Former Black Stars player Albert Adomah has declared he has no plans to retire from professional football, insisting he will continue playing until his body forces him to stop.
The 38-year-old Ghanaian winger, currently playing for League Two side Walsall, made the defiant statement after becoming the first player in EFL history to make 100 appearances for six different clubs, a landmark that has cemented his place in English football’s record books.
“I want to play till I can’t walk. I want to stop playing football on my own terms. When I can’t manoeuvre properly on the pitch, then I will know it’s time for me to stop playing. However, I believe I can still carry on.”
Albert Adomah
Adomah’s career has taken him from non-league football with Harrow Borough through the English pyramid to the Premier League, with stops at Bristol City, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, QPR and Cardiff City along the way.
His record of 100 or more appearances at six different EFL clubs is one that has never been achieved before in the competition’s history. “It’s an amazing milestone,” he said.
“Playing 100 games for six different clubs is incredible. It wasn’t even an honour I was aware of until I was notified. It’s a great achievement to have and to make the history books.”
Albert Adomah, Walsall winger
Promotions That Came at a Price
Adomah’s career has been defined not only by longevity but also by a recurring and painful pattern; helping clubs win promotion, only to be released before he could enjoy life in the division above.
He was a key figure in Middlesbrough’s 2016 promotion to the Premier League under Aitor Karanka, and again played a prominent role in Aston Villa’s play-off final victory at Wembley in 2019. On both occasions, he departed before the top-flight campaign began.
The winger reflected on what happened after helping Villa secure promotion back to the English top-flight.
“My second promotion was a different one because I was out of contract. They didn’t keep me on. You can look at it in a different way; maybe they thought I wasn’t good enough for the Premier League. That’s football, and I had to move on. Doing well for a team doesn’t mean you’ll be there forever.”
Albert Adomah
He is equally philosophical about the broader reality of life as a professional footballer. “You do all the hard work to get to the Premier League and sometimes they don’t want you there.” “It’s a business at the end of the day. If they believe they can get better players than you, that’s what they will do,” said Adomah.
Split Loyalties in the Europa League
Adomah’s connection to English football’s current European story adds another layer to his remarkable career. Two of his former clubs, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, are set to face each other in the Europa League semi-finals, a draw that has left the veteran winger with divided allegiances.
He praised Villa’s rise under manager Unai Emery. “Aston Villa are doing amazing. Emery has been doing extremely well with them since he took charge and the club has excelled since they got promoted from the Championship and hopefully that may continue.”
On Forest, who face a simultaneous battle against Premier League relegation, Adomah believes the semi-final context changes everything. “You’re not going to be thinking about survival mode. You’re thinking you’ve got an opportunity to win a trophy,” he said.
When pressed for a winner, he did not shy away from showing his admiration for the Villa Park outfit. “I’ve played for both clubs, so I don’t know who I want to win but I prefer Aston Villa to win, if I’m honest.“
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