The Longside Reference

LUTON 2 BURNLEY 3

and

 ADE AKINBIYI

    In his first spell at Burnley, 2005 to 2006, he played superbly well and his arrival was the result of a game for Stoke City at Turf Moor when he and Noel Gifton-Williams ran Burnley ragged. He scored twice. Manager Steve Cotterill clearly memorised the two names and eventually brought them both to Burnley. At Stoke he had asked to see the chairman and made it clear to him that he didn’t think the club was going forward. Sheffield United reputedly matched the asking fee but Akinbiyi chose Burnley. In spite of his ‘protest’ at the running of Stoke City, paradoxically he did not really want to leave, he said and the move to Burnley took a while to sort out. He had already played with Frank Sinclair at Leicester, and it was Sinclair who helped persuade him that Burnley was a fine club to join.

     “I just like working hard,” he revealed in club programme notes, “You’re always going to get me running round like a headless chicken, but that’s what I’m all about.” 

     In that first period at Turf Moor Akinbiyi’s career seemed revitalised. He ran, chased, covered every inch of ground and scored goals. He was almost prolific, 16 goals in 39 games, a more than excellent return for a modern-day striker. Warnock at Sheffield United, by then in the Premiership, was thus tempted to take him to Sheffield for £1.75million but there he did little of note other than incur the wrath of the manager who allegedly berated him on one occasion for not deliberately going down under a penalty area challenge. He preferred to be honest and stayed on his feet. He did not score and thus Neil Warnock was not best pleased.

     In his second spell at Burnley, 2007 to 2009, brought back for a much smaller fee, looking more like Hercules than a professional footballer after all his weight training, he was less impressive, sometimes assuming the mantle of the old Ade (Leicester City) who on some days seemed incapable of hitting a barn door with a banjo. And yet we smiled, continued to give him our respect and just accepted his shortcomings. “Well that’s Ade,” we would say, and shrug with a sort of wry, benign acceptance. With other players we would be far less charitable.

     Into the early months of 2009 and it was clear he had lost many of the qualities that made him what he was. The running and chasing decreased and the acceleration was gone. Now aged 34, the heart might have been willing, but the legs were older. Some players with a more slender, wiry physique might continue far longer than that, but big players whose games are based solely on power and running, seldom do. 

     We will not forget Ade, that is a certainty and it is perhaps that one goal at Chelsea that finally sealed and confirmed his place in Burnley hearts. Ironically it was at a time when his powers were certainly declining; he was used from the bench as an impact player. How it paid off.

     Sixteen years earlier his career began at Norwich in 1993 where he made 49 appearances, scoring three goals. The son of Nigerian parents, he was brought up in multicultural Hackney in London. Gang culture was rife. He was an Arsenal supporter and in his early teens was more interested in athletics than football, the 100m and the 200m his best events. It was a PE teacher who nudged him towards soccer. The teacher said they needed a striker for the school team so he volunteered. He then played for Senrab, an East London team that also produced Ledley King and John Terry. Muzzy Izzet played alongside him there and Lee Bowyer was a year younger. He wanted to stay in London and sign for Arsenal but with the choice of Arsenal or Norwich, his parents wanted him to get away from London teenage street-life and all its attendant pressures and problems.

     Moving to Norwich at the age of 16, in digs with an elderly lady in the middle of the countryside, was a great culture shock. Looking back he thinks they both found it difficult. Not the least of the difficulties was the food she made. From a Nigerian-based diet of rice and chicken, his landlady made potatoes and roast dinners. He returned home as often as he could.

     His racial difference in Norwich was very apparent. 1993 might not seem that long ago, but it was far back enough for skin colour to stand out in a predominantly white place like Norwich. He found it a relief to see another black face. Standing at bus stops waiting for the bus for training was not easy. To avoid this he would often walk rather than wait in a queue. He was only 16, ill at ease, feeling vulnerable and worried.

     In his early days he remembers that the abuse, both racial and non-racial, was endemic. His mother never liked seeing him play because of the swearing and the shouting.

     His background and culture is clearly important to him. At one club another black player referred to him as “African this” and “African that.” It was banter but it was clear that the other player had no concept of his roots until Akinbiyi pointed out to him that they were all from Africa. At another club, young kids wanted to touch his hair. He let them do it seeing it as an important step in their learning. Learning is important to him, reading about history and other cultures and passing these on to his own son.

     In his very early days at Norwich the team was doing well in Europe. Under Mike Walker they were a force to be reckoned with. During training one day, Walker called him over, told him one of the strikers was injured and that he would be in the squad for the Bayern Munich game at Carrow Road. He was only 18 and had never played a game for the first team.

