James Olayinka

Last updated

James Olayinka
Personal information
Full name Olujimi James Ayodele Olayinka [1]
Date of birth (2000-10-05) 5 October 2000 (age 24) [2]
Place of birth Lambeth, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) [2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Waterford
Youth career
–2019 Arsenal
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019–2022 Arsenal 0 (0)
2020Northampton Town (loan) 1 (0)
2020–2021Southend United (loan) 20 (2)
2022–2024 Cheltenham Town 38 (1)
2025– Waterford 23 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14:13, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

Olujimi James Ayodele Olayinka (born 5 October 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club Waterford.

Contents

Career

Arsenal

Olayinka began his career with Arsenal. [3] He signed his first professional contract with the club in January 2019. [4]

On 29 August 2020, Olayinka was named an unused substitute in the 2020 FA Community Shield, with Arsenal clinching a 5–4 victory over Liverpool in the penalty shootout after the match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes. [5]

Loan to Northampton Town

In January 2020, Olayinka moved on loan to League Two side Northampton Town until the end of the season, [6] [7] making his debut in a 3–0 win over Scunthorpe United on 28 January. [8] He helped Northampton Town to secure promotion to League One by winning the play-off final. [9]

Loan to Southend United

In October 2020 he joined Southend United on loan until January 2021. [10] He scored his first goal for the club, and his first professional goal, in an FA Cup tie against Boreham Wood on 7 November 2020. [11] On 1 February 2021, Olayinka extended his loan with Southend United to the end of the 2020–21 season. [12]

Cheltenham Town

He signed a two-year contract with Cheltenham Town on 1 September 2022. [13] On 2 January 2024, manager Darrell Clarke announced that Olayinka had been made available for transfer. [14] He was released by the club at the end of the 2023–24 season. [15]

Waterford

On 14 November 2024, it was announced that Olayinka would be joining League of Ireland Premier Division club Waterford ahead of their 2025 season. [16]

Personal life

Olayinka is of Nigerian descent. [17]

Career statistics

As of match played 22 August 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational Cup [a] League Cup [b] OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Arsenal U21 2018–19 [18] 4 [c] 040
2019–20 [19] 2 [c] 121
2020–21 [20] 2 [c] 020
2021–22 [21] 3 [c] 232
2022–23 [22] 1 [c] 010
Total123123
Arsenal 2019–20 [19] Premier League 0000000000
2020–21 [20] Premier League0000000000
2021–22 [21] Premier League0000000000
Total0000000000
Northampton Town (loan) 2019–20 [19] League Two 1000003 [d] 040
Southend United (loan) 2020–21 [20] League Two202110000213
Cheltenham Town 2022–23 [22] League One 271100000281
2023–24 [23] League One11000103 [c] 0150
Total381101030431
Waterford 2025 [24] LOI Premier Division 2311000241
Career total82431101831048
  1. Includes FA Cup & FAI Cup
  2. Includes EFL Cup
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.
  4. Appearances in the League Two play-offs.

Honours

Northampton Town

Arsenal

References

  1. "2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 "James Olayinka". 11v11. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  3. "James Olayinka". www.arsenal.com.
  4. "James Olayinka signs professional contract". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  5. Association, The Football. "Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool (5–4 on penalties)". www.thefa.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  6. "James Olayinka & Callum Morton: Northampton Town loan Arsenal and West Brom youngsters". BBC Sport. 27 January 2020.
  7. "Olayinka joins Northampton Town on loan". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  8. "NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3 SCUNTHORPE UNITED 0". www.ntfc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  9. Critchlow, Dan (30 June 2020). "James Olayinka ends loan with promotion win at Wembley" . Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  10. "Southend sign Arsenal's Olayinka on loan". BBC Sport. 17 October 2020.
  11. "Boreham Wood 3–3 Southend". BBC. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  12. "Olayinka stays". Southend United FC. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  13. "Cheltenham sign Arsenal midfielder Olayinka". BBC Sport. September 2022.
  14. "Six loan players to return to parent clubs". www.ctfc.com. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  15. "Curtis Davies one of seven released by Cheltenham Town". BBC Sport. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  16. FC, Waterford (14 November 2024). "Olayinka Becomes A Blue!".
  17. "Nigerian-born James Olayinka signs professional contract with Arsenal". Pulse. 29 January 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  18. "Games played by James Olayinka in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  19. 1 2 3 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  20. 1 2 3 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  21. 1 2 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  22. 1 2 "Games played by James Olayinka in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  23. "Games played by James Olayinka in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  24. "England - J. Olayinka - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
  25. Pilnick, Brent (29 June 2020). "Exeter City 0–4 Northampton Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  26. Sanders, Emma (29 August 2020). "Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 August 2020.