Liverpool fan Adebayo Akinfenwa has joked only Reds boss Jurgen Klopp should get in touch with him so they can celebrate together after Wycombe were promoted to the Championship following his side against Oxford United, edging them out in a 2-1 League One play-off final on to secure second-tier football next season, with the crucial strike coming from Joe Jacobson from the penalty spot with 11 minutes remaining.
Akinfenwa joined the club four years ago after leaving Wimbledon on a free, despite helping them earn promotion to League One by beating Plymouth in the League Two play-off final.
The 38-year-old striker famously declared in the post-match interview in 2016 he was ‘technically unemployed’ and pleaded: ‘any managers hit me up on the WhatsApp and get me a job’.
The former Swansea forward’s contract at Wycombe is also set to expire at the end of the campaign, but Akinfenwa insisted only Liverpool boss Klopp was allowed to send him a message this time around.
‘Look, look, let me calm down. First and foremost, I want to thank God, because today he made the impossible possible,’ he told Sky Sports.
‘Four years ago I stood in front of you and I was technically unemployed.
Let me tell you something, the only person that can hit me up on WhatsApp this time is Klopp, so we can celebrate together. You get me? Oi!’
The former Millwall striker was also subjected to racist abuse during the play-off semi-final clash against Fleetwood Town, suggested claims that he was repeatedly called a ‘fat water buffalo’ by a Fleetwood representative, an incident which sparked an FA investigation.
But Akinfenwa insisted he was in no mood to discuss that particular incident so soon after Wycombe had achieved their goal.
‘There’s a time for me to speak on that, and I will speak on it,’ he added. ‘Life in football is all about opinions. Someone gave their opinion on me, and that was their opinion.
‘I hope my story shows that the only opinion that matters is the opinion you have about yourself. I was lucky and blessed to find a manager and players who believed in me, so we are here today, and I’ll say it for the people in the back: Wycombe’s in the Championship.”
‘Wait, wait, I’ll say it one more time: Wycombe is in the Champio- Wait! The people in the back didn’t hear me! Wycombe is in the Championship!’
