He ain't Efe, he's my brother

Efe, Akpo and Sam Sodje are all League One footballers; brother Steve plays for non-League Tonbridge; while another brother, Bright, played Super League rugby for Sheffield Eagles. Sister Eseyoma also has a glamorous job - she is a professional model who once appeared on Channel 4's Joe Millionaire.

The Sodjes' achievements are already laudable with Huddersfield's Efe playing for Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup and Bright winning the Challenge Cup with Sheffield in 1998, but this week the spotlight falls on Sam. The 24-year-old centre-half has been outstanding this season and tomorrow he can help Brentford to book a place in the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 1989.

Signed from Conference club Margate last summer, Sodje has effortlessly adapted to league football and last month agreed a contract extension which ties him to Griffin Park until 2007.

It is an important deal for the hardup club who view him as a major asset, while the 6ft 1in defender is delighted with his progress.

As he prepared for the replay tomorrow at Hartlepool - where the prize for the winner is a trip to Southampton - Sodje said: "I wanted security. I can play at a higher level but, right now, I just want to play for Brentford.

"My aim is to get them up, just imagine how exciting it would be if Brentford go up. You want to test yourself against the better players and we are aiming to get through

so we can do that. If we can get our game together it will be hard to beat us."

Greenwich-born Sodje was one of the first signings made by manager Martin Allen during a close-season overhaul at Brentford.

The agile defender, who started his career at Stevenage, clearly made an impression in Conference clashes between Margate and Allen's former club Barnet.

Sodje said: "There was one game when he came on to the pitch as we were walking off at half-time to have a go at me.

He said, 'Sodje, why were you head-butting my player?' He was trying to wind me up, but I just walked away. I think he realised that I am not scared of anyone.

"I have learned a lot from him. He gives me stick and always tells me I can do better. I appreciate that because that is the only way to improve."

Brentford will be without Jamie Lawrence tomorrow. He has a knee injury and Eddie Hutchinson, Jay Tabb, Chris Hargreaves and Scott Fitzgerald face fitness tests.