In a month or so, his wage will be zero. Like Roy Keane said, the vast majority of players when out of contract will agree a deal. It'd just be who else was after him. Not sure he'd be top of many teams' lists.
When we already have half the drone army whinging about having 2 older strikers lacking in mobility as it is though, it'd be an incredible decision to bring one of the least mobile players ever seen in.
He changed all three games in AFC Wimbledon's favour in both legs of the play-off semi-final with Accrington Stanley and again in the final against Plymouth Argyle.
Sadly I doubt we will be near the front of any queue for his services this summer.
Well Gareth has said he's going to sign a proven League Two goalscorer this summer. I had a look at the players released in League Two, I can't pretend to be enough of an expert to know which of these look particularly tasty (if any) but here are all the ones released who haven't yet been signed elsewhere - at least at time of googling.
Those in double brackets have been transfer listed rather than released, so I'm assuming they're out of our price range. This list doesn't include Portsmouth or Wimbledon players.
Ryan Gondoh Barnet
((Shaun Batt)) Barnet
((Ben Tomlinson)) Barnet
Rory Fallon Bristol Rovers
Derek Asamoah Carlisle
Arron Bradbury Carlisle
Steven Rigg Carlisle
Roarie Deacon Crawley Town
Lee Barnard Crawley Town
Ashley Chambers Dagenham
Zavon Hines Dagenham
Ade Yusuff Dagenham
Clinton Morrison Exeter
Will Hoskins Exeter
Kudus Oyenuga Hartlepool
Scott Fenwick Hartlepool
Paul Benson Luton
Craig Westcarr Mansfield
Jack Kelleher Morcambe
Jordan Aghatise Notts County
Colby Bishop Notts County
Jordan Bowery Oxford
Pat Hoban Oxford
((Adam McGurk)) Portsmouth
((Matt Tubbs)) Portsmouth
Adam Marriott Stevenage
Aaron O’Connor Stevenage
Leroy Lita Yeovil
Mark Beck Yeovil
Shaun Jeffers Yeovil
Emile Sinclair York
Ben Hirst York
((Jake Hyde)) York
((Vadaine Oliver)) York
Any of those any good?
Also I noticed Angelo Balanta has been released by Carlisle. Would love to see him back providing competition to Sam Wood.
More than a Subtle difference with the beast upfront and those supplying the service. He wins most of the headers and makes the keeper works for his wage. You wouldn't believe it, but I would like Afinfenwa at AP with two young skilful wingers. Supplying and crossing the Beast with balls into the 6 yard box or balls to his feet for layoffs for them to shoot. Hoofing it to him. Hell no.
No way! he's 34 and fits in well at hoof ball Wimbledon just because of that -hoof and hope. I don't want that here and I doubt GA does really either. Plus Akinfenwa has more shite games than good ones otherwise AFC would be keeping him.
If we could get rid of Thompson, then I think Akinfenwa would be a good addition to the squad. I can't see him as a regular starter at his age, but he would give you something different from the bench if things weren't going well and you needed a change.
I've always been dubious about this "proven" scorer in a division business, ever since Benyon was portrayed as one.
To us, a proven scorer would be one of those guys with history of multiple seasons of 20+ goals, but these days, it seems to be a guy who has a one off season of 6 or 7 goals.
Pretty sure we could afford him. Wimbledon aren't exactly rolling in it.
Wimbledon-supporting friends tell me he has been quite poor at tim this season and around Christmas were unhappy with the long ball being played up to him.
While Hayes has some skill we suffered badly through a lack of pace and power up top last season. No one to hold the ball up and nobody to run th channels. Wimbledon aren't really a great team but their strikers are a handful.
At the right price, I'd take Akinfenwa for a season. At least we'd have someone to play off. But he'd need pace around him. Sadly I think we will persevere with Hayes in the 11 next season and end up scoring few goals again as a result.
Assuming @DJWYC14 isn't in the know and that's a massive hint, I'd imagine we may take Matt Tubbs on.
There were a huge amount of rumours a year or so ago that he was coming to us, and maybe this is, like when we signed Strevens, things happening possibly 12 months too late.
If so, the standard of football and entertainment will drop even further. Can you imagine a 4-3-3 system with Hayes, Thompson & Akinfenwa up front? Oxford's key player in getting promotion was Kemar Roofe. Pace, skill and youthful enthusiasm. We need some younger legs and a plan B or an extension of the second-half of last season will make it unwatchable. After a hard week's graft I like to watch a bit of decent football. I'm not the sort who pays money to just watch a result every week - you can do that on Gilette Soccer Special on a Saturday afternoon.
