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Gillingham boss Steve Evans has revealed the ‘incredible’ sacrifice made by striker John Akinde.
Negotiations with the striker came good in the end for the Gills, landing the experienced front-man for an undisclosed fee last week.
Akinde could have moved elsewhere for more money – League 2 Salford City were rumoured to be offering a pay increase on his deal at Lincoln – but Evans has lifted the lid on just how much the big man wanted the move back to Kent.
Gillingham boss Evans said: “He took close to a 50% pay decrease, which is incredible.
“I spoke to him (during negotiations) more than I spoke to anybody. I probably speak to Paul Raynor more than my wife but I was speaking to John Akinde more than Paul Raynor!
“There was a lot of work and our chairman was fantastic in the end, not by adding numbers to the original deal that was proposed, that was always the deal and credit to Lincoln. But the person who deserves more credit than him is John Akinde.
“He is the one who wanted to move back to Kent, his words to me was that he always thought that if I came here at some stage he would like to be here and he is now.
“He could have joined two or three clubs for more. I think it is incredible but John is a man who has looked after his money from the day he left Ebbsfleet for Bristol City.
“He is not money-orientated, they are a tight little family, they live a simple life. Everything is about family and when I showed an interest even his family wanted him to come here. The location suited, the club suited, the level suited, there were a lot of ticks in the box for him.
“John is one of those lads that has to feel comfortable that he can play, that you will be straight with him, that it is the right fit for him and his family. The chats we had with him it was always about his family and coming back to Kent, and that is admirable.”
Akinde started for the Gills just a day after signing, at Rochdale last Saturday, and played at Priestfield on Wednesday against Shrewsbury.
Evans had tried to get Akinde in the summer but Danny Cowley was in charge of the Imps back then and he was reluctant to let the striker go.
Current boss Michael Appleton is going his own way and that left the door open for the Gills, and a few others to make their move. It’s understood the striker moved to Priestfield for a six-figure fee.
