Taiwo Awoniyi made a dream return to the English premier league after signing for Nottingham Forest FC. Seven years early, he signed for Liverpool but didn’t get to kick a ball for the Reds.
A Dream Start. As the season began, Taiwo hit the ground running, scoring the first goal of the 22/23 season for a club that last played in the premier league 48 years ago.
However, after the goal, Awoniyi nicked a few more goals before injury sidelined him. While on the doctor’s bench, Nottingham Forest FC was battling relegation on the pitch.
Awoniyi Leading A Nottingham Forest Revival.
His return after being out for four months led to a revival on the pitch for Nottingham Forest.
Two quick goals on his first game bellied the months the locust had taken away, and the revival was truly on.
Behind the scenes, many didn’t know the revival started on the knees for Awoniyi, as he shared in a now-viral testimony.
“I moved to England with my family. The beginning was really tough. I had no idea what was going on. My wife said to me, ‘You’ve stopped praying. You don’t pray the way you used to do anymore.’ And that was true,” Awoniyi said.
The 25-year-old had scored his first EPL brace in a 4-3 victory over Southampton on May 8. Before the game, Awoniyi, unlike other team members, didn’t rest on his bed; he was on his knees talking to God.
“So, on May 7, I think, Daddy was preaching about the ways of God. The first statement I heard was that ‘everyone should return to the pattern that they used to praise God.’ That Monday, we had a game in the night. I was on my knees from 6 am to 12 noon. That night, that was the easiest game that I have played in my life. And I scored twice.
Subsequently, He would follow the performance with another brace against Chelsea the following week.
“My club, which was really struggling for relegation, moved from that zone and stayed in the league. I just want to give all the glory to God.”