Carl Onora Ikeme (born 8 June 1986) is a former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
He spent his entire career at Wolverhampton Wanderers, making 207 appearances across all competitions. He was part of their teams that won the Championship in 2009 and League One in 2014, and made one Premier League appearance in 2012. Throughout his time at Wolves, he was loaned to eight other clubs. Ikeme was born and raised in England, but chose to represent Nigeria at international level, earning ten caps between 2015 and 2016.
In July 2017, Ikeme was diagnosed with acute leukaemia. A year later, after being in complete remission, he retired.
Club career
Early career
Ikeme progressed through Wolverhampton Wanderers' academy and made the first team squad in their 2003–04 Premier League season. Due to Matt Murray's long-term injury, he was promoted to the substitutes' bench for a string of games but never played.
He moved on a month-long loan to Conference Premier side Accrington Stanley on 14 October 2004, to fill the gap in their team caused by Jon Kennedy's broken leg. He made his senior debut on 16 October when he played the first of four games for them, keeping a clean sheet in a goalless draw at Aldershot Town.
He finally made his Wolves debut the following season, in a 5–1 win over Chester City in the League Cup second round on 23 August 2005. He also had a further loan move to Stockport County in late 2005 which was cut short due to a hand injury. On 26 August 2006, he made his league debut for Wolves when he appeared as a late substitute in a 1–0 home win over Luton Town, replacing Murray for the final three minutes.
Ikeme suffered a knee injury during the 2006–07 season and had to undergo surgery, which kept him out of contention until late 2007. After recovering, he was an unused substitute or only employed in reserve team fixtures. It was not until September 2008 that he got his chance to return to Wolves' first team after regular keeper Wayne Hennessey was suspended. He enjoyed his longest run of games in a Wolves shirt until injury ruled him out for the remainder of the season, during which the club went on to claim the Championship title and reach the Premier League.
Championship loan spells
After regaining fitness, he joined League One side Charlton Athletic on a month's loan in October 2009 to cover for injured Robert Elliot, making five appearances. Upon the end of this loan he immediately went out on loan again, this time to Championship side Sheffield United for a month but a hamstring injury halted his stay. He recovered from this setback and was again sent out on loan to a Championship club, this time Queens Park Rangers during January 2010, where he made 17 appearances.
In August 2010, he again went out on loan when he joined Leicester City on a one-month emergency deal as cover for injured keeper Chris Weale. This spell was later extended but ended when the Foxes recruited Chris Kirkland at the end of November, after four appearances by Ikeme. He spent the remainder of the 2010–11 season back at Wolves.
Ikeme completed a one-month loan move to Championship side Middlesbrough in August 2011, after impressing in a pre-season trial. This loan deal was extended for a further month in August, and then for a third and final month until 1 November. He kept six clean sheets in ten games before a hand injury saw him return to Molineux.
Once recovered, he had a loan spell at another Championship side when he joined Doncaster Rovers in November 2011. He made five appearances for the club as they struggled at the foot of the table before the deal expired in January. He returned to them once again in March 2012, joining on an initial one-month loan deal, later extended to run until the end of the season. However, he was recalled by Wolves following an injury to first choice goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey; by this point, Doncaster had been confirmed as relegated to League One under his future Wolves manager Dean Saunders.
Return to Wolves
Ikeme made his first appearance for Wolves since January 2009 on the final day of 2011–12, coming on as a substitute for Dorus de Vries in the 51st minute of a 3–2 loss to Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium on 13 May 2012.