     “It was a bit of a shock to make my debut coming on against Lothar Matthaus and Bayern Munich. I couldn’t believe it.
     “So I got in the team, scored some goals but then Norwich said they needed some money so they offloaded me (after loan moves to Hereford and then Brighton). I went to Gillingham for £250,000 where Tony Pulis did a lot of work on my finishing.”

     From there, 29 goals later in 67 games, no mean return for a modern day striker; it was a £1.2million move to Bristol City. 23 goals came in his first season. And this prompted the first really big money move - £3million to Wolves. Fulham and Birmingham were reportedly also pursuing him but Akinbiyi was swayed, and understandably so, by the history and tradition at Wolves, the big stadium, the ambition and the training ground. All these made him feel this was the right club.

     “I could see it happening for me at Wolves, they are a massive club. I settled in well.” He thought he would be there for years, scored 16 goals in 37 appearances but then it was the next move. Again he says it was the old story. Having missed the play-offs by one place, Wolves needed money so that when Leicester and Peter Taylor came knocking on the door, a £5million deal took him to Filbert Street.

     Things here did not go well and he looks back at this period with no real fondness. A return of 11 goals from 58 appearances earned him poor reviews and much criticism. At the end of his second season Leicester were relegated. The outstanding Martin O Neil had left, and under Peter Taylor Leicester went into freefall. Akinbiyi had been the replacement for Emile Heskey and life in the Premiership, against top-quality defenders, was far harder than anything he had experienced. Today he suggests that whilst Wolves played to his strengths, Leicester City did not. Eventually Taylor was sacked. 

     All these things conspired to make him look like a fish out of water in many games, and it was at Leicester that a long spell when he was unable to find the net earned him some cruel comments and national notoriety when at last the drought was broken and the match was featured on Match of the Day. But in truth, Ade Akinbiyi was never as bad as his time at Leicester might suggest. His goal record there was not that much inferior to the low-scoring Emile Heskey. Emile Heskey too went through periods when his detractors were numerous. 

       Crystal Palace rescued Akinbiyi from his misery but his stay there was short-lived as Tony Pulis, now at Stoke City, took him on loan and then made the signing permanent. At Stoke it was 19 goals in 63 games. Not prolific you might say but certainly not disastrous.

      Steve Cotterill took Akinbiyi to Burnley and it was an inspired purchase. He was 30 and it could be said hit peak form in his first spell at Turf Moor. 16 goals in 39 games was excellent and some of them were stunning. His infectious enthusiasm, huge smile, willingness to run and pressure the opposition; his workrate, all endeared him to Burnley fans. The latter can spot a phoney a mile away and they recognised in Akinbiyi a genuine player. His own explanation for his popularity is simple. “I think if you work hard the fans will give you praise and if you aren’t working hard they’ll give you stick so that’s part and parcel of it all. I want to go out there and even if I’m not scoring, I want to work hard and give 100%. There are going to be days when I don’t play well, because as good as you get, you can also be bad too but I want to work hard every week and keep going.” 

     His departure from Burnley was for the same old reason, his club needed the money. But having said that, even if cash-strapped Burnley had been better off, it was still an offer that was too good to turn down - £1.75million for a 30 year old. Neil Warnock wanted an in-form striker for his Premiership team but his appearances there were just three.

     It was not a happy stay and there were stories of a major training ground confrontation involving himself and Claude Davis. Allegedly the incident happened after insulting text messages were sent to Akinbiyi by Davis. These followed Akinbiyi’s jokes about Davis’ poor performance in a game at Everton when United lost 2 – 0. The face to face row broke out when Davis reportedly made remarks about one of Akinbiyi’s parents and the pair decided to resolve their differences at the training ground. Sources claimed that punches were thrown and it was also alleged that Davis pulled out a razor, although Akinbiyi would never confirm this.
     Akinbiyi was, in fact, quite angry that this story ever became public. “There was a row lasting about two minutes,” he said. “But where do you get all this stuff from,” he asked reporters. 

     His return to Burnley after the brief unsuccessful sojourn at Sheffield United prompted Rod Liddle in the Sunday Times to write a delightful, tongue-in-cheek piece about him. He asked the question - just what was it that managers did in January, when the play-offs were still a distant target; the place needed a lift, the fans needed cheering up, the season needed saving or disaster needed avoiding. Bizarrely, he wrote, the answer is that they inevitably turned to Ade Akinbiyi as the solution to their problems.

     Every January, long before the hounds of spring are on winter’s traces, the ground is hard with frost and the play-offs still beckon, tantalisingly in the middle distance, football managers sit themselves down, wracked in deep thought. What, they ask themselves, will save this season from being a complete and utter disaster? Is there a panacea immediately at hand, which will rescue my team and thus my job? Is there something, short of divine intervention, which when visited upon my squad of petulant and underachieving monkeys will enable them to soar?

