'Four months ago, a doctor told me I might not play again, and I should maybe take up something else,' revealed Sodje. 'I had a complicated cartilage injury, so I had to go to a very good surgeon in London to sort it out. But now I feel fine and strong. I can't stop laughing because football is my life. If I had had to pack in league football I would have played in the Conference or something because I love it so much. I did okay against the Dons last week and was so happy to be back playing because I'd had just one reserve game in the last seven months.'

Sodje's whole-hearted displays soon made him a massive cult figure with the Leeds faithful. That included playing on despite suffering a dislocated shoulder in the play-off semi-final against Millwall and sorting the issue out himself.

Born 25 May 1979 in Greenwich, London, to Nigerian parents, Sodje joined Margate at the beginning of the 2002/03 season, winning the Supporters' Player of the Year award at the end of his first season. He had trials at Yeovil and Chester at the end of the season but returned to Margate for the 2003/04 season.

The following summer, he signed for League One Brentford on a free transfer and became a fans' favourite with some outstanding displays, nominated as a member of the PFA League One team of the year for 2005/06.

In November 2005, Sodje made his debut for Nigeria in a 3-0 friendly defeat to Romania in Bucharest.

Sodje had turned down a move to Southampton in January 2006, but he agreed to join Reading in July. His opportunities in that first season were limited and he finished the season on loan at West Bromwich Albion, helping Albion to a place in the Championship play-off final, where they were beaten by Derby County.

Sodje could have moved to Sheffield Wednesday in the summer of 2007, but rejected the move and went instead on a season-long loan to Charlton.

In September 2008, Sodje joined fellow Championship side Watford on a month's loan as cover for injuries but returned to Reading after a single game following a knee injury.

In March 2009, Leeds manager Simon Grayson came in for Sodje and took him to Elland Road until the end of the season. He endeared himself to Leeds fans as a strong partner for Richard Naylor. Again, Sodje faced play-off disappointment with Leeds losing out to Millwall in the semi-finals.

Sodje's displays at Leeds saw him recalled to the Nigerian side for friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and France at the end of the season and he played in a World Cup qualifying win over Kenya in June.

Many people thought he would move permanently to Leeds at the end of season, but he chose to return to Charlton, local to his birthplace, saying that the club was 'in my blood'. Sodje helped Charlton to the play-offs but missed out himself through injury.

Sodje joined Greek club Skoda Xanthi in July 2010 but was released a month later and went on trial at Portsmouth. There was no interest, and nor was there from MK Dons or Sheffield Wednesday.

On 29 October 2010, Sodje became Paul Ince's first signing at Notts County, staying a couple of seasons before being released. He retired after a brief spell at Portsmouth in 2013.

Sodje had four brothers who also played football, three of them professionally and one semi-professionally. Akpo, Efe, the eldest of the four, who also represented Nigeria at international level.

On 23 February 2013, Sodje was sent off for punching Oldham Athletic's Jose Baxter in the groin. In December 2013, a report by The Sun on Sunday suggested that Sodje intentionally attempted to get sent off to receive a cash payment. Sodje allegedly admitted to having been paid £70,000 to be sent off in the match.

In January 2019, Sodje was alleged to have laundered money from a scam in 2013, in which companies in Colombia, India and Italy were tricked into handing over money by fraudsters who sent emails posing as the firms' suppliers. Later that month, after a trial at the Old Bailey in London, he was found not guilty of two charges and cleared of a further two charges.