Chiedozie Ogbene voted Luton Town Player of the Month

CORK'S Chiedozie Ogbene has been voted Player of the Month at Luton Town for the month of October.

The result of the ballot by season card holders at Kenilworth Road was made public earlier this week and the winger received 45% of the vote.

The Hatters played four games in October and Ogbene scored his first Premier League goal during a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The winger also featured for his side in games against Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur, and Aston Villa.

His performances have been cited by many pundits as one of the reasons why newly promoted Luton Town are outside the relegation zone in the Premier League.

The Hatters are one of the hardest teams to beat in the division and Liverpool learned that the hard way at the beginning of November when they needed a Luis Diaz goal in injury time to rescue a point in north-west London.

Ogbene played that day and had a running battle with Trent Alexander Arnold, a full-back credited as one of the best in the business over his ability to get forward and create chances.

The Cork native also featured for Luton Town during their dramatic 4-3 defeat to Arsenal at the beginning of December at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters were leading 3-2 midway through the second half and Kai Havertz made it 3-3 with a close range finish. 

The Premier League leaders snatched the three points in the seventh minute of added time when Declan Rice turned in a Martin Ødegaard cross.

Ogbene has consistently delivered for Luton Town, and he has become a fan favourite at Kenilworth Road since making the move from Rotherham United over the summer.

The winger was brought in on a free-transfer and he’s set the Premier League alight with his pace and close control.

He also drew Yves Bissouma in during the game with Tottenham Hotspur at Kenilworth Road and forced a foul which played a part in the midfielder’s dismissal at the end of the first half.

Ogbene combined his run while playing for the Republic of Ireland in Euro 2024 qualifiers against Greece at the Aviva Stadium and Gibraltar in Faro last October.

The winger first rose to prominence in the Cork Schoolboy Leagues and he moved to the Cork City academy in 2015.

Ogbene played under Stephen Birmingham in the Underage National Leagues and he helped the club win the Enda McGuill Cup and compete in the UEFA Youth League in 2016. 

That went alongside intermittent appearances for the Rebel Army’s first team, a run that included coming on as a substitute against Dundalk in the FAI Cup final at the Aviva Stadium.