     And, bizarrely, the answer they frequently, repeatedly, arrive at is this: Ade Akinbiyi...

     …The wheeling and dealing of January rarely has a real impact upon the comparative fortunes of the teams in question, much as we supporters might lick our lips in anticipation. Poor players go to poor clubs; average players go to average clubs. The best players end up at Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. And somebody, somewhere, gets Ade Akinbiyi. 

     Such articles, (though I stress again, it is a piece and written with humour and affection), do not upset Ade Akinbiyi; nor did the catcalls at Leicester City.

     “I don’t care if I am playing in front of 100,000 people all giving me stick. I will never hide because I love football. People watch me and say this boy’s a hard-working boy, he’s not hiding. I can miss as many chances as I want but I won’t care, I will carry on playing. I would die for football. Football’s a short career; you have to earn as much as you can and enjoy yourself. Ten years ago, a lot of professionals enjoyed football. Now it’s totally different, football is more of a job for players. It’s more about politics and money. It’s a 50 – 50 split between those players who enjoy football and those for whom it’s a job. Me? I enjoy every minute.  The more that fans and media try to hammer me, the more I enjoy football. Criticism just gees me up more. Even though I don’t read the papers, my friends do, and the criticism gets back to me. I don’t have to prove them wrong. I just have to prove to myself right that I can rise above this.”

     Ian Wright said something to him in his teens when he was briefly at Arsenal. “Wrighty made one statement which I have never forgotten: ‘I never care whether I am playing in the reserves or the first-team, as long as I am playing.’”

     Overall, his goal-scoring record is just about a goal every three games. It is no Jimmy Greaves (but then Greaves was a one-off), but it is very acceptable and only his short time at Leicester City was a disaster.

     Three of those goals came in one memorable game. It was November 5th, 2005, bonfire night, and oh how the fireworks went off after the astonishing result at Kenilworth Road. Steve Cotterill was Burnley manager and he had placed his faith in Akinbiyi when he bought him. Burnley had only won six games up to this point, but the Luton result came in a spell of four consecutive wins which gave grounds for optimism and the club moved up the table. That promise never materialised. There were a number of reasons and Cotterill, in a later season, would eventually take the club to a record sequence of 20 games without a win. On November 5th, however, the trials and tribulations that would beset team and manager were yet to come and the supporters who had made the trip to Luton went home with their disbelieving heads in the clouds after a quite remarkable game, an extraordinary team performance, and a quite superlative individual display from Akinbiyi.
 
LUTON 2 BURNLEY 3 by Barry Heagin

     I guess when Stan Ternent let Marlene Beresford go some years ago after a particularly disastrous season as regards the goals against column, he could not have envisaged said keeper performing successfully at Championship level in season 2005/06. After 300+ games for the Clarets in three separate spells starting in the early Jurassic period, I have to acknowledge a modicum of pleasure in seeing the old girl again, albeit on the opposition side. Only David Eyres, that well known footballing pensioner, challenges Marlene on that score. Anyway, I digress, as the story I am about to reveal dear readers, is one of heroism shown by the greater Claret empire against great odds. It involves three keepers, one of the ‘parks’ variety, and provides a denouement that Hitchcock would have been proud of. In years to come, more people will have claimed presence at this game than at the infamous Plymouth play-off away game back in the last century. Sit down and enjoy.

     Once upon a time there was a football ground, Kenilworth Road by name, with a very silly entrance to the away supporters’ cage. The turnstiles, as some will know, are situated where the front room of some long deceased Lutonian’s terraced house had been, before the bulldozer moved in. To the left of the entrance was the kitchen, now masquerading as a gents’ toilet, and in front are the steps leading up to the back of the away cage entrance over some poor soul’s bijou back yard. How they must hate match days. One then pays the 20 quid-plus entrance fee for the privilege of joining 800 or so Clarets for an almost unimpeded view, whilst sitting on seats bolted to the terraces. Well that’s entertainment! My particular favourites here, however, are the ‘boxes’ to the left of the away end, down the whole of a long side. Little beauties these, about the size of my shed, with netting over the top to stop the loss of expensive footballs in the adjoining back yards. It is also incredibly odd that alcoholic refreshment is available throughout the ground except for the away end. Why is this? 

     Apparently Luton FC were looking to move out of Luton to a new site near the airport. Not a bad move, you would have thought, given the lack of attraction in this sixties, slightly Watfordish place. It’s one of those places where you would be tempted to call in a napalm strike if you just happened to be George W Bush for the day. It looks even worse on the sort of overcast, drizzly afternoon that was the setting for this fixture. The football club board allegedly made a complete arse of the exercise and have lost the opportunity, which has caused their manager Mike Newell to be a trifle upset. Apparently he was the last person to be told, some time after the world at large.

