Wycombe Wanderers legend Adebayo Akinfenwa has reflected on the time he was described as a ‘gimmick signing’ on the day he joined the club in 2016.
On July 10 that year, the striker was officially unveiled to a handful of supporters at Adams Park following his release from AFC Wimbledon, whom he had helped earn promotion to League One that summer.
One other addition to the new season. Welcome @daRealAkinfenwa to Wycombe Wanderers! pic.twitter.com/iOeRk5bwMG
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) July 10, 2016
The arrival at the then League Two club was primarily met with a positive reaction, although some questioned the signing as a ‘publicity stunt’.
No. What a waste of the money that supporters have scraped together to stop this club sinking.
— Andy Beaumont 🏴☠️🏴 (@drcongo) July 10, 2016
Six years later, Akinfenwa would leave Buckinghamshire with 61 goals in 250 appearances, two promotions, two consecutive Player of the Year awards, over 100 goal involvements along with being the Chairboys' leading scorer in the EFL era.
I’ve left it undeleted though to remind myself that Gaz knows a lot more about football than I do.
— Andy Beaumont 🏴☠️🏴 (@drcongo) July 10, 2020
READ MORE: Thousands of fans attend Adebayo Akinfenwa's Amazon Prime documentary at the Wycombe Swan
He exclusively told the Free Press: “One thing that I knew straight away was that I was not going to allow anyone to come into my life on a temporary basis leave a permanent status.
“I didn’t prove anyone wrong, I proved myself right.
“I really believe that if you focus on yourself, you’ll achieve.
just a publicity stunt,Good PR
— Josh Rowe (@JoshRowe6019) July 10, 2016
“You shouldn’t allow your past to dictate your future, but you can acknowledge your past.
“I remember signing for Wycombe and I can’t remember who said it, but I remember someone saying it was a ‘gimmick signing.’
READ MORE: Frank Adams Stand to be shut during Wycombe's FA Cup match against Walsall
“It didn’t determine me or anything like that, I just remember hearing it.
#TBT In the week that Adebayo Akinfenwa equalled the Football League era goal scoring record for Wycombe Wanderers, we remember the day ‘The Beast’ signed for the #chairboys
— Chairboys on the Net - Paul Lewis (@GasmanCOTN) February 27, 2020
Dig into some of the replies 😂
“Gimmick, Joke, PR stunt” – worked out OK 💪https://t.co/LZPBA7Rt3d
“I put it in my pocket, and of course…100 goal involvements later, for me that is proving myself right.
“This is not me saying that I planned to play when I hit 40, not at all!
“But I knew that there was life in me to continue to achieve.”
His chat to the BFP was on the same day he along with his brothers, Dele and Yemi, visited the Wycombe Swan for the official premiere of his Amazon Prime documentary, ‘Beast Mode On’.
Congratulations to Adebayo Akinfenwa whose goal for Wycombe Wanderers at Wimbledon took him to 52 in League games for the #chairboys - surpassing Nathan Tyson's previous record by 1. His 61 in all comps is also a #chairboys Football League era record 💪 pic.twitter.com/6wS1Pp5kNk
— Chairboys on the Net - Paul Lewis (@GasmanCOTN) April 19, 2022
The flick showcased his last season at Wanderers on top of his life outside of the game.
On the premiere, he said: “It’s surreal, mindboggling, and overwhelming.
Reunited.#Chairboys pic.twitter.com/tknJxQqvZW
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) October 26, 2022
“I had the same feeling when I wrote the book so when we did the documentary I thought ‘I’ve already been here’.
“But now I’m here, it’s all of those feelings again.
“It’s overwhelming.”
The documentary will be out on October 28.
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