Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ikechukwu Sunny Smart Orji[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 4 January 2003||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team |
Hemel Hempstead Town (on loan from Gillingham) | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2019–2023 | Chatham Town | 71 | (2) |
2023– | Gillingham | 1 | (0) |
2023 | → Chatham Town (loan) | 13 | (0) |
2023 | → Welling United (loan) | 4 | (0) |
2024– | → Hemel Hempstead Town (loan) | 6 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:14, 15 April 2024 (UTC) |
Ikechukwu Sunny Smart Orji is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for National League South side Hemel Hempstead Town on loan from EFL League Two club Gillingham.
Orji began his career with Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division club Chatham Town, joining League One club Gillingham on trial in March 2021.[3] He was a part of the Chatham squad that were promoted as runners-up from the 2021–22 SCEFL Premier Division.[4]
In January 2023, Orji attracted interest from League Two clubs Crawley Town and Gillingham,[5] joining the latter on 9 February, returning to Chatham Town on loan until the end of the season.[6] Following his return to the club, he played a key role as the club achieved back-to-back promotions as Isthmian League South East Division Champions.[7]
In October 2023, he made his first-team professional debut for Gillingham, featuring in a 5–1 EFL Trophy defeat to Portsmouth,[8] making his first league appearance eleven days later as 1 79th minute substitute in a 1–2 loss to Notts County.[9][10] On 4 December 2023, he joined National League South club Welling United on an initial one-month loan deal.[11] On 16 March 2024 he joined Hemel Hempstead Town, also of the National League South, on loan.[12]
On 15 May 2024, Gillingham announced he would be released in the summer when his contract expired.[13]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Chatham Town | 2022–23[14] | Isthmian League South East Division | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
Gillingham | 2022–23 | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2023–24[15] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
Chatham Town (loan) | 2022–23[14] | Isthmian League South East Division | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
Career total | 32 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 1 |