Adebayo Akinfenwa picks up the Sir Tom Finney Award at EFL ceremony

The 40-year-old, who scored 61 times in 250 appearances for the Chairboys between 2016 and 2022, was given the prize in the evening of Sunday, April 23.

The award is regarded as the most iconic accolade at the ceremony, and is given to a player ‘who has had an outstanding career and contributed an exceptional amount to the EFL and football in general.’ 

💙 The winner of the 2023 Sir Tom Finney Award is @daRealAkinfenwa!#Chairboys | #EFLAwards pic.twitter.com/na0ktjak5h

— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) April 23, 2023

READ MORE: Wycombe's D'Mani Mellor is racially abused after Rochdale's relegation from the EFL

After winning the prize, Akinfenwa said: "It’s humbling.

“My brother got me here on false pretences - I thought I was giving out an award!

"I am not normally stuck for words.

“Gareth Ainsworth knows how much he means to me; he is more than just a manager.

“The stars couldn't have aligned any better for him to come and give me my award.

"To be able to achieve a dream that you have as a five-year-old and to play the game for 22 years, it's decent.

I want to just thank everyone who has played a part in my journey. “I can be a force by myself but boyy was we a movement together” S/O the @EFL for making me 2023 sir Tom Finney recipient #Blessed #Honoured #Humbled #BMO pic.twitter.com/coazejuHaM

— daRealAAkinfenwa (@daRealAkinfenwa) April 24, 2023

READ MORE: 'Disappointing and frustrating' - Matt Bloomfield on Wycombe's loss versus Lincoln

“I am very unapologetically myself and I've done it my way.

"I signed for a club in Wycombe that were always punching above their weight and getting promoted to the Championship at the age of 38 was the pinnacle."

During his professional playing career that lasted 20 years, Akinfenwa played for 11 teams in the Football League, scoring 195 goals.

Proud, honoured & humbled 💙 https://t.co/jfMbAb0wOm

— daRealAAkinfenwa (@daRealAkinfenwa) April 23, 2023

Collectively, he played 794 times and bagged 233 strikes between 2000 and 2022.

LISTEN - #eflawards - ⁦@daRealAkinfenwa⁩ the @EFL Sir Tom Finney Award winner - Bayo loves ⁦@LFC⁩ chat https://t.co/XC5DkJ5IEg pic.twitter.com/gzihVv2Vf5

— Ian Abrahams (Moose) (@BroadcastMoose) April 24, 2023

His last professional game was for the Chairboys in last year’s play-off final defeat against Sunderland.

However, he has since returned to football on a semi-professional basis, as he has played twice for the Isthmian League outfit, Faversham Town.