The Beast is back in all his beauty

By Jon Couch

BACK IN BUSINESS: Adebayo Akinfenwa in action for Faversham at Lancing last Saturday and in his heyday, inset

PICTURE: Paul Smith

THE BEAST is back – and he’s looking to complete one final mission.

Adebayo Akinfenwa stunned fans on Saturday by coming out of retirement to turn out for Isthmian League South East strugglers Faversham Town.

Akinfenwa announced his retirement at the end of last season after the League One Play-Off final at Wembley which his Wyxcombe side lost 2-0 to S u nd e rland. B utthe 40-year-old, who boasts over 650 Foot ball League appearances for the likes of AFC Wimbledon, Gillingham, Northampton Town, Millwall, Swansea City and Torquay United, has agreed to help out a couple of former teammates in a bid to help the Lillywhites avoid relegation.

Led by Akinfenwa’s former AFC Wimbledon teammate Sammy Moore and his ex-Gillingham coach Darren Hare, the Kent side played their trump card ahead of their six-pointer with Lancing last Saturday, while 14 points adrift of avoiding a crunch rele- gation play-off match. 

But it was hardly a debut to remember for the striker-turned-TV personality, who was named in the starting line-up but was withdrawn at half-time, despite Faversham leading at the break in front of a crowd of 171 in West Sussex. They went on to lose the game 2-1.

Despite their lowly league position, the ambitious Lillywhites have made a number of high-profile signings to help secure their Step 4 status, including Moore himself who arrived from then Isthmian Premier leaders Potters Bar Town in November.