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Adebayo Akinfenwa
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Adebayo Akinfenwa
Saheed Adebayo Akinfenwa (ⓘ; born 10 May 1982) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. Nicknamed "The Beast", he was renowned for his huge physical prowess and goalscoring ability, in a career where he amassed more than 200 goals.
Akinfenwa's professional breakthrough came at Doncaster Rovers, having spent time up until then in the lower leagues of English football as well as spells in Lithuania and Wales. Following a short but successful time at Doncaster, Akinfenwa moved to his seventh club, Torquay United. He proved to be a goal threat but left the struggling team the following season to join Swansea City. After spending two seasons with the Welsh club, he joined League One side Millwall and later moved to Northampton Town. Akinfenwa spent six years switching from Northampton to Gillingham, where his goal-scoring ability was still apparent. In June 2014, he signed for League Two side AFC Wimbledon, and two years later Wycombe Wanderers, where he remained until his retirement in 2022. His last professional match was at Wembley Stadium in the League One play-off final against Sunderland on 21 May 2022.
Akinfenwa was born in Islington, North London, and is of Yoruba Nigerian descent. His father is a Muslim and his mother is a Christian. As a child, he supported Liverpool and his favourite player was John Barnes.
As a teenager, Akinfenwa joined the Lithuanian club FK Atlantas on the advice of his agent, whose Lithuanian wife's brother knew a member of the coaching staff there. While with the club Akinfenwa scored the winning goal in the 2001 Lithuanian Football Cup final and played in the UEFA Cup qualifying rounds for two successive seasons. He received racial abuse from fans in the country, later saying "Coming from London, where nobody would disrespect me, this was just brazen". He spent two years at the club, as well as one month at another Lithuanian team Laisvė Šilutė, before returning to the UK early in 2003, where he joined Welsh Premier League champions Barry Town. Akinfenwa helped Barry to Welsh Cup and Welsh Premier League silverware during his time at Jenner Park. However, just a handful of matches into his stint, the club suffered a financial crisis and released its professional playing staff. Akinfenwa quickly joined Boston United in October 2003, scoring a last minute winner on his debut against Swindon Town in the Football League Trophy. Unable to settle, he moved to Leyton Orient the following month, but was released after one month. In December 2003 he moved to Rushden & Diamonds and in February 2004 joined Doncaster Rovers, his fifth club of the season.
In July 2004, Akinfenwa changed clubs again, signing for Torquay United, as a replacement for David Graham. He scored 14 league goals during the 2004–05 season and was named the supporter's Player of the Season but was unable to help the club avoid relegation to League Two. He declined to sign a new contract with Torquay at the end of the season.
In July 2005, Akinfenwa moved to Swansea City, who were ordered to pay an £85,000 fee as compensation, significantly below the £300,000 asking price Torquay had set for his signature. He scored on his debut against Tranmere Rovers, and this was also the first competitive goal scored at Swansea's new Liberty Stadium. He scored the winning goal in the 2006 Football League Trophy Final, in which Swansea beat Carlisle United 2–1. He also helped Swansea reach the League One promotion play-off final in his first season. After a 2–2 draw, the match went to a penalty shoot-out but Akinfenwa was one of two Swansea players to miss with their penalties, granting promotion to Barnsley. He was a regular the following season, until a broken right leg in the 2–0 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United ended his season. This followed a fractured left shin the previous October.
At the end of the 2006–07 season, he rejected a new contract with Swansea, and agreed to sign for Swindon Town on 29 June 2007. However, he failed a medical.
After a period of rehabilitation and training at Gillingham, he joined League One team Millwall on a month-to-month contract in November 2007. However he failed to score any goals in seven appearances.
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Adebayo Akinfenwa
Saheed Adebayo Akinfenwa (ⓘ; born 10 May 1982) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. Nicknamed "The Beast", he was renowned for his huge physical prowess and goalscoring ability, in a career where he amassed more than 200 goals.
Akinfenwa's professional breakthrough came at Doncaster Rovers, having spent time up until then in the lower leagues of English football as well as spells in Lithuania and Wales. Following a short but successful time at Doncaster, Akinfenwa moved to his seventh club, Torquay United. He proved to be a goal threat but left the struggling team the following season to join Swansea City. After spending two seasons with the Welsh club, he joined League One side Millwall and later moved to Northampton Town. Akinfenwa spent six years switching from Northampton to Gillingham, where his goal-scoring ability was still apparent. In June 2014, he signed for League Two side AFC Wimbledon, and two years later Wycombe Wanderers, where he remained until his retirement in 2022. His last professional match was at Wembley Stadium in the League One play-off final against Sunderland on 21 May 2022.
Akinfenwa was born in Islington, North London, and is of Yoruba Nigerian descent. His father is a Muslim and his mother is a Christian. As a child, he supported Liverpool and his favourite player was John Barnes.
As a teenager, Akinfenwa joined the Lithuanian club FK Atlantas on the advice of his agent, whose Lithuanian wife's brother knew a member of the coaching staff there. While with the club Akinfenwa scored the winning goal in the 2001 Lithuanian Football Cup final and played in the UEFA Cup qualifying rounds for two successive seasons. He received racial abuse from fans in the country, later saying "Coming from London, where nobody would disrespect me, this was just brazen". He spent two years at the club, as well as one month at another Lithuanian team Laisvė Šilutė, before returning to the UK early in 2003, where he joined Welsh Premier League champions Barry Town. Akinfenwa helped Barry to Welsh Cup and Welsh Premier League silverware during his time at Jenner Park. However, just a handful of matches into his stint, the club suffered a financial crisis and released its professional playing staff. Akinfenwa quickly joined Boston United in October 2003, scoring a last minute winner on his debut against Swindon Town in the Football League Trophy. Unable to settle, he moved to Leyton Orient the following month, but was released after one month. In December 2003 he moved to Rushden & Diamonds and in February 2004 joined Doncaster Rovers, his fifth club of the season.
In July 2004, Akinfenwa changed clubs again, signing for Torquay United, as a replacement for David Graham. He scored 14 league goals during the 2004–05 season and was named the supporter's Player of the Season but was unable to help the club avoid relegation to League Two. He declined to sign a new contract with Torquay at the end of the season.
In July 2005, Akinfenwa moved to Swansea City, who were ordered to pay an £85,000 fee as compensation, significantly below the £300,000 asking price Torquay had set for his signature. He scored on his debut against Tranmere Rovers, and this was also the first competitive goal scored at Swansea's new Liberty Stadium. He scored the winning goal in the 2006 Football League Trophy Final, in which Swansea beat Carlisle United 2–1. He also helped Swansea reach the League One promotion play-off final in his first season. After a 2–2 draw, the match went to a penalty shoot-out but Akinfenwa was one of two Swansea players to miss with their penalties, granting promotion to Barnsley. He was a regular the following season, until a broken right leg in the 2–0 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United ended his season. This followed a fractured left shin the previous October.
At the end of the 2006–07 season, he rejected a new contract with Swansea, and agreed to sign for Swindon Town on 29 June 2007. However, he failed a medical.
After a period of rehabilitation and training at Gillingham, he joined League One team Millwall on a month-to-month contract in November 2007. However he failed to score any goals in seven appearances.
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