NEARLY CHRISTMAS? HERE'S EMMANUEL!

 On 15th December 1999, at the end of extra time in the League Cup quarter final, between West Ham and Aston Villa at Upton Park, the scores were still level, at 2-2, so the match went to penalties. 

West Ham finished 5-4 penalty victors, Gareth Southgate missing the deciding penalty. But it was then found that a sub West Ham brought on during extra time – Manny Omoyinmi – had played for Gillingham earlier in the season in the Second Round of the League Cup when on loan to the Kent club. That made him ineligible to play for West Ham in the same season. Result reversed!

Emmanuel Omoyinmi (born 28 December 1977) is a Nigerian former footballer. He also played for England Schoolboys. He began his career at West Ham United, where he was most noted for an incident in which he played in a League Cup quarter-final game when ineligible; West Ham were later knocked out of the competition in a replayed game. The tie was ordered to be replayed, which Aston Villa won 3-1. Responsibility for the error was accepted by West Ham's company secretary, Graham Mackrell, and football secretary, Alison O'Dowd, who both resigned.

Following a series of loans to other clubs, Omoyinmi joined Oxford United in 2000 for whom he made 67 league appearances, scoring nine goals. He then went on to play non-league football, including a spell at Lewes FC in Sussex, my old club!! Manny's career below!

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–2000	West Ham United	9	(2)
1996	→ AFC Bournemouth (loan)	7	(0)
1998	→ Dundee United (loan)	4	(0)
1999	→ Leyton Orient (loan)	4	(1)
1999	→ Gillingham (loan)	9	(3)
1999–2000	→ Scunthorpe United (loan)	6	(1)
2000	→ Barnet (loan)	6	(0)
2000–2004	Oxford United	67	(9)
2003	→ Margate (loan)	11	(3)
2004	→ Margate (loan)	3	(2)
2004	→ Gravesend & Northfleet (loan)	7	(2)
2004–2005	Gravesend & Northfleet	35	(6)
2005–2006	Lewes	10	(0)
2006	Worthing	1	(0)
Total		179	(29)