Ayo was down – but he got back up again
Ayo Obileye is hoping to follow the Lyndon Dykes pathway back to the top levels of the English game.
Having played for Sheffield Wednesday as a 16-year-old, he slid all the way down to the sixth tier before deciding to jump out of his comfort zone with a move north of the border.
It was a decision that transformed his career. He did so well with Queen of the South, he earned himself a move to Livingston, and now believes there is nothing to stop him climbing higher.
“The Lyndon Dykes route is inspiring for me,” said the 27-year-old ahead of Livi’s clash at home to Celtic today. “His
journey was similar to mine, given that we were at Dumfries before here.
“He is now down in England, playing in the Championship, which is something I want to do.
“It is not just him, either. Other players have been here, and are now playing at decent-sized clubs.
“Declan Gallagher and Craig Halkett are with Aberdeen and Hearts. Gallagher and Dykes now play for Scotland.”
Snapped up on a pre-contract, Obileye has been relishing the step up.
“I’m loving it. I can’t really put into words how much I’m enjoying the league,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep proving myself to get to the next step because I’m a really ambitious person.
“If I keep performing and the team is doing well, it will help me push on.”
Despite his struggles in England, Oibleye has never lacked faith is his ability.
“Loads of things happen when you are young, some political – that’s how football is. It’s not always rosy,” he said.
“Everyone’s journey’s different. I went to Sheffield Wednesday, and played
when I was just 16. That was massive. You think when it happens so early, you’re going to make it.
“But it’s not always that easy. Taking the steps down made me realise that, just because you played one game at 16, you still have to work hard.
“Playing in the National League after being at Charlton in the Championship was just about getting games, then climbing back up.
“It just didn’t work out that way. I was down there for a few years, and I just decided that I needed a change. I was down there for too long, and wanted to get out of my comfort zone.
“You start to feel a bit emotional when your career isn’t going the way you want it to go. But you have to believe that if you keep working hard, it’ll come.
“When I came to Scotland, my friends thought I was going a long way from home. But you’ve got to go wherever you can to get to where you want to go.
“I feel that three or four years down the line, I could be in the English Premier League.”