Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland has revealed a hilarious yet humbling encounter with one of football's most physically imposing players, Adebayo Akinfenwa, during the early days of his career.
The 32-year-old shot-stopper, currently plying his trade at Ibrox since the summer of 2023, made the revelation on the Fozcast podcast, offering fans an insight into a moment that helped shape his journey into senior football.
The story dates back to September 2011, when Butland was still a young loanee from Birmingham City, playing at English League Two side Cheltenham Town.
In his very first senior appearance for the club, he found himself up against Akinfenwa, who was playing for Northampton Town at the time—a man known not only for his strength but also for his status as a cult hero in the world of FIFA video games.
Butland recalled the challenge of facing the former striker, who was famously dubbed the "strongest man you’ll ever face."
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The former Manchester United and Crystal Palace goalie described the moment as a wake-up call to the physical demands of men's football, especially at the senior level.
"I remember my first game at Cheltenham was against Northampton at home," Butland said. "But Akinfenwa was at Northampton at the time. Honestly, the first corner he came and stood on me... You know how he is—big and just bouncing around, laughing and joking."
As the corner kick came in, Butland found himself caught in a battle with Akinfenwa that he wasn't quite prepared for.
"He held my wrist and stood by the side of me like that, and I thought, 'Good size, go on, whip it in and I'll come and deal with it, whatever.' But I didn’t move an inch. I couldn’t move. He held my wrist still on the goal line, and I couldn’t move. That was it, I was stuck,'" he explained.
Butland, who went on to establish himself as one of England's top goalkeepers, admitted that it was a sobering experience.
"It was like, 'Now this is what I’m up against.' Obviously, he’s the strongest man you could ever possibly face. But that was it—that was the experience. I’m in men’s football now. This is not some young lad who’s just going to try and be a bit of a nuisance. You’ve got to really stand up. You are not going to get that on a training pitch five, six days a week," he concluded.
Akinfenwa's infamous strength, which earned him a place in the hearts of football fans worldwide, especially those who played FIFA, certainly left a lasting impression on Butland that day.
Despite being stuck to the goal line, the experience helped the young goalkeeper quickly adapt to the rigours of professional football.
Butland had to conquer that challenge to carve out a career at the top level, and he is currently facing the test of being dropped by Rangers interim boss Barry Ferguson for their recent fixtures against Athletic Club and Aberdeen, and desperately seeking to claim back his No.1 jersey.
