Emmanuel Olukolade Sonupe is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for League Two club Stevenage. Sonupe started his career at Tottenham Hotspur although did not make any first-team appearances. He was loaned out to Scottish Premiership club St Mirren in February 2015 for the remainder of the 2014–15 campaign. He was released by Tottenham in June 2016 and later signed for League One team Northampton Town. Sonupe was loaned out to Kidderminster Harriers of the National League North, and following his departure from Northampton, he signed for Kidderminster on a permanent basis. After one year at Kidderminster, he joined League Two club Stevenage in June 2018. Sonupe has also represented England at U16 and U18 level.
Club career
Early career
Sonupe began his career in the youth set-up at Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, where he initially played for the U18 side before progressing to U21 level. Having scored twice in eleven appearances for Tottenham's U21 team during the first half of the 2014–15 season, Sonupe was loaned out to Scottish Premiership club St Mirren in order to gain first-team experience on 2 February 2015. The loan deal ran until the end of the season. He made his professional debut in a 2–1 home defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 14 February 2015, coming on as a 61st-minute substitute in the match. The loan spell concluded on 29 May 2015, making just four appearances during the three-month spell. He spent the 2015–16 campaign playing for Tottenham's U21 side, but did not make any first-team appearances for the club. He was released by Tottenham upon the expiry of his contract in June 2016.
Northampton Town
Without a club, Sonupe had a trial at Charlton Athletic in pre-season ahead of the 2016–17 season, playing 45 minutes in friendlies against Welling United and Bromley respectively, before being asked back to play in another friendly against Dulwich Hamlet. No move materialised, however, and Sonupe subsequently signed for League One club Northampton Town on 12 August 2016 following a successful trial period, joining the club on a one-year deal. Northampton manager Rob Page stated that the initial focus was on developing Sonupe — "we will work with him, we will develop him and we think he can develop into an asset for us". He made his debut as a substitute in a 0–0 draw with AFC Wimbledon on 20 August 2016. Sonupe went on to make just three further appearances during the campaign, all of which were in the EFL Trophy. Having not made any first-team appearances for four months, Sonupe was loaned out to National League North club Kidderminster Harriers on 23 March 2017 for the remainder of the season. He made five appearances during the brief loan spell, scoring his first goal in senior football in a 4–1 away victory over Altrincham on 17 April 2017. On his return to Northampton, Sonupe was released when his contract expired in May 2017.
Kidderminster Harriers
After making "a big impression" during his loan spell, Sonupe signed for Kidderminster on a permanent basis on 30 June 2017. He joined the National League North club on a one-year contract. The 2017–18 season was to serve as Sonupe's first full campaign of regular first-team football. He started the season by scoring three goals in as many games, which included a brace in a 2–1 comeback victory away at FC United of Manchester on 12 August 2017. Sonupe's goal tally reached double figures before the end of the calendar year having scored eleven times in all competitions. He went on to score 15 times during the campaign, making 46 appearances, as Kidderminster's season ended with a loss at the National League North play-off qualifying round stage.
Stevenage
Sonupe signed for League Two club Stevenage for an undisclosed five-figure fee on 13 June 2018. He made his Stevenage debut in the club's opening match of the 2018–19 season, a 2–2 draw with Tranmere Rovers at Broadhall Way, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute in the match. Sonupe scored his first goal for Stevenage in a 3–1 home victory against Colchester United on 6 October 2018. He appeared predominantly as a substitute during his first season with the club, although ended the season by starting in the last five league matches. This included him scoring twice in a 4–1 away win at Port Vale on 19 April 2019. Sonupe made 37 appearances in all competitions during the season, of which 26 were as a substitute, scoring three goals, as Stevenage finished in tenth position in League Two, one point off of the play-off places.
International career
Sonupe has represented England at both U16 and U18 level. He is also eligible to play for Nigeria as he was born to Nigerian parents.
