Ex-Alex Man Sodje Joins Gills

Former Crewe defender Efe Sodje has joined League One rivals Gillingham on a two-year contract.

Sodje, 34, has left Southend United after eighteen months and 36 appearances under his belt to join Gillingham FC. The Nigerian who made 97 appearances in his three years at Crewe, will be lining up against The Alex and his former clubs Southend, Huddersfield, Luton and Yeovil in League One next term.

Sodje, who has over 300 career appearances to his name, will be hoping to line up in defence alongside former Crewe target Simon King, who signed for The Gills this summer from Barnet for £200,000.

Some at Gresty Road fondly remember Sodje for his colourful personality and no-nonsense attitude, while others recall his erratic behaviour as his major weakness. One thing that was never in question was Sodje`s commitment to the team, but after joining the club in 2000 he never really got along with manager Dario Gradi and left to join Huddersfield in 2003.

Famed for wearing a bandana in every game he plays, Sodje will probably be infamously remembered by Crewe fans for his dreadful, waist high tackle within the first 30 seconds of our home game against Wigan in our last promotion season. Sodje was lucky to escape a red card, but was sent off later in the same half for a seemingly innocuous elbow where the referee made up for his earlier error in not giving him his marching orders for his first offence.

In 2002, whilst a Crewe player, Sodje represented his country Nigeria in the World Cup and has been capped 9 times altogether by his country.

Efe will line up in the coming season against his brother Akpo who is currently a striker at Port Vale. Crewe fans will no doubt be hoping he can keep the Valiant goal scorer quiet in both games.

Sure to get a decent reception on his return to Gresty Road, we look forward to seeing Efe back at Crewe on 4th December when we face Gillingham in our League One clash.