Michael Richie Onovwigun (born 9 April 1996) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for club Tooting & Mitcham United.
Onovwigun was a product of the Brentford academy and began his professional career with Chesterfield in 2014. After his release in 2016, Onovwigun embarked on a journeyman career in non-League football.
Playing career
Brentford Born in Clapham, London, Onovwigun began his career in the academy at Brentford and signed a two-year scholarship during the 2012 off-season. After featuring regularly for the Development Squad in friendly matches during the 2012–13 pre-season, Onovwigun was called into the first team squad for a friendly versus Wycombe Wanderers on 7 August 2012 and he replaced Jake Reeves after 73 minutes of the 4–1 victory. Onovwigun made over 50 appearances for the youth team and 9 for the Development Squad between 2011 and 2014 and departed the club at the end of the 2013–14 season, after failing to be offered a professional contract.
Chesterfield
2014–15 season and loans to Sheffield and Stalybridge Celtic On 31 July 2014, Onovwigun signed a one-year professional Development Squad contract at League One club Chesterfield after a successful trial. He received his maiden call into the first team squad for a league match versus Rochdale on 16 August and made his professional debut when he came on as an 89th-minute substitute for Jimmy Ryan in a 2–1 win. Onovwigun joined Northern Premier League First Division South club Sheffield on a loan that was later extended until 3 January 2015. He made eight appearances and scored two goals for the club. On 6 February 2015, Onovwigun and Chesterfield teammate Charlie Dawes joined Conference North club Stalybridge Celtic on one month loans. He made just one appearance and after his return to Chesterfield, he had a run of three first team calls in March 2015 and made one substitute appearance against Gillingham in the middle of the month. Onovwigun finished the 2014–15 season with three appearances and the option to extend his contract was taken up for another season.
2015–16 season and loan to Gateshead Onovwigun made his only appearance of the 2015–16 season as a substitute during a 3–1 League Cup first round extra time defeat to Carlisle United on 11 August 2015. On 24 March 2016, he joined National League club Gateshead on loan until the end of the 2015–16 season. Onovwigun made three appearances he departed Chesterfield when his contract expired.
Non-League football
2016–17 season On 16 August 2016, Onovwigun transferred to Isthmian League Premier Division club Dulwich Hamlet. He made just two appearances, before moving within the division to join Kingstonian on 31 August. After making 11 appearances and scoring two goals, he transferred to Southern League First Division Central club Farnborough on 24 November. Onovwigun moved back up to the National League to join Southport on 7 January 2017 and returned to the Isthmian League Premier Division to sign for Merstham on 6 March.
2017–2019 Onovwigun rejoined Dulwich Hamlet at the beginning of the 2017–18 season and was a part of the team which secured promotion to the National League South, though he did not feature in Hamlet's successful Isthmian League Premier Division play-off campaign. After signing a new contract, Onovwigun joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Carshalton Athletic on a three-month loan in September 2018 and after returning to Dulwich Hamlet for the second half of the 2018–19 season, he rejoined Carshalton on a permanent basis during the 2019 off-season.
2019–20 season Onovwigun made two early-2019–20 season appearances for Carshalton Athletic, before transferring to division rivals Lewes in late August 2019. Until his release in December 2019, Onovwigun was a regular member of the Lewes team and he moved up to the National League South to join Dartford in January 2020. After just one appearance for the Darts, he joined Isthmian League South Central Division club Staines Town on a dual-registration deal in February and then moved to North Division club Maldon & Tiptree on a permanent transfer in early March. Onovwigun made three appearances for the Jammers, before the 2019–20 Isthmian League season was ended early. He announced his retirement from non-League football in July 2020.
2022–present Onovwigun made five appearances for Southern Counties East League First Division club AFC Whyteleafe during the 2022–23 season. He made 21 appearances for Combined Counties League Premier Division South club Corinthian-Casuals during the 2024–25 season. In July 2025, Onovwigun transferred across the division to Tooting & Mitcham United. He made 41 appearances during a 2025–26 season in which the club reached the Combined Counties League Premier Division South playoff semi-finals. Onovwigun was retained for the 2026–27 season.
Sunday league football In 2020, Onovwigun dropped into Sunday league football and joined Orpington & Bromley District Sunday League Senior Division club Lambeth Allstars.
Personal life Onovwigun attended a football and education programme at the University of East London.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsChesterfield 2014–15League One2000001Appearance in Football League Trophy0302015–16League One4000100040Total6000101040Sheffield (loan)2014–15Northern Premier League First Division South51——32 appearances in Northern Premier League Challenge Cup, 1 appearance and 1 goal in Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup182Stalybridge Celtic (loan)2014–15Conference North10———10Gateshead (loan)2015–16National League30———30Dulwich Hamlet2016–17Isthmian League Premier Division20———20Kingstonian2016–17Isthmian League Premier Division9210—1Appearances in Isthmian League Cup0112Farnborough2016–17Southern League First Division Central40———40Southport2016–17National League10———10Merstham2016–17Isthmian League Premier Division10———10Dulwich Hamlet2017–18Isthmian League Premier Division21000—32 appearances in Isthmian League Cup, 1 appearance in London Senior Cup02402018–19National League South10000—2Appearance in London Senior Cup0120Total33000—50380Carshalton Athletic (loan)2018–19Isthmian League Premier Division131——42 appearances in FA Trophy, 1 appearance in Isthmian League Cup, 1 appearance in Surrey Senior Cup0171Carshalton Athletic2019–20Isthmian League Premier Division20———20Total151——40191Lewes2019–20Isthmian League Premier Division12030—32 appearances in Sussex Senior Challenge Cup, 1 appearance in FA Trophy0180Dartford2019–20National League South00——1Appearance in Kent Senior Cup010Staines Town (dual-reg)2019–20Isthmian League South Central Division51———51Maldon & Tiptree2019–20Isthmian League North Division30———30AFC Whyteleafe2022–23Southern Counties East League First Division50———50Corinthian-Casuals2024–25Combined Counties League Premier Division South19020—00210Tooting & Mitcham United2025–26Combined Counties League Premier Division South31210—93 appearances in FA Vase, 3 appearances in London Senior Cup, 2 appearances in Surrey Senior Cup, 1 appearance in Combined Counties League Premier Division South play-offs04122026–27Combined Counties League Premier Division South0010—0010Total31220—00422Career total153780102711898
References
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