Adebayo Akinfenwa begged Steven Gerrard for Liverpool stay

By Shane Callaghan, Reporter | 06 January 2015

Adebayo Akinfenwa says that he begged Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard to postpone his departure, after swapping shirts with his hero in Wimbledon's FA Cup defeat.

AFC Wimbledon striker Adebayo Akinfenwa has revealed that he used Sunday's FA Cup tie with Liverpool to beg captain Steven Gerrard to stay at the club.

The iconic Reds captain announced that he would be leaving Merseyside for the MLS at the end of the season, ending a 26-year stint with the English giants.

However, Akinfenwa, a lifelong Liverpool fan, secured Gerrard's jersey at full time and revealed that he begged him to remain at Anfield beyond the summer.

"I said 'don't go, man - look, I will tell you this now, I am a fan, don't go'," he told BT Sport. "I was just like 'don't go, man' and he just smiled it off and that.

"Look, nobody can begrudge Steven Gerrard doing what he wants to do. He has just been a legend - class. If he needs to go to pastures new, so be it.

"I think it is down to Liverpool to try and do everything to keep him and get him to stay, but if he has made his mind up, he has made his mind up. All you can do is wish him on his merry way and hope he comes back as manager one day."

Gerrard struck twice in Liverpool's 2-1 win, with Akinfenwa on target for Wimbledon.