Some players are vilified when moving clubs, others maintain a cult hero status, and you need only check the replies across Albert Adomah’s socials to see what category he falls into.
“Uncle Albert” is loved by fans of his current club, League Two table-toppers Walsall, and by supporters across the country at Barnet, Bristol City, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers.
Given his career reads like your classic footballing journeyman – with brief spells at Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City to boot – that is no mean feat. Along the way, from League Two to the Premier League and back again, he has always known what it takes to win the fans over.
“I work my socks off,” he tells The i Paper. “Whatever club I’ve been at, I’ve represented the badge and that’s the key element for why the supporters have maybe taken to me.
“I’m 37, when I signed for Walsall I was 36 so there were questions, there were doubts, ‘Oh, look at this, why are we signing this old player? He’s past it.’ And then once I put my socks on, put my boots on, and I’m running, they’re thinking, ‘Woah, is he actually 36 or 18?’
“I’m still hungry and when I do play people see that I’m still applying myself. I’m still running around like a young boy, but obviously I know I’m old and experienced. I still try my best for the team and the main thing is the supporters can see it. Hard work just prevails.”
Adomah’s popularity is down in part to the fact he has gladly adopted the “Uncle” nickname, shortened even to “Uncs” by teammates and supporters alike.
On social media, where he is mistaken for a freestyler when regularly posting skills videos – “I have to tell some people I’m a professional football” – he goes by “Uncs37”, the number he has had on his back since the Villa days which since December has coincided with his age.
“Oh, I am the uncle,” he adds. “Well now I probably need another nickname, Grandad, but yes even when I was younger, I was quite mature for my age.”
Adomah even plays up to the nickname – born from the Only Fools and Horses character – by sometimes impersonating an old man with a walking stick when celebrating. It’s such simple acts that solidify cult hero status, but equally he is aware of his more serious role at Walsall, who top League Two by a point.
“The younger players do ask questions,” he says. “I’ve experienced promotion twice [with Middlesbrough and Villa], but you know I’ve had failures as well, losing two play-off finals and then bouncing back. You learn, you know? And obviously they’re all excited because of where we are in the league.
“It’s one in a million sometimes, because it’s 24 teams and only three can go up, so it’s not easy. Hopefully we can achieve the promotion, and for me it’ll be a hat-trick.”
Adomah is the all-time record appearance holder in the Championship (526 games), calling himself the “James Milner” of that division last year when reaching that milestone at QPR, the club he supported growing up.
He then moved down two leagues to Walsall, signing a one-year deal, and now he is looking to complete the EFL set, having played in every tier bar the one the Saddlers are aiming to reach next season.
It would be a remarkable achievement for Walsall, who have not tasted a promotion for 18 long years, and what was looking like a coast to the title has turned into a scrap to finish inside the top three automatic places.
From 12 points clear of second in January, they are now six ahead of fourth with eight games to go. The memories of winter’s 16-game unbeaten suddenly feel like ancient history given their current form, which reads two losses and four draws from their last six games.
“We’re just trying to maintain a gap,” Adomah says. “We’ve had a little bit of a blip where we’ve been drawing games, but the main thing is, we’re picking up points, we’re not losing. We’re having a dip but we’ve been excellent.
“Every team goes through that stage, but at the moment it’s just that last hurdle where maybe there’s a little bit of nerves and anxiety.
“It’s still in our hands and I believe that we can achieve that main thing, the P word, promotion. Whether it’s as champions is a different matter, but it’s still in our hands.
“We started off with zero points, and we’ve done so well. We’ve got 70 points, and we’re only one point ahead of Bradford. But they still have to win games. We still have to win games.”
Walsall host third-placed AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, a match which needs no further hype in terms of importance, and the versatile Adomah – who waxed lyrical about at least 10 teammates during our chat – is ready to play his part, wherever that may be.
“Originally I signed as a right wing-back… I can play as an eight. At the moment I’m a striker playing up front with Jamille Matt. We’re the two youngsters in the team with a combined age of 150!”
Matt, it’s worth noting, is 35, and he has been trying to pick up the slack after striker Nathan Lowe returned to parent club Stoke City in the January transfer window.
It was a blow to Walsall’s promotion prospects, but having accumulated so many points in the first half of the season they look capable of spectacularly stumbling over the line.
“We’ve worked hard for it, the table doesn’t lie, and we’re top for a reason. It’s been a long time for Walsall, but I believe we can achieve it,” he says.
“It’s very close. We’re aware of it. Every player, every supporter, the staff members, we’re all aware.”
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