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Adebayo Akinfenwa comes out of retirement to play for non league club in friendly

Adebayo Akinfenwa comes out of retirement to play for non league club Hashtag United in a friendly, keeping his promise it seems.

‘The Beast’ featured for ‘The Tags’ in a pre-season friendly against Walthamstow after said years ago that he would play for them at some point once his professional career finished.

The 40-year-old striker, who was left gutted at the end of last season after Sunderland beat Wycombe Wanderers in the League One playoff final. He announced his decision to retire at full time.

“I’ve had 22 years in the game and it has ended at Wembley,” he said. “We can be proud. Nobody thought we’d be here. They will come back next season and have success.”

Since then, Akinfenwa has certainly kept himself busy, making his debut on talkSPORT as a guest alongside Ally McCoist and host Laura Woods.

He also decided to lace up his boots again, making a 45-minute cameo for Hashtag United during Monday night’s pre-season clash at the Len Salmon Stadium.

He was eventually replaced by Love Island’s finest, Toby Aromolaran, and on this occasion Bayo couldn’t to find the net for the Isthmian League North side, but goals from Kiangebeni, Vukaj and Okunja sealed a solid 3-0 win for Jay Devereux’s side.

After the final whistle, he confirmed it was only a one-off appearance for The Tags before anyone thought this was going to be a long term thing going forward.

“I had to keep my word and turn up to play for Hashtag,” Akinfenwa told SPORTbible. “Spencer Owen [Hashtag United founder] is my guy. He’s been trying to sign me up to play here for the last three years.

“I told him when I retire, I would come play for him but I just kept signing one year deals,” he laughs. “But I kept my word and I played for Hashtag in the end!”

The 40-year-old said the standard was “good” during the game. “I think Hashtag will do decent this season. It’s a great set-up down there,” he added.

“But I think I’m done. Monday’s game was partly to see how my knee would react and well, it doesn’t seem like it wants to work anymore!”

Meanwhile, Adebayo Akinfenwa recently revealed he was considering a move to professional wrestling after retirement.

During an interview with talkSPORT, the 40-year-old said that he was going to try several options now that he has retired from English football. Akinfenwa said: “I’ve said this numerous times, I am going to try as many different things as possible, just because football is institutionalized we’ve done the same thing for 22 years and I’m in a position now where there’s doors.

“So by the grace of God, the doors will continue to be there, be open and I’ll try these different things.

“LW [Laura Woods] said about the wrestling, that’s an option.

“I don’t know, I’ll have to try and change the spandex things, though, maybe try and get some packs because I ain’t got any at the moment!

“We’ve got to see what happens, so watch this space.” 

 

Akinfenwa, who achieved promotion to the second tier with Wycombe for the first time in 2019/20, had a message for the Wanderers faithful, his fans and his team mates.

“Thank you for taking me into their hearts and thank you for allowing me to be a part of the journey.”

“That’s all I can say – thank you. They know and I’m proud to know them and to have played with these boys and be a part of this Club.

“Maybe next week, I’ll take in my career, but today, I can’t lie, I wanted to go out with a win and get Wycombe into the Championship.

“We’re footballers and we’re competitors, so we wanted to win. It didn’t happen, and I can’t help but be disappointed, but I can look back at my career and be proud.

“This group and this Club, there’s no other Club like it. The group is immense and it’s the definition of togetherness. They’ll come back stronger, believe me.”

AKINFENWA’S CAREER:

Youth career
2000–2001 – Watford

Senior career
2001–2002 – FK Atlantas – 22 games (5 goals)
2003 – Barry Town – 9 games (6 goals)
2003 – Boston United – 3  games (0 goals)
2003 – Leyton Orient – 1  game (0 goals)
2003–2004 – Rushden & Diamonds
2004 – Doncaster Rovers – 9 games (4 goals)
2004–2005 – Torquay United – 37 games (14 goals)
2005–2007 – Swansea City – 59 games (14 goals)
2007–2008 – Millwall – 7 games (0 goals)
2008–2010 – Northampton Town – 88 games (37 goals)
2010–2011 – Gillingham – 44 games (11 goals)
2011–2013 – Northampton Town – 80 games (34 goals)
2013–2014 – Gillingham – 34 games (10 goals)
2014–2016 – AFC Wimbledon – 83 games (19 goals)
2016–2022 – Wycombe Wanderers – 219 games (52 goals)
Total – 695 games (206 goals)

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