It's an image once seen, never forgotten. 

Hours before the January window closed on February 1, 2013, Peter Odemwingie likely thought little of the Sky Sports cameras and fans clustered by the gates at Loftus Road as he drove to sign for Queens Park . Instead, he was full of confidence as he spoke of the 'new chapter' at the London club. 

'I think every football fan is interested in if it's going to make it,' the forward told Sky Sports News, buoyed up at the prospect of his current club, , thrashing out a deal with his apparent new one. 

But there was no deal, and instead of being welcomed with open arms, Odemwingie would be shut out of

and forced to circle the block before returning north, to the very team he said goodbye to the day before. 

Mr  Jim White called the experience in an interview with Mail Sport in August, so unheard of was it for a player to be looking to force a move in such brash style. 

Peter Odemwingie's supposed move to QPR from West Brom has gone down in history as one of the greatest ever transfer deadline day stories

The former Premier League forward gave an optimstic interview to Sky Sports as he waited outside the gates at Loftus Road

Now retired from football, Odemwingie is pursuing a golf career and sharing his musical talents on TikTok

But Odemwingie was only , the urging of his agent, and an understanding that at the end of the day, he really would be pulling on QPR's blue and white hoops. 

Needless to say, it wasn't to be - nor was their much left in his stint at the Baggies, who were. At the end of the season to no one's surprise, the club's Premier League record scorer moved on to Cardiff City.

Things had started well at the Hawthorns after the Uzbekistan-born Russian-Nigerian player's 2010 move from Lokomotiv Moscow, with the Nigeria international netting 15 times and providing a further nine assists during his 32 Premier League appearances in his first season. 

But after an average second season and acrimonious third, which saw his goal tally reduce to a third of what it had been two terms earlier, the aborted move to QPR helped speed up West Brom's plans to call time on his stint in the West Midlands. 

Up next was, which also started brightly, only for a change at the top - with the club swapping manager Malkay Mackay for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - to hasten his exit after just a season and a half.

The Nigeria international impressed at Lille (pictured in 2006) and Lokomotiv Moscow before his move to The Hawthorns

After his failure to book a move away in the January 2013 window Odemwingie was sidelined

After failing to build a strong relationship with then-coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Cardiff City the player moved to Stoke City in January 2014 

Odemwingie ended his English playing career at Rotherham on a short-term contract in 2016

Spells at Stoke City and Rotherham, and a brief loan stint at Bristol City followed but Odemwingie opted to end his career at Indonesian side Madura United, based in East Java. 

But rather than tread the time-worn path of pundit, co-commentator, manager, or agent, Odemwingie has chosen to spend his retirement - which he announced in 2019 - in an entirely different manner. 

In 2020, the former striker announced he planned on committing to becoming a professional golfer, and spoke of his plans to qualify for the EuroPro Tour after undergoing a PGA training course.

At the time a two handicapper, Odemwingie described passing his playing test with the final putt to 'scoring a last-minute free-kick and taking three points home'.

At the very least, Odemwingie told Sky Sports at the time, he was interested in coaching players in his two home countries, Russia and Nigeria. 

'Raise a few good golfers, create opportunities for golfers from the countries I came from and one day hopefully they will be saying 'yeah he got me into the game and now I'm a tour player,' he said.

Odemwingie also dreams of supporting Nigerian golfers at the Olympics.

'I will be his coach, his caddy, or anything,' he said later that year of the opportunity to support a compatriot at the highest level of the sport.

'It can be a pathway for people from a poorer environment, that’s part of the plan.'

Associated with Jak Hamblett Golf in the West Midlands, where is his an assistant professional, Odemwingie remains competitive in the area, most recently competing in the PGA Staffordshire Druids Heath Pro-Am, where he placed 18th. 

Golf features heavily in what has become the former player's latest interest - TikTok. 

After first posting to the social media platform less than a year ago, Odemwingie now boasts 32,500 followers who follow him for his golf swings, religious messages, and, somewhat improbably, his musical talents.

The 65-cap international is now focused on improving his golf game and training as a coach 

Odemwingie continues to compete, last seeing action in December 2023 at a tournament where he finished tied for 18th

Odemwingie frequently posts videos of himself performing songs - often with Christian themes - whilst playing the guitar, much to the surprise of his fans.

But supporters have been responding in their droves to the varied content, with some of his videos - which include an homage to his time at Stoke City set to 'Lady in Red' - being viewed hundreds of thousands of times. 

One video which caught the eye saw Odemwingie perform 'Hotel California' by The Eagles, garnering 167,000 views in the process.  

But beyond attracting new followers for his musical stylings, the social media site has allowed scores of fans to rediscover the former Premier League star - and get to know him for more than just a failed trip to west London.