Former Christchurch United midfielder Jago Godden has landed a gig over in England with Bedford Town FC (National League North - Sixth tier, same division as one Zac Jones at AFC Fylde) after leaving New Zealand earlier this month.
We've got a good'en in Godden 🌟
Bedford Town Football Club are pleased to welcome 21 year old attacking midfielder Jago Godden to the club 🤝
See Jago in action alongside new signing Ryan Inman at The Eyrie today where we entertain Darlington. Tickets below 👇… pic.twitter.com/IdXMJvZ9bW
He managed a goal on debut having come off the bench in the second half, but Bedford ended up throwing away a result late on against 10 man Darlington to lose 4-3, having been up 3-2 heading into the 90th minute.
Good luck to the lad. Good start for him on a personal level at least!
Just a few weeks after he was running the midfield for Christchurch United in the National League, Jago Godden has popped up with a goal on debut for Bedford Town in the English sixth tier #FlyingKiwispic.twitter.com/OLZZB0snAD
In quite unexpected transfer news, Jago Godden has signed for League Two side Walsall FC (loaned to Drogheda United until 2027).
We are pleased to announce the signing of midfielder Jago Godden! ✍️
The 22-year-old joins the Saddlers from National League North side Bedford Town and will immediately head to @DroghedaUnited on loan until January 2027.
Not bad for a guy kicking around at National League level in Christchurch some 4-5 months ago. Will also get a full season in Ireland to show his wares before heading back to Walsall in 2027.
Walsall has a number of past New Zealand connections, with former All Whites Mark Paston and Danny Hay having played for the club, as well as national coach Darren Bazeley.
Godden a full 90 mins in a 2-2 draw at Derry City.
He's started Drogheda's last 3 matches. No chance of WC selection, but he might be on the AWs radar later this year, if whoever is AWs coach experiments early in the next cycle.
Guess who’s cracked that Drogs starting team already? Jago Godden only joined the club – on loan from shared-ownership club Walsall – in the days prior to the first game skipping out all of preseason. He’d been playing heaps for Bedford Town so fitness wasn’t an issue, simply a matter of integrating him into the side. He famously came off the bench to score the winner on debut... and from there Godden continued to pop up with at least twenty minutes as a substitute in each of the first five fixtures. He’s since played ninety minutes in the midfield in each of the last three. Drogs are on a six-game winless streak but they have managed to draw the past two.
Godden’s first start was in a 4-1 loss against St Patrick’s Athletic, who have gotten going like gangbusters losing only one of their first seven games to sit second just one point behind Bohemians. Max Mata got around 15 mins off the bench that day so there was a bit of overlap between the two kiwis. However, Mata’s still in that substitute phase that Godden’s since graduated from. Having missed much of preseason (as well as the first couple games of the actual season), they’re being careful about how quickly they build him up... thus explaining why he’s only gotten between 15-25 mins as a substitute in all five appearances. Like Godden, he’s also managed to score a winning goal off the bench. Maybe after the international break we might see a bit more of him.
As for Norman Garbett at Dundalk... he’s injured like usual.
Jago Godden's quickly made himself a first eleven player for Drogheda United and you can bet there'll be more goals where this one came from #FlyingKiwispic.twitter.com/dYgwM65tjS
