Larger-than-life Adebayo Akinfenwa says he once threatened a teammate so he could guarantee he got Steven Gerrard's shirt after a match.
Self-confessed Liverpool fan Akinfenwa, who retired after a 20-year career at the end of last season, played against his idol whilst at AFC Wimbledon. The FA Cup clash in 2015 saw Gerrard's side run out 2-1 winners but for Akinfenwa the most important thing was the chance to swap shirts with the England legend.
Speaking on the William Hill’s Stripped Podcast, Akinfenwa said: “I told everyone that I was going to get Gerrard’s shirt. I loved my Wimbledon team-mates but I threatened them. I won’t sugar-coat it. I said, ‘if any of you ask for Stevie G’s shirt, there’s going to be a problem.’ I played with Joe Allen at Swansea, who was at Liverpool at the time, so I gave him a call and arranged it prior.
"I said, ‘tell Stevie that the big man wants his shirt.’ And he text me back saying: ‘Stevie says he’s got you.’ I told the Wimbledon boys it will be a straight-up misunderstanding if you take his shirt. But Stevie was a man of his word and we embraced afterwards, and then I showed the world that he gave it to me.
"That was the first time I met Stevie G. The relationship between Liverpool and myself has stayed strong. I have goosebumps talking about it, I feel humbled. It’s mind-boggling, Stevie G wrote the foreword in my book, and he doesn’t really do that. He put a paragraph at the beginning of my autobiography and wanted to write it personally. Sometimes individuals get their publicists to write it, but he wanted to do it personally. People don’t realise how big that is."
Akinfenwa, who called time on his career following Wycombe's League One play-off final loss to Sunderland back in May, also had a memorable conversation with Reds' boss Jurgen Klopp that he looks back fondly on.
He added: "One of the greatest moments of my career was when Wycombe got promoted to the Championship, and Jurgen Klopp sent me a personal congratulatory message. These things are synonymous in my heart and have played a major part in my career.”
The clip of Akinfenwa and Klopp on a FaceTime call went viral with the German telling the striker: "Hello big man. Congratulations. I watched the game but I didn't see the post-match interviews but Hendo (Jordan Henderson) and the boys told me to get in contact with you on WhatsApp so here we go. Congratulations! I'm pretty sure your whole life you wanted to be at least a Championship player and now, finally, you are there. Well done. Great, great victory. Even in these strange times I hope you celebrate appropriately."
Akinfenwa then responded in delight: "Come on! Klopp you're a legend! We did it, I told you it would be up on WhatsApp, we celebrate together. You'll never walk alone! Beast mode!"
