Eddie Odhiambo-Anaclet (born 31 August 1985) is a Tanzanian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He was most recently manager of side North Leigh.
Odhiambo began his career as a schoolboy with Oxford United, before moving to Southampton in 2003. A year later, he signed on professional terms with the club, and was loaned out on separate occasions to Chester City and Tamworth during the 2004–05 season. He did not break into the first-team at Southampton, and signed for Oxford United on a free transfer in July 2006. After two seasons of regular first-team football at Oxford, he joined Stevenage Borough on a free transfer ahead of the 2008–09 campaign. In his first season with the Hertfordshire side, he helped the club win the FA Trophy in May 2009. The following season, Odhiambo was part of the side that secured promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history.
He was released at the end of the season, and subsequently joined Newport County, spending the 2009–10 season with the club, before moving to another Conference Premier team in the form of Gateshead. He spent one year at Gateshead, but was released in April 2012. A month later, Odhiambo signed for Brackley Town of the Conference North. He spent four years at Brackley before signing for Oxford City for the 2016–17 season. Odhiambo spent time at Kidlington in 2016 before joining Banbury United for the remainder of the season. He re-joined Kidlington as a player-coach for the 2017–18 campaign before then signing with Banbury for a second time, once again in a player-coach role.
Career
Early career
Odhiambo started his career as a schoolboy with Oxford United, before later becoming a trainee with Southampton. He played in the same youth team as Theo Walcott and Dexter Blackstock, but did not break into the first-team. He joined League Two club Chester City on loan in December 2004, playing in one game, a 3–1 win away to Halifax Town in the FA Cup. He returned to his parent club in early 2005, and continued to play for the club's reserve team for the remainder of the 2004–05 season.
During the early months of the following campaign, he was loaned out to Yeovil Town, although did not make any first-team appearances for the club, playing in one reserve match before returning to Southampton at the end of the brief loan agreement. In November 2005, Odhiambo joined Conference National club Tamworth on a three-month loan deal. He made his debut for the club in a 2–1 away victory over Canvey Island on 19 November 2005, playing the whole match. He went on to start in all eleven games during his loan spell; eight in the league and three in the FA Cup, as Tamworth took Stoke City to a replay, which they ultimately lost 5–4 on penalties. He saw out the remainder of the campaign back at Southampton.
Oxford United
In July 2006, Odhiambo signed for Oxford United, the club he started his football career with, on a permanent basis following the club's relegation from League Two to the Conference National. On signing for Oxford, Odhiambo stated — "Having played at Tamworth last season I know I can play at this level and hopefully above that with Oxford in the future". Following a pre-season that involved marking Cristiano Ronaldo in a friendly against Manchester United at the Kassam Stadium, he made his competitive debut for Oxford in a 2–0 home win over Halifax Town on the opening day of the 2006–07 season. He played regularly in the side throughout the campaign, scoring his first goal for the club in a 1–1 home draw against Cambridge United on 3 February 2007. He went on to score two further times that season; in convincing away victories against his former club, Tamworth, as well as in a 3–0 win against Altrincham on 17 March 2007. He made 47 appearances in all competitions during the season, as Oxford missed out on an immediate return to the Football League after losing to Exeter City in the play-off semi-finals.