What a difference a year makes: Bradford City's Clarke Oduor on getting his career back on track after tough times at Barnsley FC

With his season-long loan spell at League Two strugglers Hartlepool United cut short at Christmas 2022, the Kenyan international found himself back at Barnsley - and very much surplus to requirements.

With his contract up at the end of last season, the former Leeds United player was marking time before being released.

His team-mates were going for promotion, but Oduor – who joined City in June - was on the periphery, alongside Barnsley loanee Josh Martin. Their attitude, amid testing times, drew praise from ex Reds-coach Michael Duff, someone who never dispensed with it readily.

Odour has known hard times before. Back at Barnsley in 2020-21, he did not come on to the pitch for 29 successive matches as an unused substitute.

In the current campaign, the 24-year-old has also had to contend with being out of the side for spells.

He has admirably persisted. A player rated by Graham Alexander as one of the technically gifted players in his squad, Oduor now has his cherished chance.

Oduor said: "It is difficult when you’re not playing and you know you’re on the way out somewhere. You’re thinking about what’s going to happen.

"But you need to believe in yourself and when you get that opportunity and someone who’s going to give you a chance, just go out there and take it.

"You have got to be mentally strong in this game. People might not understand how hard it is sometimes coming in and just cracking on and proving to everyone and yourself that you are good enough and can do things.

"Football can get lonely at times, but when you’ve got friends and family who are always by your side. When you forget the good things that you’ve done, they’ll always be there to remind you about them.”

In Oduor's case, the good things include his legendary late goal which sealed Barnsley's 'Great Escape' from Championship relegation in the final ever regular league game at Brentford's former Griffin Park home at the end of the Covid-affected 2019-20 season.

His quality has shone through of late. Handed a central role as opposed to on the left, Oduor has looked at home - in a role where he played as a youngster.

If his performance levels can be maintained, he is likely to be a key player in any late-season play-off push for City - after missing out at Barnsley last term.

He added: "We’re definitely in the mix. Everyone wants to succeed, get trophies and win promotion.

"That’s definitely the goal. There are still quite a few games left and we’ll take them one by one.”

On his relationship with Alexander, he continued: "You want consistency in football. It’s hard as players when you are chopping and changing managers all the time. It'd be good if he was to stick around, but also that’s down to us in the changing room.

"He’s a good guy. He’s honest and will tell you how he feels and will have a conversation with you.”