Adebayo Akinfenwa: Wycombe legend 'still has big part to play' despite 'last dance'

Adebayo Akinfenwa has played more than 750 games during his career

Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth believes striker Adebayo Akinfenwa still has a "big part to play" in their push for the League One play-offs.

The Chairboys will celebrate the career of the 39-year-old at Saturday's home game against Doncaster Rovers.

Akinfenwa is to retire at the end of the season and the club have labelled the match as his "last dance".

"He deserves all the plaudits he gets because that guy has been fabulous for Wycombe," said boss Gareth Ainsworth.

"This one's going to be for Bayo on Saturday and I'm not going to shy away from it. People might say we've got too much to focus on it but this is what we are. If somebody does well for you, give them the recognition they deserve."

'Greatest ever'

Akinfenwa, nicknamed 'The Beast', has scored 60 goals since joining the Chairboys in 2016, five of them this season, even if the majority of his 31 outings have come from the bench.

Wycombe are currently eighth in the table, just three points outside the play-off places, and were unbeaten in five games before the international break.

They will look to maintain that run of form against struggling Doncaster, who are one of Akinfenwa's former clubs.

"When we signed him it was billed as a publicity stunt: 'What are Wycombe doing, surely that guy's finished?' But he's gone on to become our greatest ever EFL goalscorer and he deserves that," Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"Somewhere in this next seven games, I'm sure there'll be some big part that he's going to play."

All supporters attending the game at Adams Park will receive a commemorative e-ticket with an image of the 16st forward, who has also released his own clothing line and an autobiography 'The Beast: My Story' in 2017.