Fikayo Stays in the Red
Carshalton Athletic are pleased to announce that Fikayo has agreed to stay at Colston avenue for the 2026-27 season
Oluwafikayo Turayo Benjamin Atewologun — better known to Carshalton Athletic supporters as Fikayo — continued his progress in red and white during the 2025/26 season, building on the strong foundations he laid in his debut year at Colston Avenue.
After arriving from Leatherhead in the summer of 2024, Fikayo quickly became an important figure in the Robins’ back line. His first season at the club had seen him make 41 appearances and play a major role in nine clean sheets when featuring at centre-back. That impact earned him a place in the squad for the following campaign, with the club confirming in June 2025 that he would remain a Robin for the 2025/26 season.
The 2025/26 campaign proved to be a challenging one for Carshalton Athletic, with the side spending much of the season battling for consistency in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Through that difficult run, Fikayo remained a regular and reliable defensive presence. Public appearance records list him with 35 appearances across the season, underlining his importance to the squad and his ability to stay involved through a demanding league programme.
Fiki’s performances reflected many of the qualities that have become associated with his game: strength in one-v-one defending, aerial ability, physical presence, and the composure to play out from the back. In a season where Carshalton had to absorb pressure in many matches, Fikayo’s defensive work and recovery pace remained important parts of the team structure.
One of the standout moments of Fikayo’s season came on 31 January 2026, when he scored his first goal for Carshalton Athletic in the 2-2 draw with Whitehawk at Colston Avenue. With the Robins trailing and searching for a way back into the game, Fikayo turned home from a corner to score a crucial equaliser. For a centre-back who does much of his best work away from the spotlight, it was a deserved moment of recognition and an important contribution at a key stage of the season.
As the campaign moved into the spring, Carshalton’s battle for points intensified. Fikayo remained part of a squad that had to show resilience during a difficult period, including matches against promotion-chasing and play-off-chasing sides. The Robins picked up important results in March, including a 3-1 win over Canvey Island, a 1-0 away win at Cheshunt, and a 4-1 home victory over Wingate & Finchley, results that helped keep the club fighting in the right direction.
Across the season, Fikayo’s statistics tell the story of a player trusted by the club: 35 appearances, a first Carshalton goal, and involvement in several of the side’s key defensive performances. But beyond the numbers, his value was seen in his reliability, his physical commitment, and his continued growth as a defender.
The 2025/26 season was not an easy campaign for Carshalton Athletic, but it was another important year in Fikayo’s development. Strong, composed and still improving, Fikayo remains a defender with the tools to become an even bigger presence for the Robins in the seasons ahead.
