George Elokobi

He returned to action on 23 November in Colchester's 3–2 extra time win against Northampton Town in the Football League Trophy, where he scored the U's equalising goal at 1–1 in the 57th minute of the tie.

He made a total of twelve League One appearances across the season, with a further five in cup competitions, as he helped his side to second place in the table and promotion to the Championship.

After starting both opening fixtures of Colchester's maiden season in the second tier of English football, a suspension earned after being sent off in a reserve game meant that Elokobi was displaced by Cardiff City loanee Chris Barker, who retained the left-back position for much of the season.

He made just ten league appearances over the course of the campaign.

George Nganyuo Elokobi (born 31 January 1986) is a Cameroonian football coach and former player who is manager of Maidstone United.

Elokobi, a centre back, moved from his native Cameroon to England at the age of 16, where he entered non-League football with Dulwich Hamlet.

After a trial period, he was signed by Colchester United.

Shortly after his arrival in England in 2002, Elokobi joined the youth scheme at Isthmian League Division One side Dulwich Hamlet.

It was here that he was spotted by Colchester United scouts.

He was offered a trial at the end of the 2003–04 season, before becoming Phil Parkinson's fourth summer signing on 29 June 2004.

Despite failing to make a first-team appearance for Colchester during the 2004–05 season, Elokobi was rewarded with a new deal to remain at the club after making the substitutes bench for a number of games towards the end of the season.

He was loaned to Chester City in January 2005, where he made his professional debut, before going on to make 46 appearances for Colchester.

Elokobi did not feature for Colchester's first-team in his first season with the club, but he was loaned to League Two Chester City for one month in January 2005, working under Ian Rush.

He made his professional debut for Chester on 29 January 2005, starting in their 3–0 defeat to Swansea City at Vetch Field.

On his fifth and final appearance for the club on 26 February, he was sent off for fouling Luke Rodgers in the penalty area during a 5–0 defeat away to Shrewsbury Town.

He eventually made his U's debut on 24 August 2005 in their 2–0 defeat to Cardiff City in the League Cup at Layer Road.

He replaced Pat Baldwin after 78 minutes of play.

He made his first league start three days later as Colchester were held to a 0–0 draw by Oldham Athletic.

He then scored his first professional goal on 24 September with the opener at home against Huddersfield Town in a 1–1 draw.

Elokobi was ruled out of action through much of October and November 2005 after being diagnosed with mumps.

Holding off competition from Danny Granville and securing the left-back position for himself in the early stages of the 2007–08 season, Elokobi's performances and three registered assists had seen him linked with a move to Scottish side Celtic in September 2008, but Elokobi said that it was "nice to get the recognition... but it will not affect my football and I will keep working hard".

After making 14 appearances, Elokobi handed in a transfer request in November 2007, stating that he had no intention of re-signing for the club once his contract expired in the summer of 2008.

With the club yet to receive an offer for the player, he made his first start since handing in his transfer request on 1 December.

He scored what would prove to be the decisive goal and his final Colchester goal in the 2–1 win against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Following the game, Elokobi insisted that he would "give 100 per cent for the club" while still with Colchester.

He was signed by Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2008, helping the club to promotion to the Premier League.

He played his final game for the U's in a 3–1 FA Cup home defeat by Peterborough United on 5 January 2008, having made 18 appearances in all competitions.

He established himself as a regular in the first-team between 2009 and 2011, before he was loaned to Nottingham Forest for the second half of the 2011–12 season, making twelve league appearances.

He was loaned out to Bristol City in September 2012, but suffered a near season-ending injury on his debut when he fractured his ankle.

He fell out of favour at Wolves, and at the end of the 2013–14 season he was released, joining Oldham Athletic.

He spent one season with Oldham before returning to Colchester United in 2015.

He had a spell at National League side Braintree Town on loan from Colchester in 2016.

He joined Leyton Orient in July 2017 and was released on his 33rd birthday.

On 12 February 2019, Elokobi signed for fellow National League side Aldershot Town.

before moving on to Maidstone at the end of the year as a player/academy coach.

During his career he won promotion four times and scored in every division from the Premier League to National League South.

Born in Mamfe, Cameroon, Elokobi was aged just eleven years old when he lost both his father (to diabetes) and his grandfather.

He went to live with his grandmother the same year, while his mother moved to England to study.

When she gained her qualifications, she found work and was able to send her son to one of the best boarding schools in Cameroon, St. Joseph's College Sasse.

At the age of 16, Elokobi moved to London to join her, where he attended college, studying business, IT and sociology.