Adebayo Akinfenwa

Adebayo Saheed Akinfenwa (born 10 May 1982 in London) is an English professional footballer who plays for Northampton Town. He is known for his strength and size, he is frequently compared with a 'tank'.^{[citation needed]}

Life and career

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.^[2] He spent two years at the club before returning to the UK early in 2003, where he joined Welsh Premier League champions Barry Town.^[3] However, after playing only a handful of games the club suffered a financial crisis and released its professional playing staff. Akinfenwa quickly joined Boston United in October 2003,^[4] scoring a last minute winner on his debut against Swindon Town in the Football League Trophy.^[5] Unable to settle, he moved to Leyton Orient the following month, but was released after one month.^[6] In December 2003 he moved to Rushden and Diamonds and in February 2004 joined Doncaster Rovers, his fifth club of the season.^[7]

In July 2004, Akinfenwa changed clubs again, signing for Torquay United, as a replacement for David Graham.^[8] He scored 14 league goals during the 2004–05 season but was unable to help the club avoid relegation to League Two. He refused to sign a new contract with Torquay at the end of the season.^[9]

In July 2005, Akinfenwa moved to Swansea City, who were ordered to pay an £85,000 fee as compensation.^[10] He scored on his debut against Tranmere Rovers, and this was also the first competitive goal scored at Swansea's new Liberty Stadium.^[11] 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.^[12] This followed a fractured left shin the previous October.^[13]

At the end of the 2006–07 season, he rejected a new contract with Swansea,^[14] and agreed to sign for Swindon Town on 29 June 2007.^[15] However he failed a medical.

Following this, in November 2007 he joined League One team Millwall on a month-to-month contract,^[16] however he failed to score any goals in seven appearances.^[17]

On 18 January 2008 Akinfenwa signed a deal with Northampton Town until the end of the 2007–08 season. He made his home debut against Leeds United, where he came off the bench to score the equaliser in a 1–1 draw. He started the following game, at home to Gillingham, and scored two goals in a 4–0 win. He scored three further goals that season.

On 30 May 2008, Akinfenwa signed a new one-year contract at Northampton despite declared interest from Leyton Orient and Grimsby Town.^[18] He started the 2008–09 season well, scoring twice in three games by the end of September.

Adebayo ended his stay at Northampton in May 2010. He had been offered a new deal but Northampton could not agree a deal with Akinfenwa within an agreed timeframe. On 29 July 2010, Akinfenwa signed for Gillingham on a one year contract,^[19] and scored on his debut with a header against Cheltenham Town.

Akinfenwa returned to Sixfields on 25 May 2011, after new Cobblers manager Gary Johnson brought him in to "capture the imagination of the supporters".^[20] He scored his first goal against Bristol Rovers on 16 August.

References

External links

• Adebayo Akinfenwa player profile at ntfc.co.uk
• Adebayo Akinfenwa career stats at Soccerbase