One to Watch – Jordan Obita

Name: Jordan Obita

Date of Birth: 8/12/1993

Nationality: England

Former Clubs: Barnet, Gillingham, Portsmouth, Oldham

League Appearances (Goals): 45 (5)

International Appearances (Goals): 0 (0)

Stat of the Day: Jordan Obita has attempted a total of 120 crosses in his 16 league appearances this season

Player Profile: As the athleticism, skill and talent of professional football players intensifies with every day it becomes that little bit harder to make a name for yourself in the professional game. Talented prospects can become awash in the surplus of expectant youngsters aspiring to continue their journey from cute 9-year-old boy to exciting first team player and many have still dramatically failed despite turning out for the first team at a young age. Jordan Obita, who first joined Reading at the age of 8, stands on the cusp of footballing recognition having wriggled his way into the promotion chasing Royals side this season, but still knows he has a long way to go before he can call himself a professional football player.

Despite his favoured position being on the left wing, Obita has found himself occupying the left-back berth for Adkins` side recently and Reading fans have been quite excited about the youngster`s future at the club. The 20-year-old has bided his time, developing his game through numerous loan spells, and has now started Readings last 7 games, in which his side has scored 16 goals. Obita still has a long way to go in establishing himself as a regular first team player but is highly rated by both club and country, where he has made 6 U19 International caps, and already has a good foundation in which to progress from.

Player History:

Jordan Obita joined Reading at the age of 8 and having progressed through the youth teams made his first team debut at the age of 16 in a League Cup tie against Torquay United in 2010. He travelled with the first team squad for Reading’s pre-season trip to Slovenia prior to the 2011/2012 season and made his first start in a Reading shirt in a League Cup game against Charlton Athletic in 2011.

In January 2012 he signed for League Two side Barnet on loan. After one month at Underhill, in which he made 5 appearances, he joined Gillingham on a similar loan deal. He scored his first professional goal against his former loan side and ended up with 3 goals in 6 appearances for The Gills. During his loan spell at the Priestfield Stadium he was nominated for 2011/2012 Football League Championship Apprentice of the Year.

At the beginning of the 2012/2013 campaign Obita joined Portsmouth on loan and made 8 appearances at Fratton Park. He later joined Oldham Athletic in January 2013, his fourth loan spell in a short career, and scored his first goal for the club in a televised clash with Everton in the FA Cup.

He returned to Reading over the summer with the intention of breaking into Adkins` first team side and made his first appearance of the season in 6-0 hammering at Peterborough in August. He has since forced his way into the reckoning at the Madjeski and managed to keep Captain Jobi McAnuff out of the side for a short spell. He has since been deployed as a left-back and having scored his first goal for the club in a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest just before Christmas, is enjoying an extended run in the side.