Harambee Stars fullback Clarke Oduor capped a whirlwind 24 hours in England with a memorable debut for Grimsby Town FC on Wednesday night, as the League Two side stunned Premier League giants Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.
Grimsby confirmed Oduor’s signing on Tuesday evening, August 26, just hours before their second-round clash at Blundell Park.
“We are pleased to have Clarke Oduor on a season-long loan from Bradford City,” Grimsby said in a statement.
The Kenyan international was introduced in the 72nd minute with his new side holding an unlikely 2-0 lead against Ruben Amorim’s men.
Grimsby had taken a shock advantage through Charles Vernam, who struck in the 22nd minute, before Tyrell Nathaniel Warren doubled the lead eight minutes later.
Manchester United rallied late, with Bryan Mbeumo reducing the deficit in the 75th minute and Harry Maguire forcing extra time with a dramatic equaliser in the 89th minute.
The tie went to penalties after finishing 2-2 in regular time.
In a nerve-shredding shootout, Oduor missed his spot kick that was saved by André Onana, but his teammates held their nerve in an extraordinary contest that ended 12-11 in favour of the League Two minnows.
The result sent shockwaves across the football world as Grimsby, considered heavy underdogs, knocked out the 20-time English champions.
Grimsby will now travel to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday in Round Three of the Carabao Cup.
For Oduor, the match was a baptism of fire in English football, and while his miss could have been costly, his overall contribution and the historic result will go down as a dream debut for the Harambee Stars international.
Born in Nairobi, Oduor began his football journey in England after relocating to the UK at a young age.
His professional journey in football began at just 10 years old when he joined Leeds United’s academy, rising through the ranks before making his professional debut for the club in January 2019.
He progressed to Championship side Barnsley, where he spent four seasons and made 48 appearances. One of his stand-out moments came in July 2020 when he scored a goal against Brentford, which effectively helped his team survive relegation to the English third tier.
He then signed for Bradford City, where he became a regular contributor across two seasons, making an impressive 62 appearances and scoring five goals.
As far as his international career is concerned, Oduor was eligible to play for Kenya or England but chose his country of birth, making his debut in 2022 during a friendly against Zambia under coach Francis Kimanzi.
