries 136
Goals 10
Fieldgoals 10
Points 1144
Club 2Wakefield Trinity
Year2start1994
Appearances 29
Tries 24
Goals 20
Fieldgoals 20
Points 216
Club 3Sheffield Eagles
Year3start1994
Year3end99
Appearances 3108
Tries 355
Goals 30
Fieldgoals 30
Points 3220
Club 4Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Year4start2000
Appearances 416
Tries 44
Goals 40
Fieldgoals 40
Points 416
Club 5Hull Kingston Rovers
Year5start2001
Appearances 512
Tries 53
Goals 50
Fieldgoals 50
Points 512
Club 6Sheffield Eagles
Year6start2001
Appearances 64
Tries 62
Goals 60
Fieldgoals 60
Points 68
Club 7Sheffield Eagles
Year7start2004
Appearances 710
Tries 73
Goals 70
Fieldgoals 70
Points 712
Ru club 1Wakefield RFC
Updated22 May 2021
Newyes

Bright Ojamohare Sodje (born 21 April 1966) is a retired dual-code rugby player, who played for rugby league clubs; the Wakefield Trinity (Wildcats), Hull Kingston Rovers, and the Sheffield Eagles in England as well as rugby union for Wakefield RFC.

Sodje's brothers, Sam, Efe, Akpo, Steve, and his nephew, Onome, have all played professional football in England.

Bright was a winger with a reputation for scoring tries, and noted for his aeroplane style celebration.

Financial Crisis at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats

In 2000, at the height of a financial crisis at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, the contracts of all players aged over 24 were terminated during September 2000. The players affected were; Andy Fisher, Bobbie Goulding, Warren Jowitt, Tony Kemp (player-coach), Steve McNamara, Francis Maloney, Martin Masella, Steve Prescott, Bright Sodje, Francis Stephenson and Glen Tomlinson.[1]

Personal life

In September 2017, Bright was sentenced to 21 months in prison for fraud, having – with his brothers Efe and Stephen – siphoned off money from a charity, the Sodje Sports Foundation.[2]

His son, Tai, is a professional footballer, and currently plays for the academy team of Manchester City.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Goodway calls for aid package". BBC Sport. 2001-04-24. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  2. ^ "Efe, Bright and Stephen Sodje jailed for fraud last September, court reveals". Sky News. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  3. ^ Bajkowski, Simon (23 March 2021). "'I think I've opened up to different ways of playing': Man City academy striker Tai Sodje is firing his way to goals target". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2023.