[1] Odell was born in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire,[1] and lived at nearby Upper Caldecote, where he attended the local Church of England school.
[4] He was one of three members of the 1934–35 Hitchin side who went on to play in the Football League: the others were Cyril Walker and future England international Reg Smith.
[9] Odell scored twice in Darlington's three Northern Section matches before the Football League was suspended for the duration of the Second World War,[1] and then returned to Bedfordshire.
[8] When competitive football resumed after the war, Letchworth Town, a Hertfordshire County League club, appointed Odell as trainer-coach on the "strong recommendation" of Tottenham Hotspur.
[8] Odell returned to football on a part-time basis a year later as trainer-coach of one of his former clubs, Hitchin Town, then playing in the Athenian League.