PNE in Numbers: The stats that prove Adebayo Akinfenwa is one to watch

On Saturday, whoever gets the nod in the centre of defence for PNE will likely at some point have to get to grips with lower league celebrity Adebayo Akinfenwa.

Noted as probably the strongest player in the Football League, the 35-year-old has made a career out of making the most of his 16st frame.

Wycombe is the 15th club of a nomadic career that has taken in stops such as Lithuanian club FK Atlantas and Welsh Premier League side Barry Town.

For the large part though Akinfenwa’s time has been spent terrorising defences in the bottom two rungs of the Football League ladder.

He has had two spells at both Northampton and Gillingham and starred for AFC Wimbledon, where he made headlines when he scored against the club he supports, Liverpool, in the FA Cup.

The big man was released in the summer of 2016 after scoring at Wembley and helping the Dons continue their rise with promotion to League One via the play-offs.

On his arrival at Wycombe he scored 18 goals in all competitions last season, playing 52 games.

This campaign has seen Akinfenwa hit the back of the net an impressive 13 times in 27 appearances meaning he will certainly be one to watch at Adams Park.

He may never have spent more than 30 months at any one club but in total, he’s made nearly 600 career appearances and scored 191 goals.

Given his stature the powerhouse has become something of a cult figure off the field with plenty of appearances alongside more high-profile names from the world of football.

He also released an autobiography this year with his celebrity status showing no sign of slowing down.

Wycombe’s No.20 certainly backs up his strongman reputation. He can reportedly bench press 200kg, almost double his own body weight.

The FIFA video game series has also regularly rated him as the most powerful player in the world, introducing him to an entirely different audience.

Having found a niche, Akinfenwa is far from a figure of fun when the serious business begins on a Saturday.

He has two goals in his last three games, being on target in the 2-0 win over Newport County on Boxing Day, a volley after taking the ball down on his chest, and the 2-1 defeat against Mansfield four days later, an early header.

Akinfenwa also scored with a diving header in the last round of the cup as Wycombe avoided an upset against Leatherhead.