Former Wolves striker Ade Akinbiyi takes on mentor role
Ade Akinbiyi turns 50 today.
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And that means that it’s now halfway through his life, back in the 1999/2000 season, that he spent his one year at Wolves.
It was quite an assignment walking into Molineux for Akinbiyi back then.
Wanted: A striker to lead the line and come up with a bagful of goals. Oh yes, and to become a hero amongst the fanbase as well. As we’ve just lost two of those. Over to you, Ade!
Steve Bull, he of the 306 goals, had retired in the summer. The new and talented kid on the block, Robbie Keane, had just been sold to Premier League Coventry such was the precocious level of his ability that had seen him plunder 29 goals from 88 games, and having only just turned 19.
Bull and Keane gone. Those were mighty big boots to fill. Think following Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Steve Jobs at Apple. George Lazenby taking over from Sean Connery as James Bond.
For the amiable Akinbiyi, then 24, it was a pressure to relish. Even with the club record £3.5million fee hanging around his broad shoulders.
“Yes, it’s fair to say there was a pressure in all that, but it’s one I did relish,” he recalls.
“Steve Bull, even now, is one of the greatest ever to have played for Wolves.
“I would love to have played with him, but when there was talk of following in his footsteps, I told them that was never going to happen!
“And Robbie Keane was still young, but everyone could see all of his quality.
“So, there was pressure, definitely, but you just have to enjoy it and get on with it and see what you can do.”
What was also pivotal for Akinbiyi in joining Wolves was that he already knew two of the coaching staff, John Ward and Terry Connor, from his time with Bristol City.
And that certainly helped with the decision from Colin Lee to make his move for the striker. Whom, had actually played for Bristol City at Ashton Gate when Wolves won 6-1 in Lee’s first game in caretaker charge. Wolfie and the Three Little Pigs and all that.
Perhaps, unsurprisingly, that’s not a game Akinbiyi remembers. Turning out for Lee, Ward and Connor, however, was a far more positive experience.
“Wolves in itself is a massive club and so definitely appealed to me but also knowing that John and Terry were there made the decision even easier,” he says.

“I really enjoyed playing for them at Bristol City, and Terry would often stay behind with me for extra training and to work on my finishing.
“I’d be wanting to come in on my days off to work even more!
“It went really well for me at Bristol City and so to then get the move to Wolves, to work with those guys again and Colin Lee, there was no hesitation.”
Different influences such as those will always play a part in a footballer’s career and, for Akinbiyi, it all started at a much younger age whilst growing up in Hackney.
With his power and speed from a young age, it was athletics, in sprinting, in which he caught the eye, but one of his primary school teachers encouraged him to try football.
Excelling as a striker in the school team soon took him to district level and from there it all took off.
He also played for the much-famed junior Sunday League team Senrab, based at Forest Gate in London, whose alumni of those who went on to make the grade professionally is like a who’s who of the region’s footballing talent.
Sol Campbell, John Terry, Alan Curbishley, Ledley King, Ray Wilkins, Lee Bowyer, Ugo Ehiogu, Bobby Zamora and Ezri Konsa were among the many to have turned out for Senrab, and Akinbiyi actually played in the same team as Muzzy Izzet, who he would later link up with again at Leicester City.