Not sure that is totally true @A_Worboys . Our system as it currently stands needs a point of attack that the ball will stick too. If we can get that (Akinfenwa or other) I think this brings more players in to the mix. The midfield can get forward with more confidence that the ball is not going immediately behind them and it helps us get the ball wide for crosses further up the pitch.
Plus your assumption is he might be the only attacker. I'd have thought we'd have a couple of options come August.
What is more interesting though is your last comments. Are you saying that you will stop watching Wycombe if the style doesn't improve? I think the club is assuming this type of comment (that they must have heard loads in recent months) is just hot air but would be interested to know if yours has more substance. At what point next season would you give up going if the entertainment value doesn't improve?
I think it'd be waaaay too dangerous for us to sign Akinfenwa. Anyone remember AFCW away last season when every single one of our players fell to the ground Pepe-style the minute Akinfenwa so much as looked at them? You can't train in that kind of environment, "The Beast" clearly has some kind of magic force-field around him which is too much for our lot to cope with.
If he signed for us I'd want him to cut this Beast Mode rubbish. I thought that was very disrespectful to wear the T Shirt at the presentation yesterday.
You may well be right @eric_plant . I just have a feeling that it will happen. No trusted source. No friend of a friend. No worker at the club info. Just a feeling.
@Right_in_the_Middle I agree re the Beast mode t-shirt. I thought it showed a lack of class, as did him banging on about how Ardley had released him, and that although he wasn't the agreed PK taker, it felt right for him to take the spot kick.
He thought his brand is bigger than the club and the occasion at Wembley.
20/1 on Skybet, with half of League 2 and Conference side Eastleigh ahead of us in the pecking order. Wouldn't take much notice to betting odds in that case @williwycombe
Would be ever so entertaining and raise our profile for a while.
Until the realisation that we've simply brought in an even less mobile clapped out striker than we currently have!
It'd only work if we could ship Thompson off, but no chance of that.
Akinfenwa's mate Azeez would surely be a better bet style of player wise
Comments
We wouldn't be able to afford him.
What if he wasn't bothered about wages
We couldn't afford the xxxx large kit!
In a month or so, his wage will be zero. Like Roy Keane said, the vast majority of players when out of contract will agree a deal. It'd just be who else was after him. Not sure he'd be top of many teams' lists.
When we already have half the drone army whinging about having 2 older strikers lacking in mobility as it is though, it'd be an incredible decision to bring one of the least mobile players ever seen in.
He changed all three games in AFC Wimbledon's favour in both legs of the play-off semi-final with Accrington Stanley and again in the final against Plymouth Argyle.
Sadly I doubt we will be near the front of any queue for his services this summer.
Well Gareth has said he's going to sign a proven League Two goalscorer this summer. I had a look at the players released in League Two, I can't pretend to be enough of an expert to know which of these look particularly tasty (if any) but here are all the ones released who haven't yet been signed elsewhere - at least at time of googling.
Those in double brackets have been transfer listed rather than released, so I'm assuming they're out of our price range. This list doesn't include Portsmouth or Wimbledon players.
Ryan Gondoh Barnet
((Shaun Batt)) Barnet
((Ben Tomlinson)) Barnet
Rory Fallon Bristol Rovers
Derek Asamoah Carlisle
Arron Bradbury Carlisle
Steven Rigg Carlisle
Roarie Deacon Crawley Town
Lee Barnard Crawley Town
Ashley Chambers Dagenham
Zavon Hines Dagenham
Ade Yusuff Dagenham
Clinton Morrison Exeter
Will Hoskins Exeter
Kudus Oyenuga Hartlepool
Scott Fenwick Hartlepool
Paul Benson Luton
Craig Westcarr Mansfield
Jack Kelleher Morcambe
Jordan Aghatise Notts County
Colby Bishop Notts County
Jordan Bowery Oxford
Pat Hoban Oxford
((Adam McGurk)) Portsmouth
((Matt Tubbs)) Portsmouth
Adam Marriott Stevenage
Aaron O’Connor Stevenage
Leroy Lita Yeovil
Mark Beck Yeovil
Shaun Jeffers Yeovil
Emile Sinclair York
Ben Hirst York
((Jake Hyde)) York
((Vadaine Oliver)) York
Any of those any good?
Also I noticed Angelo Balanta has been released by Carlisle. Would love to see him back providing competition to Sam Wood.
More than a Subtle difference with the beast upfront and those supplying the service. He wins most of the headers and makes the keeper works for his wage. You wouldn't believe it, but I would like Afinfenwa at AP with two young skilful wingers. Supplying and crossing the Beast with balls into the 6 yard box or balls to his feet for layoffs for them to shoot. Hoofing it to him. Hell no.
PS was a good match encounter to watch too.
No way! he's 34 and fits in well at hoof ball Wimbledon just because of that -hoof and hope. I don't want that here and I doubt GA does really either. Plus Akinfenwa has more shite games than good ones otherwise AFC would be keeping him.
