Barry Town old boy reaches a ton (in league goals)
Akinfenwa came to Barry Town via FK Atlantas in January 2003. Although he only played a few games for us, his class was immediately obvious and 'Bayo' proved a popular acquisition for the club.
Having won the Lithuanian Cup with Atlantas a few months previously, Akinfenwa helped Barry lift the Welsh Cup and was part of the 'Treble Double' squad that also lifted the Welsh Premier League title for the third consecutive year.
Unfortunately, Akinfenwa was a victim of the financial collapse at the club following our Champions League exit and soon found himself out of football, albeit briefly. Finding a berth at Boston United, Akinfenwa's League career was about to take off.
Akinfenwa has played for many clubs since he left Barry's golden sands, but his presence was most felt at Torquay United, Swansea City (of course), and Gillingham. But it was at Northampton Town where he found most success, netting 37 goals in 88 appearances in his first stint for the Cobblers. Bayo is currently enjoying a second stint at Northampton Town, and recently reached the happy total of 100 League goals scored.
Congratulations on the 100, Bayo.
Odd fact : Akinfenwa's 2002-03 Barry Town away strip was the same strip used by Northampton Town as their home kit that season.
This interview appeared in today's Football League Paper (iss no. 104)
"My ton is proof that you can be an achiever"
Scoring my 100th league goal last weekend was a sweet feeling.
Since I was five a lot of people have said that I was too big to play football, which makes me believe, 100 goals later, that if you believe in something, you can achieve it. Don't let anybody tell you what you can and cannot do.
If you believe in your heart of hearts, and keep the faith, you will achieve your goals in the end. Don't let people tell you otherwise.
But I wouldn't say that I have proved certain people wrong. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but i'm not bothered by what people say. The main thing is what you see in the mirror.
I say that but I do actually have a t-shirt to prove people wrong. I was approached to do a clothing line which is called the 'ha-ha' brand, which basically says ' don't let anyone tell you what you can't do'.
I wear a "Too big to play football, ha-ha" t-shirt under my kit!
It's just a bit of fun but at the same time it's to show that other people's opinions about me and my career don't really bother me.
But throughout the 100 goals, I have learnt that as you get older it does get harder to score goals and maintain your fitness.
When you are younger, you just think a goal is a goal, whereas now I know what to put in during a week to be sharper on a Saturday.
You need to get better as the game evolves. Younger players are getting better and better, so every time I score now, I do appreciate it more - 100% more - than I was when I was 21.
Maybe at the end of my career I will be able to look back on my 100 goals with fond memories and be able to say I achieved an aim.
But at the moment I am just trying to score as many goals as possible. The main thing is that the team does well.
Ultimately, if the team does well you do well individually. I enjoyed the first goal ever scored for Swansea at the Liberty Stadium, and I will probably be in one of those Trivial Pursuit questions for that!
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