Adebayo Akinfenwa: He's a big boy
Whatever you say about the appointment of Paul Sturrock, and a lot has been, he's certainly got some contacts.
After the news that at least three of his former players are training with the Shrimpers and that two of those have in fact agreed to join the club, as long as chairman Ron Martin pays the bills, www.skysports.com informs us that powerful centre forward Aebbayo Akinfenwa is on the way to Roots Hall as well.
While certainly hoping there's some truth in this one, he'd be a great asset it comes off, it does seem strange that a player who turned down a new contract with Northampton only in May would stay in the same division.
As far as I can see there is no former Sturrock link, we've just got rid of ex-Captain Adam, Macca, and now Simon Francis to reduce the wage bill, (Adebayo was on a reported £2.5k a week), and for all the hopes he wants to be near his family in South London he was still prepared to move to the SPL and Aberdeen(!) if an offer was made.
The Cobblers player-of-the-year, at least we know how that feels, Adebayo said the usual things when he decided to go: "They're my team now. Whoever they are playing I will want them to do well, unless it's against whichever team I end up at. I want Swansea to do well, but Northampton are my team and I think they will always be my team because I've got them in my heart"
Nice touch throwing in Swansea as well, was that a hint?!
As we await the dropping of the transfer embargo these are uplifting stories in a year of doom and gloom, let's hope they're not mere fairy tales that Uncle Ron has been writing from his beach in Barbados or whever he's laid his hat at the moment.
The Adebayo Files
| Full name | Saheed Adebayo Akinfenwa | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 10 May 1982 (1982-05-10) | ||
| Place of birth | London, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998-2001 | Watford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001-2003 | FK Atlantas | 41 | (33) |
| 2003 | Barry Town | 9 | (6) |
| 2003 | Boston United | 3 | (0) |
| 2003 | Leyton Orient | 1 | (0) |
| 2003-2004 | Rushden & Diamonds | 0 | (0) |
| 2004 | Doncaster Rovers | 9 | (4) |
| 2004-2005 | Torquay United | 37 | (14) |
| 2005-2007 | Swansea City | 59 | (14) |
| 2007-2008 | Millwall | 7 | (0) |
| 2009-2010 | Northampton Town | 88 | (37) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:24, 9 May 2010 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). | |||
(Player information supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adebayo_Akinfenwa)