Who Are Ya? - Wycombe Wanderers - Vital Lincoln City

Thank you to Wycombe Wanderers supporter Hugh for answering these questions!

Hello again, everyone. I did this Q and A for the first game of the season and seem to be the least immodest again.

Since the questions are largely the same as before, I thought it might be appropriate to present my original answers from August and annotate them as appropriate. Dig up the time capsule, as it were:

How Long Have You Supported Wycombe Wanderers?

As a regular supporter, this will be my third full season, though watched them periodically for many years.

This year, have missed but two home games and been to about fifteen away games too, by far the most I’ve ever done. It’s been a fun journey.

Last Season’s League Finish?

Position or performance? 9th – one point off the playoffs, with a chance on the last day (a 1-0 win against Cambridge was not enough). We played well at the tail end of the season, after having a terrible start and a tailspin after the loss to Spurs in the FA Cup.

Well this hasn’t changed at all…

What Do You Think Of Your Manager?

Personally, I like him. He offers a no more than average, by modern standards, level of bs in his public utterances, seems a good and straightforward bloke and engenders a good team spirit. The team has no prima donnas, with the occasional exception of Paris Cowan-Hall.

…and nor has this. More on the manager later. Oddly, Paris has had a pretty excellent season overall, in common with most of the squad, but has in the past two weeks apparently had some kind of falling out. Hopefully, it will pass but it seems I was right to identify him as the only one liable to lean over the edge of what seems to be a genuinely very happy ship.

Hopes/Expectations This Season?

The same as most fans in this league, I suspect. Hope for promotion, expect to be somewhere near the bottom of the playoffs, probably just below them again. 10th to 12th would not be a surprise.

We’ve certainly exceeded my hopes and expectations so far! It’s hard to overstate how great this season has been. We’ve played some delightfully fluent football at times (though we’re currently back in full-on get-it-up-to-Bayo mode again as things get edgy) and had any number of memorable matches and moments. Why have we exceeded expectations? Some of the new signings have worked out very well and we added more after we played you. Craig Mackail-Smith was a quality addition giving us tremendous depth up front that has paid great dividends. It seems a lifetime ago now – he left in January – but the four months of Eberechi Eze on loan from QPR provided a seasons-worth of memorable moments.

One(s) To Watch?

Bayo Akinfenwa just dominates defences on his best days. A lot depends on whether referees penalise defenders for pulling his shirt off and digging man traps to stop him, which is generally the only way they can compete with his remarkable strength. Scott Kashket, though unlikely to play on Saturday through injury, is a nippy little goal machine who complements him very well. Luke O’Nien in midfield has real character and, though he puts himself about, makes good forward runs and has a better touch than you might think when you first see him. He’s my favourite player for his spirit. Scott Saunders is our best footballer. When the team is ticking, he can run the game brilliantly from the middle of the pitch.

Kashket has only come back in the last three or four weeks and played a no more than peripheral part. Bayo, on the other hand, has been as immense as last year, matching his goal total and being an obviously positive influence on every aspect of the team. O’Nien got injured on Saturday and may well not be back tonight. Saunders (Sam, not Scott as I wrote previously) has been good when he’s played but has been injured for long periods, in common with many other members of the squad.

Top Seven Predictions?

Honestly, no idea. Luton will be up there. Sounds like Mansfield have a ton of cash and I believe you’re not short of a bob either. The unpromoted teams that were in the League last year had no outstanding side apart, perhaps, from Luton.

Well I was closer here than in the next section…

Bottom Two Predictions?

Again, don’t know. Accrington are skint. Crawley get by on small crowds too. Morecambe could well be in the mix.

Had no idea the demoted sides, Coventry apart, would be so weak. I maintain the Accrington theory was sound in principle!

Thoughts on Lincoln City?

Always wanted to go there – something about the name of the place is appealing. Visited Gainsborough once, to see the graves of my dead grandparents. Didn’t light up my life especially. No thoughts about your club, I’m afraid. Interested to see how your team adapts to this league.

We’re going to have to both go up or stay down for me to find out how I like the place in reality – the midweek date is a bridge too far, I’m afraid. I thought you guys looked solid in our first game and it seems you are. Really pleased for your cup success and hoping your team are too, at least subconsciously, tomorrow night.

