When Raith Rovers made Cody David their latest signing, fans will have found it difficult to carry out the usual background checks on the striker.
Until, that is, they were able to work out that Cody David is, in fact, Korede Adedoyin. Or was Adedoyin, to be more correct.
David made his debut for Raith in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Livingston and made an impressive impact in the ten minutes or so he was on the pitch.
He was the player fouled when Danny Wilson was red-carded in the second minute of injury-time.
The former Everton, Sheffield Wednesday and Accrington Stanley marksman will aim for greater involvement when Rovers host Airdrie on Tuesday night seeking a first win in four games.
And a goal would make it an even more special occasion, on a personal level, for the new recruit, who was born in Lagos but left Nigeria for England aged just five.
“Of course, throughout my career so far, I’ve been going by Adedoyin,” he explained when asked by Courier Sport about his change of identity.
“But my grandfather recently passed away not long ago. So. to honour him, we changed our surname to David, which was his first name.
“The whole family changed it.
Honour
“He was David Adedoyin, he had my father’s family name.
“But because of what happened, we decided to change it to his first name, which was David.
“He was still in Nigeria, so I hadn’t seen him since I left the country.
“So, it’s just to honour him, really.
“If I can get a goal for Raith Rovers, it will be the first time I’ll have scored with David on the back of my shirt. That would be special.”
As for being known as Cody, rather than Korede, there is a simpler explanation.
“Cody is not actually my name on any documents,” he continued.
“It’s just that when I was young, Korede was hard to say. So someone botched it once, and they said Cody instead, and it just stuck.
“So now everyone just calls me that.”
David will be hopeful of ensuring with his performances on the pitch that no-one forgets his name.
One shot from an acute angle after coming on against Livingston was an indication of the fire-power he possesses in his left foot.
Contract extension?
But, after being frozen out at Accrington after the 3-1 defeat to Sutton United on March 23, the powerful forward admits his first aim is to make enough of an impression that his short-term deal is extended beyond January.
“It was good to get some minutes against Livingston, because it was my first game in about seven months,” added David.
“Then, of course, not having pre-season, stuff like that, I just need to get back to my top sharpness and everything.
“I feel like that [a longer contract] is the target. That’s the aim, to kick on and do the best that I can do for the club. And for the people who have put their faith in me to get me here.
“I have to just repay them.”
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