An in-depth look into our latest recruit, David Ogbonna.

Hailing from West London, David Ogbonna has enjoyed a perhaps unusual route into professional football, having so far been yet to step outside of non-league. A footballing journey that began with a move to Hendon at the age of 18, he has finally made the jump into Step One, with a move to Sutton displaying the sort of dedication to honing his craft that has seen him impress at both ends of the non-league pyramid.

The young forward spent a month at Silver Jubilee Park and made his debut in a 3-2 defeat to Hayes & Yeading United, going on to score one goal in four games for the Greens after arriving in October 2019 before opting to bring his brief stint in Middlesex to a close when he joined Hertford Town.

Although he was forced to feature sparingly during his early days at Hertingfordbury Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic curtailing the non-league season, David came out for his latter two seasons stronger, breaking into the team where he managed to rack up over 100 appearances for the Blues. This included 31 goals being scored from the wing, with the forward priding himself on his goalscoring proficiency from the flanks, and contributed to consecutive mid-table finishes for the Hertfordshire-based side.

Ogbonna certainly played a key role in this, popping up with a host of crucial goals. He scored late equalisers against the likes of Wantage Town and Thame United, as well as contributing to a 5-2 victory over Kidlington as well as the winner against Waltham Abbey, before returning to the club after an initial one-year deal and continued his good form into what proved to be his final campaign in Hertfordshire. After scoring a brace in a 4-1 win over Walthamstow to start the season, he went on to net a late goal in a 4-4 draw with Dunstable Town with what he would have thought was the winner, before adding to his tally in wins over Highworth Town, FC Romania and again against both Walthamstow and Highworth, the latter to secure a 2-2 draw. His importance to the Blues continued to remain evident, netting a first half hat-trick in a 4-4 draw with Aylesbury United midway through the campaign.

Successive impressive years in the Southern League saw the skilful and direct winger receive plenty of potential suitors from higher up non-league, and as a result, he soon earned a move to the National League South with Slough Town giving him the opportunity to impress during what proved to be a successful trial, and soon confirmed his permanent arrival in July 2023, seeing him finally make the transition into professional football. Manager Scott Davies claimed he had been someone on his radar for a number of months, and having tried to bring him to Arbour Park earlier in the year, the Rebels were able to get their man ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, adding an abundance of pace and an eye for goal to the Berkshire-based side.

An impressive return indeed for the wide man, David quickly became a fan favourite with his electric pace, flair, and eye-catching skill, as well as scoring seven goals in 46 games which was bettered only by Nathan Minhas and Johnny Goddard, including notable winners against Darford, Tonbridge Angels and the opener in a 4-0 win over Truro City. He also played a key role in the club’s memorable Emirates FA Cup run in 2023/24, scoring away at Grimsby Town in the First Round replay, and lit up Arbour Park with unforgettable strikes against the likes of Dartford and Dorking Wanderers.

He was subsequently rewarded for his good form with a new deal, extending his contract until the end of the 2024/25 campaign, and followed his debut season with a further four goals last term, and despite a slightly less impressive return in front of goal for the forward, Ogbonna continued to add important goals in wins over Dorking, Hornchurch and Chesham United, and also added six assists throughout the campaign, an improvement from the previous year.

In all, David racked up 97 appearances for the Rebels, and now leaps higher than ever before, with Sutton bringing him to Gander Green Lane for a year in the National League just two years on from when he was giving nightmares to Step Four defenders.