Score Prediction?

Would be surprised if we clicked into gear straight away on Saturday. Depends whether Bayo is fully fit – unlikely since he’s been in the States for most of the summer – and what your defence is like. 1-1 seems a probable outcome.

For this one, the general mood is less optimistic than you might think. We’re down to one fit centre-back and have recalled the sixth choice – De Havilland – from loan to have another body available tomorrow. I think if you offered a point, we’d take it, right now. I’ve given up making predictions – it’s been that kind of season.

Random Fact About Your Club?

The ground used to be in the centre of town, where the hospital car park now stands. The new ground has one of the least prepossessing approaches, through an industrial estate, but is surprisingly appealing when you get there. Look out for the red kites that will likely be flying around the surrounding fields and woodland on Saturday.

Hope you enjoyed the trip in August. You guys made a good noise.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Wycombe Wanderers Supporter?

The Spurs game last season was the greatest sporting event I’ve ever experienced, and I’ve been around a bit, not least because of the pride one had in the performance of the team. I’m not sure there’s much room for embarrassment in League Two – I mean, you kind of get what you pay for, right? There have been plenty of mediocre, that was two hours I could have spent differently, matches.

Plenty of great games but no change here.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

Very much so. The club has been owned by a supporters’ trust since 2012. The trust owns the ground and appoints the members of the managing board of the club. The trust committee gives their time voluntarily and has done a notable job of stabilising the club since the previous club owner and chairman left. We have no money but are gradually doing a good job of reducing debt levels. Being a self-sustaining, fan-owned club is the source of some pride among many supporters.

Still a strong point of the club. If we go up, are we going to have enough money to get the players we’ll need to raise the standard? Probably not, so there will need to be more smoke and mirrors.

Which was your favourite match involving Wycombe Wanderers?

The Spurs game, by a mile, even though it still hurts on the inside when one replays the events of it.

Which was your least favourite match involving Wycombe Wanderers?

Away at Portsmouth early last season. A considerable contingent of our “fans” seemed more intent on goading the opposition fans than in enjoying the game and supporting the team. This is an uncommon event at our club, which has a (deserved) reputation for being a good and friendly place to visit. It put me off going to away games for a bit though, when I resumed later in the season, the same experience did not recur at all.

Why is your nickname “The Chairboys”?

Wycombe used to be a town where a lot of chairs were made. The Wycombe museum – a three-minute walk up the hill from the station – is of some interest and covers that element of the town’s past.

Is it fair to say Sir Gareth has overachieved at Wycombe over the last 2 or 3 years? Despite that, I’ve read a few times that sections of Wycombe fans aren’t keen on the style of play.

The popular narrative is that we are a club of limited resources who have punched somewhat above our weight for the past few years. I think this is a fair assessment. Our style of play is often not attractive, in common with most clubs in the league. At our worst, the midfield needs to be substituted late in the game for cricked necks and broken spirits. At our best, we are capable of mixing up our style, with the direct approach via Bayo combining with some neat interplay. You will not confuse us with Barcelona when you see us on Saturday except, possibly, in the amount of time it takes us to take a free kick or throw-in if we are ahead in the second half.

See below for more on Ainsworth.

What do you think of Dayle Southwell?

Yet to get a proper chance to play as the front man, since Bayo was nearly ever-present last year, hence why he came on loan to you. I’m not quite clear at the moment what he’s bringing to the party, apart from a willing spirit. Hoping for a pleasant surprise as the season goes on. What do you think?

When the Imps won at Adams Park in 1993/94 it was only the second ever home league defeat for Wycombe. Imps reject Keith Scott missed the penalty that could’ve rescued a point for Wycombe blaming taunts from the travelling Lincoln fans. If you get a penalty on Saturday would it be possible for Dayle Southwell to take it?

He’s unlikely to be playing but I’ll ask if you promise to be nice.

Southwell went to Guiseley in January with everyone’s best wishes and without either a concerted chance to prove himself or having given any significant sign that he warranted such an opportunity ahead of the other options. He seemed an honest and skilful player who perhaps didn’t quite have any particularly notable string to his bow. A couple of websites suggest he’s scored four in fourteen for Guiseley who seem destined to drop out of the Conference.

