Freddie Ladapo

He made his Harriers debut in the game as a 68th-minute substitute in front of a crowd of 25,081 as Kiddermister went down 1–0, Ladapo missing a late chance to level the game.

Olayinka Fredrick Oladotun "Freddie" Ladapo (born 1 February 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Charlton Athletic on loan from Ipswich Town.

Ladapo began his senior career at Colchester United, having previously been in the academies at both Colchester and Southend United.

During his time at Colchester, he had a number of loan spells in non-league football with Thurrock, Chelmsford City, Bishop's Stortford, Woking and Nuneaton Town.

On 1 March 2011, he was loaned to Conference South club Thurrock for work experience, and scored on his senior debut that day as a half-time substitute in a 3–1 home loss to Boreham Wood.

On 30 March he was loaned to Chelmsford City of the same division.

He made his Football League debut in December 2012.

He signed a professional one-and-a-half-year contract with Colchester in March 2012, and at the start of the following season, he was loaned to Bishop's Stortford in the Conference North.

Ladapo made his first appearance for Colchester in the 2012–13 season, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute for Gavin Massey in a 3–1 home defeat to Brentford on 26 December 2012.

In June 2013, Ladapo signed a new one-year contract to keep him with Colchester for a further season, looking to add to his four first-team appearances he made during the 2012–13 season.

He was then loaned out to Conference outfit Woking on 16 August 2013 for one month to bolster Garry Hill's strike-force.

Ladapo was brought in to cover the suspended Giuseppe Solet.

Featuring in the starting line-up against Chester on 17 August, Ladapo was replaced after 53 minutes by Joe McNerny who went on to score ten minutes later in the 2–0 victory.

Having previously failed to score in his four appearances for Woking, Ladapo was sent out on loan to fellow Conference team Nuneaton Town on 1 November for one month.

He made his debut the following day in a 2–2 draw with Hyde, and scored the opening goal.

In 2014 he left Colchester to join Kidderminster Harriers, spending time out on loan at Hayes & Yeading United and Grays Athletic during his time at Kidderminster before moving to Margate in 2015.

On 24 January 2014, Ladapo joined Conference side Kidderminster Harriers on a free transfer from Colchester United.

Ladapo was registered in time to face Premier League club Sunderland in the FA Cup fourth round the following day.

On 11 March 2014, Ladapo joined Conference South club Hayes & Yeading United on an initial one-month loan, and four days later he scored the only goal of a home win against Concord Rangers, the West London club's first victory of the calendar year.

His loan was extended on 10 April until the end of the season.

On 30 July 2014, Ladapo joined Grays Athletic of the Isthmian League Premier Division on loan until January.

Ladapo went on to make 26 appearances in the league, scoring 14 goals.

Kidderminster Harriers cancelled Ladapo's contract by mutual consent on 13 January 2015.

The following day, he signed for Isthmian League Premier Division promotion chasers Margate.

He won promotion from the Isthmian League Premier Division through the play-offs during his time at the club, earning him a move to Premier League club Crystal Palace in 2016.

In his next match against Welling United on 16 November, Ladapo was brought on as an 86th-minute substitute and subsequently scored an injury-time goal to win the game 2–1.

In March 2016 Ladapo went on trial to Crystal Palace, during which he scored a hat trick in an Under-21 match versus Watford.

On 30 March 2016, Lapado joined Palace on a two-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

While primarily used as a member of the development squad, in July 2016 he accompanied the first team on their North American tour and was named in the starting lineup for the first friendly match against Philadelphia Union.

On 30 August 2016, Ladapo joined Oldham Athletic on loan until 2 January 2017.

During his time at Palace, he spent time out on loan at Oldham Athletic and Shrewsbury Town, whilst also making his Premier League debut in 2017.

After his loan at Oldham expired, Ladapo joined fellow League One side Shrewsbury Town on a half-season loan deal on 5 January 2017.

He made his debut for the club two days later, playing the entirety of a 1−1 draw away at Swindon Town, and scored the only goal of the match on his home debut against Bradford City a week later.

He made his Palace debut in a 4–0 away defeat at Manchester United on 30 September 2017 as a 74th-minute substitute for Bakary Sako.

At the end of the 2017–18 season, having not scored in ten appearances, he was released by the club.

In 2018, Ladapo joined his former academy side Southend United, departing later in the year to join Plymouth Argyle.

A year later he signed for Rotherham United for a club record fee, going on to win two promotions from EFL League One during his time at the club, whilst also winning the EFL Trophy in 2022.

He left Rotherham in the summer of 2022, signing for Ipswich Town on a free transfer and going onto win promotion from EFL League One in his first season with the club.

Ladapo, born in Romford, England, scored close to a goal a game at youth level for Colchester United's Academy.

On 31 January 2018, Ladapo moved to League One side Southend United for an undisclosed fee, having been poised to join AFC Wimbledon earlier the same day and even arriving at the club’s stadium to undergo a medical before walking out midway through.