If we could get rid of Thompson, then I think Akinfenwa would be a good addition to the squad. I can't see him as a regular starter at his age, but he would give you something different from the bench if things weren't going well and you needed a change.
Definitely gives you something different, I'd like to see him here but I think he'll be looking elsewhere.
I've always been dubious about this "proven" scorer in a division business, ever since Benyon was portrayed as one.
To us, a proven scorer would be one of those guys with history of multiple seasons of 20+ goals, but these days, it seems to be a guy who has a one off season of 6 or 7 goals.
so we cant even afford Akinfenwa and Wimbledon could Christ how much have we dropped as a club last few years
Pretty sure we could afford him. Wimbledon aren't exactly rolling in it.
Wimbledon-supporting friends tell me he has been quite poor at tim this season and around Christmas were unhappy with the long ball being played up to him.
While Hayes has some skill we suffered badly through a lack of pace and power up top last season. No one to hold the ball up and nobody to run th channels. Wimbledon aren't really a great team but their strikers are a handful.
At the right price, I'd take Akinfenwa for a season. At least we'd have someone to play off. But he'd need pace around him. Sadly I think we will persevere with Hayes in the 11 next season and end up scoring few goals again as a result.
Scott Fenwick looked good for Hartlepool against us
Assuming @DJWYC14 isn't in the know and that's a massive hint, I'd imagine we may take Matt Tubbs on.
There were a huge amount of rumours a year or so ago that he was coming to us, and maybe this is, like when we signed Strevens, things happening possibly 12 months too late.
I think Akinfenwa will be playing for us next season.
If so, the standard of football and entertainment will drop even further. Can you imagine a 4-3-3 system with Hayes, Thompson & Akinfenwa up front? Oxford's key player in getting promotion was Kemar Roofe. Pace, skill and youthful enthusiasm. We need some younger legs and a plan B or an extension of the second-half of last season will make it unwatchable. After a hard week's graft I like to watch a bit of decent football. I'm not the sort who pays money to just watch a result every week - you can do that on Gilette Soccer Special on a Saturday afternoon.
Not sure that is totally true @A_Worboys . Our system as it currently stands needs a point of attack that the ball will stick too. If we can get that (Akinfenwa or other) I think this brings more players in to the mix. The midfield can get forward with more confidence that the ball is not going immediately behind them and it helps us get the ball wide for crosses further up the pitch.
Plus your assumption is he might be the only attacker. I'd have thought we'd have a couple of options come August.
What is more interesting though is your last comments. Are you saying that you will stop watching Wycombe if the style doesn't improve? I think the club is assuming this type of comment (that they must have heard loads in recent months) is just hot air but would be interested to know if yours has more substance. At what point next season would you give up going if the entertainment value doesn't improve?
Akinwenfa brings a certain amount of entertainment on his own. I can't see Ainsworth not going for him, so for me it depends on who else does too.
I think it'd be waaaay too dangerous for us to sign Akinfenwa. Anyone remember AFCW away last season when every single one of our players fell to the ground Pepe-style the minute Akinfenwa so much as looked at them? You can't train in that kind of environment, "The Beast" clearly has some kind of magic force-field around him which is too much for our lot to cope with.
If he signed for us I'd want him to cut this Beast Mode rubbish. I thought that was very disrespectful to wear the T Shirt at the presentation yesterday.
Righty, for someone who regularly posts about how he hates unsubstantiated speculation that is an absolute corker
Akinfenwa would be an utterly ludicrous signing, a stupid use of scarce resources and would seriously call Gaz's judgment into question
You may well be right @eric_plant . I just have a feeling that it will happen. No trusted source. No friend of a friend. No worker at the club info. Just a feeling.
@Right_in_the_Middle I agree re the Beast mode t-shirt. I thought it showed a lack of class, as did him banging on about how Ardley had released him, and that although he wasn't the agreed PK taker, it felt right for him to take the spot kick.
He thought his brand is bigger than the club and the occasion at Wembley.
But think of how healthy he could make us all...
He's 7/1 to sign for Wycombe with Cheltenham (3/1) and Grimsby (5/1) heading the queue. Make of that what you will.
20/1 on Skybet, with half of League 2 and Conference side Eastleigh ahead of us in the pecking order. Wouldn't take much notice to betting odds in that case @williwycombe
agreed, money could be spent on better, talented and quicker forwards...
Sean Rigg is another one released by Wimbledon, possible signing?
Would be ever so entertaining and raise our profile for a while.
Until the realisation that we've simply brought in an even less mobile clapped out striker than we currently have!
It'd only work if we could ship Thompson off, but no chance of that.
Akinfenwa's mate Azeez would surely be a better bet style of player wise