Loan spell helped AFC Wimbledon capitalise on Cardiff City, Gillingham situation | OneFootball

Deji Oshilaja is a player not often talked about at Wimbledon, but it was his great loan spell that saw him return to the Dons ahead of Gillingham

When AFC Wimbledon fans look back at the club's previous captains, some popular and memorable names appear.

From the inaugural captain who led the Dons out in their first-ever game back in the early 2000s, Joe Sheerin, to the man who wore the armband when they lifted the League Two play-off trophy at Wembley, Barry Fuller, and even to now, with Jake Reeves.

However, Deji Oshilaja is one former captain who often flies under the radar. It is often forgotten just how brilliant he was, not only as a leader but as a player too, while it was a brilliant and transformative loan spell with the Dons back in 2015 that would later help the South West Londoners to snap him up after his time with Gillingham and parent club Cardiff City.

Deji Oshilaja award-winning loan spell at AFC Wimbledon

Oshiliaja's first spell at AFC Wimbledon was his first long-term loan spell away from parent Cardiff, having spent two short stints with Newport County and Sheffield Wednesday beforehand.

It was clear he was a wanted man by then-manager Neal Ardley, with the unveiling of his signing describing that the former Dons boss had been chasing the young defender for a long while, having bought him to Cardiff in his previous role at the Welsh club, and worked with him in the youth ranks.

It soon became clear as to why he had wanted the then 21-year-old, as it did not take long for Oshilaja to display the lightning-quick pace he had become known for at Cardiff, as well as his robustness and all-round defensive nous, with him making his Dons debut only three days after joining.

From there, he contributed well to the backline, making the absence of Adam Barrett, who Wimbledon had failed to recapture on a permanent deal, a lot less noticeable. He would also score his one and only goal of the temporary spell in a victory over York City, heading home a corner.

By the end of the season, and after only six months with Wimbledon, he had racked up a very impressive 23 League Two appearances and had impressed fans so much that, in a supporter-decided category, he was awarded the club's prestigious Young Player of the Year award, which, before Oshilaja, had not been won by anyone noticeable outside the club, but has since been won by the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Jack Rudoni and most recently Isaac Ogundere.

Why was the successful loan spell pivotal in AFC Wimbledon resigning Deji Oshilaja

Following his success with the Dons over the six months he was at the club in the 2014/15 season, Oshilaja was then sent out on loan to Gillingham, first for another short spell, before then spending the remainder of the 15/16 season back at the Priestfield Stadium, and then for another season-long stint in 2016/17.

Despite totaling over half a century of appearances during his multiple loans down in Kent, however, as well as a handful of goals scored at League One level, he was not kept on by Cardiff, by that point in the Championship, and was released by the Welsh side at the end of 16/17 as they decided against renewing his deal.

His Gillingham tenure over and his Bluebirds contract up, Oshilaja was available and the Dons didn't waste much time in capitalising, making the most of the strong relationship he built with the club and fans to snap him up.

Wimbledon were able to bring the defender back to South West London and to a place where he was quite clearly loved by the manager first and foremost, but also the fans who took in all his talents during his previous loan spell.

Speaking on his signing to club media back in 2017, Ardley said, "I know that our fans really took to Deji a couple of seasons ago.

"He was outstanding when he was here on loan."

Further down the article which unveiled Oshillaja's signing, Ardley then went on to speak about just how highly he regarded the young talent. He added: "Deji was our first choice and he covers a lot of areas.

"[He] is a player who I have worked with loads and he will bring a lot of good qualities to the team.

Oshilaja's second spell was a bigger success and has catapulted him on to better things

Ardley was spot on in his analysis of how much quality Oshilaja would bring to his Dons squad, as in his first season back at Wimbledon, he helped the club battle to an 18th-place finish in a high-quality League One, and reach an FA Cup third round tie with a Tottenham Hotspur side featuring the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli.

He would then be named club captain by Ardley ahead of the infamous 2018/19 season, showing just how important he was to the manager, and how highly regarded he was at the club. And rightly so, as many fans felt that they had a 'Rolls-Royce' of a defender in their backline.

Despite Ardley being sacked early on in 18/19, Oshilaja continued to be an imposing figure in defence and help the Dons to some mighty feats.

He would firstly help guide them through the FA Cup upset win over West Ham Unied, keeping the likes of Andy Carroll and Felipe Anderson relatively quiet, and then become part of the formidable defence that kept Wimbledon's League One status by the end of the season in their 'Great Escape'.

Following his release, which came about due to a mix of high interest in previous transfer windows, finally winning over the draw of Wimbledon, and his personal fitness issues toward the end of the 18/19 season, he has since spent time at Charlton Atheltic, playing for the fellow London side in the Championship, before also spending three years at Burton Albion, helping to keep the Brewers competing in League One.

That was before jumping ship to promoted Mansfield Town over the summer, where he has since slotted nicely into their backline and is helping them sit pretty in League One after last season's promotion, showing that all those years ago at Wimbledon, both the fans, and Ardley, were right in awarding him the Young Player of the Year award, and correct in their predictions that he would grow into a solid and dependable defender.