The Opponent: Wycombe Wanderers
Meh, I only ever wanted to do well in the JPT this year anyway. I have witnessed every comment over the last few days, embarrassing, shocking and pathetic to name but a few. But, my favourite has to be a comment over on planet cuckoo land (This Is), from a Harley Red, saying “Simple, bring back Di Canio”. If Harley Red is a member of this fine forum then please make themselves known to the nearest steward. Personally, I never made the journey at the weekend, I am glad I didn’t as the journey home after the match would have been sombre and made the £500 for a BK Whopper at the services even more painful to swallow than normal. But we move on.
Wycombe Wanderers are serious contenders for yoyo team of the decade. Over the last 5 seasons they have either been promoted or relegated on 4 occasions and once again find themselves plying their trade down in league 2. To be fair to Wycombe, they have come a long way in a fairly short space of time, in 1987 they were champions of The Isthmian League, having pipped none other than Championship newbie’s, Yeovil Town and some of their past managers include Martin O’Neil, Paul Lambert, John Gregory, Peter Taylor and John Gorman! One story I found interesting was that of The Lucky Wycombe Comanche, who was the lucky mascot for Wycombe Wanderers for a number of years in the early 2000s. On the final game of the 1999-2000 season the team faced a tricky game away at Lincoln City. Earlier in the season when Lawrie Sanchez took over after the departure Neil Smilie, the team has been destined to be relegated. However, back to back wins against Manchester City and Wigan Athletic meant a win at Lincoln would ensure an unlikely survival in Division 2. On the way to the ground the team coach passed a second hand shop and in the window was a 5 ft wooden statue of a Red Indian. The team decided that if they won the game and survived relegation they would go back and purchase the figure. Thanks to an 83rd minute winner from Paul Emblen, and roared on by 3000 travelling fans (using 50 coaches laid on by the club) the team won 1-0 and stayed up. During that summer Terry Gibson, Sanchez’s assistant was entrusted with locating the figure and bringing him to the club. On the first day of training for the new season Gibson arrived at the training ground with the statue to howls of laughter. The figure appeared in the centre of the squad photo that year, a story which made the back page of a nation tabloid newspaper. He was given the number 31 squad number that year. Before matches the Comanche was placed on the centre circle for luck. The seasons that followed, with the Comanche as a lucky mascot, were some of the most successful in the club's history-the team reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup after beating Leicester City and Wimbledon FC on the route to a famous show down against Liverpool at Villa Park. The team went down 2-1 thanks to goals from Robbie Fowler and Emile Heskey.
Where the opposition gather – http://gasroom.co.uk/Last 6 – WWWLDD (Currently 12th on League 2 on 21 points)
They have served us both – Fola Onibuje (is there anyone in Leagues 1 and 2 this guy hasn’t tried out for), Tommy Mooney, John Gorman, Ty Godden, Charlie Comyn-Platt, Iffy Onoura, Mark Cooper, Terry Gibson, David Kerslake, Alan Mayes, Jo Kuffour, Keith Scott, Frank Talia.
The Odds – Swindon 4/7 Draw 3/1 Wycombe 9/2. Why does it feel like I should have a tenner on Wycombe just in case, although I won’t. With an ever growing list of injuries its anyone’s guess as to which team Cooper will put out tonight. I fancy Ajose to get a chance and the lad knows where the back of the net is, currently 5/1 with Ladbrokes.
The Son Says – We are still undecided on going to this one, the prices are encouraging enough to be fair to the club, but in the meantime it seems 3-0 Town is the guess.
The Prediction – Can we possibly go out of 2 cups in the space of 4 days? Of course we can, but tonight will see Wycombe feel the full force of the wounded beast of a passing machine that is Swindon Town. 5-1 Town, Ajose (3), N’Guessan and a late Pritchard thunderbolt from 38 yards will safely deposit us 1 step nearer to Wembley. 4’967 in attendance with 244 from Buckinghamshire.
And Finally – Sir Francis Dashwood’s notorious Hellfire Club met for its orgies and dubious rites at Medmenham Abbey near Wycombe, Dashwood installed suitable statuary in the grounds, their subjects including Venus and Priapus, and had caves excavated to hide his group’s activities from public gaze. In 1762 Sir Francis, famous for his drinking, pranks and womanising, was made Chancellor of the Exchequer where his tax on cider led to riots. Osborne take note.
