Femi Orenuga

Kenny Oluwafemi Gboiahan Ademola "Femi" Orenuga joined Southend United in 2006, after he impressed the club following his recommendation by an agent. He became the youngest player to appear for Southend United when he came on as a 93rd minute substitute in their 3–1 victory over Luton Town in the FA Cup second round on 29 November 2008.

And that was it. His one and only senior appearance. On the strength of which... Everton pounced!

In March 2009, Orenuga agreed to sign for Everton on 1 July for an undisclosed fee believed to be £30,000, increasing based on first team appearances.  He entered the Everton Academy and started playing for the Under-18s where he has been a relatively consistent performer over his first two seasons. 

But in this time he failed to step up to the Reserves although he did appeared in the Liverpool Senior Cup in both of his seasons at Finch Farm. By the end of his second season at the Everton Academy, those extra appearance-based payments seemed to be a long way off...

However, he started to appear for the Reserves in 2010-11 but then joined another round of players going out on loan, when he went to Notts County for a month in October 2011.

In May of 2012, having failed to impress David Moyes, Orenuga was released by the club who had seen a lot of potential in the unporoven Lewisham lad, and it seemed he was destined to join the vast number of English youngsters never to make the grade.

Orenuga joined up with Carlisle and impressed enough to gain an extension to his trial but manager Greg Abbott decided in October against offering him a contract.

By Michael Kenrick
Last updated October 2012