David Ijaha
# David Ijaha

David Ijaha (born 17 February 1990) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder or defender currently for Cray Wanderers.

## Career

### Early career

Ijaha was at his local Chelsea academy for three years as a youngster, being released at the age of 15. Having earned a place at an England Schoolboy training camp he met up with Kyle Bennett who introduced him to Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he spent two seasons playing for the U18 side and the reserves, before being released.

### Non-League career

After a spell out of the game, Ijaha joined Harrow Borough in August 2010 and then followed his manager David Howell to Southern Premier Division club St Albans City, where he was made captain. He signed for National League South side Tonbridge Angels in December 2013. Following Tonbridge's relegation, Ijaha joined Hayes & Yeading United at the start of the 2014–2015 season, where he had been a long term target of manager Phil Babb. However, he soon moved to National League South rivals Whitehawk where he spent two seasons.

### Plymouth Argyle

At the start of the 2016–17 season, Ijaha was invited down to Home Park for a trial by Plymouth Argyle's assistant manager Craig Brewster, who had previously coached in Sussex at Whitehawk. Ijaha impressed enough to be offered a contract and he made his Football League debut at the age of 27, playing for Plymouth Argyle in a 3–0 loss against Luton Town on 6 August 2016. After struggling with a long-term injury, Ijaha was released at the end of the 2016–17 season having made three league appearances.

### Later career

Ijaha had a short spell with National League South club Wealdstone at the beginning of the 2017–18 season, before rejoining Whitehawk and being appointed captain in September.

After a season at Welling United in 2018–19 and another season at Dulwich Hamlet in 2019–20, Ijaha joined league rivals Dartford for the 2020–21 season. He re-joined Dartford towards the end of the 2021–22 season before going out on loan to former-side Whitehawk.

On September 16 2022, Ijaha signed for Cray Wanderers.

## Personal life

Ijaha was educated at St Thomas More School in Chelsea.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 15 April 2022

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :

| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Harrow Borough | 2010–11 | Isthmian Premier | 39 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
| Harrow Borough | Harrow Borough total | Harrow Borough total | 39 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
| St Albans City | 2011–12 | SFL - Premier Division | 40 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 46 | 2 |
| St Albans City | 2012–13 | SFL - Premier Division | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| St Albans City | St Albans City total | St Albans City total | 62 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 75 | 3 |
| Tonbridge Angels | 2012–13 | Conference South | 21 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 21 | 3 |
| Tonbridge Angels | 2013–14 | Conference South | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| Tonbridge Angels | Tonbridge total | Tonbridge total | 55 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 57 | 4 |
| Hayes & Yeading United | 2014–15 | Conference South | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Hayes & Yeading United | Hayes & Yeading United total | Hayes & Yeading United total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Whitehawk | 2014–15 | Conference South | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Whitehawk | 2015–16 | National League South | 36 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 42 | 2 |
| Whitehawk | Whitehawk total | Whitehawk total | 66 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 81 | 2 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2016–17 | League Two | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Wealdstone | 2017–18 | National League South | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Whitehawk | 2017–18 | National League South | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 37 | 2 |
| Welling United | 2018–19 | National League South | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| Dulwich Hamlet | 2019–20 | National League South | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 27 | 3 |
| Dartford | 2020–21 | National League South | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Dartford | 2021–22 | National League South | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dartford | Dartford total | Dartford total | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Whitehawk (loan) | 2021–22 | Isthmian League South East Division | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 341 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 393 | 19 |

* ↑ One appearance in the FA Trophy and one in the Southern League Cup
* ↑ One appearance in the Herts Charity Cup, one in the FA Trophy, one in the Southern League Cup and one in the Herts Senior Cup
* 1 2 3 4 Appearances in the FA Trophy
* 1 2 Appearances in the FA Trophy and Sussex Senior Cup
* ↑ Appearances in the EFL Trophy
* ↑ Appearance in the Kent Senior Cup