     The game started slowly for us, as Luton tested the young debutante full-back, Duane Courtney, with Feeney’s movement and Howard’s height. The latter had strength in the air and on the ball, but the full turning circle of the QE2. Jensen had hardly broken sweat, however, before we took the lead on 15 minutes. Ade and Spencer combined well from a quick throw-in before the latter released the former on goal. Ade outstripped Perret with ease before a snap shot left Marlene well beaten and we were on our way. Goal one for Ade, if only he knew what was to come. It was to be his afternoon.

     A good Jensen save from a Howard free kick shortly thereafter neatly led to a doubling of the lead with a tremendous goal on the half hour. Spicer, having robbed Foley, again released Akinbiyi behind the Luton defence with a superb chip. This left THE man still with something to do as Marlene steadied himself for the shot. But the ex-Claret man needn’t have bothered, as a tremendous half volley from the edge of the box arrowed its way to the top right hand corner of the net. It was a simply stunning goal, as good a goal as Akinbiyi has ever scored, as good a goal as you will see anywhere.

     But then, in the 38th minute, a key moment when a long hopeful ball made its way towards Jensen with the Luton forwards some distance away. Not for the first time Jensen had options and couldn’t make up his mind. Kick the ball into the stands, or wait for the ball to reach him in the safety of his own box. Nothing here to disturb the decision-making capability of the average twelve year old, you might think, but not our Brian. With time to spare he runs out of the penalty area and catches the ball. Cast iron, red card and the team then made their way to the bench to waste a good deal of time until we were ready to start again. The only problem was that not only did we not have a keeper on the bench, but also our ‘potentials’ Duff and Branch were absent. Enter the frame, a very slight 22 year-old in a rather large keeper’s jersey/tent. Master Spicer of all people had decided to resurrect his goalkeeping interest from his parks football days. 

     Inevitably Luton put the pressure on with a series of corners, from which Howard pulled a goal back with a firm header on 43 minutes with Spice crunched between two defenders on the line.

     Down to ten men, a rookie goalkeeper normally a deft, subtle, polite, gentle midfielder, the pressure on, Luton trailing by just one goal; but enter the man of the game again – one Ade Akinbiyi who has spent the game terrorising Luton with his every touch.

     Luton tried the up and under game, meat and drink to the aged ones at the heart of the defence – not really very bright and known as doing a ‘Prescott’ in the manner of one of the more celebrated icons of the political establishment. For their dimness they were duly punished.

     Micah Hyde an old head on young shoulders plays a long ball down the wing for Ade to chase. Ade in full flight is an awesome sight even on one of his bad days – but this day is one of his good ones, nay brilliant ones. The Luton defender is left for dead but for his impudence Ade is dumped in the penalty area for a blatant penalty.

     Ade takes the ball; he has never taken a penalty in his life before, except in the school playground. Marlene at Burnley had a great reputation as a penalty saver but this one he does not save. Akinbiyi sends him the wrong way and claims his hat-trick wheeling away with extravagant exultation and wild, unrestrained joy.

     A hat-trick is an achievement on any day, but in the context of this particular game was astonishing. Luton stepped up a gear, more pressure, more shots, but saved by rookie Spicer. Eventually though Feeney scored the Luton second. The support from the away end reached fever pitch, the minutes ticked by. When a last gasp Luton free kick sailed over the bar we knew Burnley had done it. The Clarets engaged in a post-match huddle and at last Ade emerged from the pack to retrieve the match-ball from the officials.

     Exhausted and hoarse, Clarets spilled out from the gound into the night to ruminate upon the afternoon’s entertainment. This is what real, live football I all about. If you weren’t there for some reason, shed a tear.
    
     The record books show just a 3 – 2 win. What they do not explain is that two men were heroes. Of those two however, one was a giant on the day and virtually unplayable. Time flies. Only one of the team, Jensen, remains at Burnley in 2009. Nobody who was there that day will forget his gigantic performance. It was one of those matches of a lifetime and a game to remember for a long, long time.
     ADE IS NEW BIONIC MAN wrote reporter Chris Boden in the local Burnley Express.

     One Burnley fan who was there, Matt Trickett, will never forget the day. “Ade ripped Luton apart single-handedly, grabbing a stunning hat-trick. It’s fair to say his resurrection as a footballer began at Stoke – but during his short time at Burnley, it was complete. I’m confident Burnley could add an extra digit to the fee paid for his services earlier this year. This was one of hose games where you willed the ball to be sucked towards him at every opportunity; such was his presence and superiority over the Luton defence. He appeared to have gained an extra five yards of pace and was simply unstoppably running at them.”

    “We’d seen something special,” said Trickett. It was the game of a lifetime and a match to remember for all who were there.