Akinfenwa's swansong as Wycombe and 'rock star' boss look to seal Wembley upset

Adebayo Akinfenwa is relishing his last-ever game as a footballer - he just hopes he can go out with a bang.

The 40-year-old is likely to be restricted to a cameo role off the bench as Wycombe Wanderers chase promotion to the Championship for the second time in three years. Gareth Ainsworth's side face Sunderland at Wembley in the League One play-off final in what will be Akinfenwa's last dance after more than 20 years as a professional.

Former Wycombe star Sam Saunders believes it was written in the stars for Akinfenwa to have such a glamorous ending to his career - and he isn't ruling the veteran out of playing his part in swaying the contest.

"It sums Bayo up that his last game is at Wembley - it would have to be wouldn't it, for him?" Saunders said to Mirror Football.

"You run out of things to say about him really. When he leaves what Wycombe will really miss is his character, and as a leader and almost as a father figure.

"They're really going to miss that and there'll be a big hole for that next year. Not one person will be able to step up and cover that; it'll have to be two or three people because he'll be a big miss. I think if Wycombe are 1-0 down on Saturday and they bring Bayo on for the last 10 minutes, the Sunderland defenders are not going to want to play against him.

"It might be a problem if they bring him on and get the equaliser and they have another half-hour with extra time! But I'm sure he'll have a part to play on Saturday."

Wycombe's trajectory under Ainsworth since his appointment almost a decade ago has been phenomenal. They have gone from avoiding relegation to the National League on goal difference in 2014 to reaching the Championship just six years later.

Now, against the odds, they are one game away achieving that feat again. And Saunders says the man at the helm deserves all the credit.

"His energy never lets people get low. Even if he's feeling down himself he won't show it," Saunders added. "He asks his team to do everything he did as a player. It's about leaving it all for the badge.

"He loves that underdog tag too. He wants that. He's probably been the underdog eight or nine years that he's been manager. "He'll play that all day long and that motivates the boys too. You tell those Wycombe boys they can't do something they'll want to try and prove you wrong."

Whilst Sunderland are undoubted favourites to win a spot in the Championship, former Black Cats' legend Niall Quinn is wary of Ainsworth pulling off a tactical masterplan against his old team.

"They have a rock star manager," Quinn said. "He'll make some impression there on Saturday. He will get something very right. He's a breath of fresh air and with people like him in the third tier, no wonder it's a great league. I think he's deserving of being higher as well."

Akinfenwa, a big Liverpool fan, became a social media star after Wycombe's last win in 2020 after receiving a congratulatory video call from Reds' boss Jurgen Klopp.

And he is promising an equally unpredictable celebration this time around, if the Chairboys win. "We can't get around it, there'll be 70,000 people there which is huge for League One - huge for any game," he told Sky Sports.

"What a game to go out on. It's the perfect way to leave. The fans, players and staff have taken me in here. If I can contribute in any way, shape or form to leave this place in the Championship then by the grace of God it happens.

"If we win I don't know what I'm going to do to celebrate but trust me the world is going to know about it!"