Zero to Hero?

By Neil Ravenscroft
August 28 2003

Footballtransfers.co.uk are reporting in their "rumours" section that Walsall FC are about to acquire the services of Adi Akinbiyi, as is The Sun.

The Express & Star has been saying today that we are in negotiations with a striker and that we are hoping to make the signing in time for Saturday.

Meanwhile, footballtranfers.co.uk are saying that it will be Adi Akinbiyi.

http://www.footballtransfers.co.uk/speculation/spec.asp?category=Un-Confirmed

Better known to younger readers for his disastrous stays at Leicester City and Crystal Palace, he is big, strong and quick, just what we need at the moment, if he can recapture his form.

Akinbiyi was a product of Norwich's youth system, making his debut against Bayern Munich in the club's impressive 1992-1993 UEFA Cup campaign.

Norwich sold Akinbiyi to Gillingham in 1997 for a fee of £250,000, where Akinbiyi hit 29 goals in 67 starts.

Bristol City promptly bought the striker for £1.2 million in the summer of 1998, where he scored 25 goals in 53 appearances.

Wolves were the next club to set their sights on the pacy forward. They spent £3.5 million to take him to Molineux in 1999. His goalscoring exploits continued at Molyneux where he racked up 16 goals in 39 games.

His prolific form brought him to the attention of Peter Taylor, who had just become the manager at Leicester City. Taylor was so impressed with the striker that he promptly splashed out a club record £5 million to bring Akinbiyi to the club in Summer 2000.

What should have been a dream move for Akinbiyi turned out to be a nightmare as Leicester struggled in the Premiership. Akinbiyi also endured a serious goal drought during his time at the club.

His time at Leicester came to end when Crystal Palace paid £2.4 million in 2002 to take him to Selhurst Park.

The Sun is carrying the same story today: -

"WALSALL boss Colin Lee is trying to bring back (sic) Ade Akinbiyi to the club.

Crystal Palace striker Akinbiyi, 28, played under Lee at Wolves.

But the former Walsall star (sic) has been left out in the cold at Selhurst Park and was loaned out to Stoke last season.

He hopes to agree a pay-off with Palace so he can resurrect his career at the Bescott (sic) Stadium".

The Express and Star also quotes Colin Lee as saying that he is hoping to bring in another new face in the near future. We can only assume that the increased gate receipts have let the club free up more budget.