How much of a financial problem has it been with Wasps leaving for the Ricoh?

You will find a number of supporters who were glad to see the back of them. The previous chairman controlled both clubs and there was a widespread perception that the football club was neglected for the sake of the rugby. I honestly don’t know what the financial implications have been but, judging from the fact that they were able to leave midseason, I infer that we weren’t getting a huge amount of money from them. The pitch is rather better now.

The game at Coventry gave a pretty good idea of how much better our pitch is now there’s no rugby on it!

Will your defence be as strong as last season? Blackman and Pierre, two talented members of the back five left in the summer. The third, Stewart, hasn’t played any pre-season: will he be fit for Saturday? Also, it’s L2 – set plays and aerial threat – any concerns about a general lack of height in your squad?

In a word, no. Blackman, though he made a decent number of mistakes, especially in the first half of the season, was brilliant. Scott Brown, the current keeper, is, however, a more than respectable League Two stopper. Pierre was immense – excellent in the air, read the game pretty well and had excellent pace. We will unquestionably miss him. Not sure if Stewart will make it for Saturday. We signed a veteran called El Abd who seems the strong, leader type. But, while strongly built, he’s only about 4′ tall, so if Stewart (who is very good in the air) is out, we may be playing a little deeper than we would normally like. Jombati, the likely CB if Stewart is out, is, however, a really good player. Both full backs are better than competent and get forward well.

I was definitely right about this one, helped by a spectacularly high injury rate among defenders. From being the strength of the team, the defence became its Achilles heel this season, though things have been much more secure the last couple of months.

Right back Harriman broke his leg early in the season and is only just back. Stewart played sporadically (and brilliantly) in the first half of the season before injuring his calf at Christmas since when he’s not played. El Abd took a fair while to bed in and was compared unfavourably to his predecessor Pierre by many. He has, however, been fantastic for the past couple of months and is now a crowd favourite. Jombati, another to be injured quite often, has filled in extremely capable at centre back recently after doing the same much less successful at the start of the season. He’s injured again. We have a young lad called Mcginley on loan from Middlesborough who has performed bravely a number of times. It looked like he picked up an injury on Saturday. Fellow loanee Scarr, from Birmingham, has been out for a while. Left-back Jacobson, despite a patchy spell midseason when his normally excellent delivery fell apart somewhat, has been an ever-present rock and remains a clever defender with an impeccable ability to time a tackle despite lacking a yard of pace.

Have things gone stale at Adams Park under Gareth Ainsworth for 5 years and is it time for another Manager to have a go?

Be careful what you wish for. I think the stability we have here at the moment is worth a great deal and Ainsworth has played a big part in bringing that about. As I wrote earlier, he engenders a good team spirit and is a modest, undemonstrative type. With a limited budget, he has made largely solid signings and seems to have a good relationship with a number of higher-up clubs such as Brentford, QPR and Southampton that has led to some good loanees (such as Blackman last year) coming our way. We’d all like more champagne football and there are times when one would like to see a bit more spark or originality in the play, but I’m happy he’s here.

Update: emphatically no. He has made brilliant signings this season, both loan and permanent. While perhaps no tactical genius, he has moulded a squad that plays to at least the sum of its parts. And he remains an apparently decent and fair-minded man.

Finally, a new question:

Gareth Ainsworth, from the outside looking in, seemed to split the fan base at times over his tenure, which seemed to be down to the style of play. Is that why you seem to be a more attacking side this season?

I don’t think so. Fans remain as fickle as ever. Currently, he’s everyone’s favourite because we’re winning. It doesn’t take much to go wrong for voices to start questioning him – as for example after the heavy FA Cup defeat to Preston in January. I suspect that’s the same in most parts of the footballing world. Rightly or wrongly (wrongly), it seems you’re only as good as the last few games in some people’s eyes.

That we’ve scored a ton of goals this season is probably down to having better-attacking players available rather than a radical change in style. You still won’t confuse us with Barcelona tomorrow night though we might blind you with the brilliance of our away kit and if the ball goes out for a goal kick with less than two minutes of the game left and us ahead, you can forget about having any chance of Browny taking the kick in time for you to get it back. He seems a particularly nice man does our ‘keeper, but his timewasting shows a flamboyance entirely out of keeping with the rest of his character.