He was told that he was too big to play football and that he should find another profession.

Fast forward 22 years, Adebayo Akinfenwa has amassed nearly 800 career games and has scored over 200 career goals.

His life as a footballer has seen him travel to Lithuania, Wales, and to all four corners of England where he has achieved gargantuan success.

Promotions, player of the season awards, thousands of fans worldwide, what was regarded as a ‘publicity stunt’ when he walked through the doors at Adams Park as a Wycombe Wanderers player for the first time in 2016 has probably gone down as the greatest piece of business Gareth Ainsworth has done for the club.

It looks like the boss certainly contacted the Big Man on WhatsApp six years ago.

READ MORE: Footballer, gentleman, legend: Wycombe fans show Adebayo Akinfenwa support with photos

So, as the now 40-year-old prepares for his final match as a professional footballer which just happens to be at Wembley Stadium in this year’s League One play-off final against Sunderland, how is Akinfenwa feeling before his swansong?

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after the Chairboys defeated Milton Keynes in the semi-finals, he said: "If it's 10 minutes, two minutes, to be able to get out on the hallowed turf for my last kick in the professional game, it's a beautiful ending to my story - as long as we get the win.”

A win on May 21 will be the Beast’s third promotion with Wanderers, and it will end a 22-year-long journey that began in Hertfordshire.

Despite being a lifelong Liverpool fan, Akinfenwa started his career with Watford as a youth team player in the 2000/01 season.

He was released without making a first-team appearance for the Hornets and opted to travel to the Baltic region of Europe, to sign for the Lithuanian side, FK Atlantas.

Twelve months away from British soil and Bayo was back, as he spent just over a season with Barry Town in Wales.

He then became a journeyman across the EFL, which included playing for four teams in the 2003/04 season.

READ MORE: Thank you for the memories Bayo - Saying goodbye to one of Wycombe's greatest-ever players

Spells at Boston United, Leyton Orient, Rushen & Diamonds, and Doncaster Rovers followed before he finally got the first campaign under his belt where he scored more than 10 goals.

The 2004/05 season saw Akinfenwa move to Torquay where he bagged 16 strikes in 41 matches.

This earnt him a move to Swansea City 12 months later, where he would spend the next two years.

What followed as a forgettable spell of six months with Millwall in the 2007/08 season led him to move again, spending two-and-half-years goalscoring years with Northampton.

One season at Gillingham followed before he moved back to Northampton for a further two years before he then again re-joined the Gills for the 2013/14 season.

Two years with AFC Wimbledon followed and we all know where he moved to next.

So, what will Akinfenwa do when he hangs up his boots for the final time on May 21?

He told BBC Radio 5 Live again: "I'd love to do a Beast shoulder charge - I'm a massive WWE fan and so are my kids, so when they came over to the UK I reached out and we had some conversations, and we're just going to see what happens," he said.

READ MORE: Memories to last a lifetime: Your photos with Adebayo Akinfenwa over the last six seasons

"I've been a professional for 22 years and so I don't want another specific profession. I want to try my hand at a lot of things.

"There's wrestling, there's mentoring, presenting, but I'll stay in the media because football has been a massive aspect of my life.

"For me, I'm not saying the world is my oyster but I'm going to try as many different things as possible, and what I land with is what I land with."

In 22-years, Adebayo Akinfenwa has scored in cup finals, earnt promotions, became a brilliant media personality, fan favourite, pundit, and businessman.

He has scored against his boyhood team, has enjoyed a career that many can dream about, and has given us memories for a lifetime.

Thank you for everything Bayo.

You’ll be missed.

#BMO.