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WYCOMBE WANDERERS are a small, but very friendly club who have had some big-name managers over the years such as Martin O'Neill, John Gregory and Tony Adams and a former non-league side, they are now an established League club... 

The Club and The Ground

A club local to Luton Town, Wycombe Wanderers have progressed considerably over the past few years and are now an established League club, have come up from the non-league pyramid - in fact, there progress was summed up when they reached the FA Cup semi-final in 2000-01.

The Causeway Stadium, formerly Adams Park, is a neat and tidy little ground.  On one side of the ground is the impressive looking Woodlands Stand, which was opened in 1996. It is a large two-tiered stand, complete with a row of executive boxes and it dwarfs the rest of the stadium. The other three stands are smaller affairs, but at least are all covered. Only the Greene King Stand at the home end remains as terracing. Opposite is the Roger Vere Stand, housing away supporters, a medium sized single-tiered stand, with windshields to either side. Along the other side of the ground is the Main Stand. This single-tiered stand has a raised seating area, meaning that fans access it by climbing a small set of stairs in front of it. 

The ground is also currently shared with Wasps Rugby Club.

Hatters fans are mostly located at one end of the ground in the Roger Vere Stand, where just over 2,000 supporters can be accommodated. The club has a relaxed friendly feel about it. The ground is situated in a nice setting with a wooded hill over looking the ground (this normally has a small contingent of supporters watching the game for nothing) and with green fields surrounding the other sides. The standard football ground fayre of burgers (£2.30), pies (£2), pasties and hot dogs are available from the refreshments area.

Ground Guide courtesy of the excellent Internet Football Ground Guide.

History - Wycombe Wanderers Football Club

WYCOMBE Wanderers Football Club was founded in 1884 by a group of young furniture trade workers, attaining senior status ten years later and moving to Loakes Park in 1895. The Southern League Division Two was entered in 1896 and the first trophy won in 1902, the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup, which they have now won a record 23 times. As an amateur club amongst professionals, they had little success in the Southern League and joined the Great Western Suburban League in 1908.

In the two seasons after the First World War the club were champions of the Spartan League before joining the Isthmian league in 1921. The captain of the side at this time was Frank Adams, who, as holder of the deeds, presented Loakes park to the club as a gift in 1947.

One of the highlights of the club's history came in 1930-31 when the FA Amateur Cup was won against Hayes at Highbury in front of 32,000. Success in the Isthmian League eluded the club until 1955-56 when the first of eight championships was won. The following season saw another Amateur Cup Final appearance, losing to the famous Bishop Auckland at Wembley in front of 90,000.

Former Ground: Loakes Park.

The arrival of Brian Lee as manager in 1969 ended a lean spell. During his seven-year reign, four Isthmian League championships were won and the runners-up spot achieved twice. For the first time League clubs were beaten in the FA Cup, Newport County in 1973-74 and Bournemouth the following season, which set up a confrontation with Jack Charlton's Middlesborough. A capacity 12,000 crowd at Loakes Park and a television audience saw the then joint leaders of the First Division hang on for a 0-0 draw, before Boro' finally won with a last minute goal in the replay.

The 1984-85 season saw another landmark when the managerial team of Paul Bence and Alan Gane steered the club into Gola League. The club only survived one season in the non-league top flight but returned immediately in 1987, winning the Isthmian League in style under Alan Gane, with 101 points, 103 goals scored and 32 victories. The Conference proved a difficult baptism into management for former player Peter Suddaby, who took over from Alan Gane, and his resignation in January 1988 saw the arrival of Jim Kelman. He steered the team to safety and took them to fourth place the following season but in 1989-90, after a poor start and early exits from the cups, he left the club.

Martin O'Neill arrived in February 1990, heralding the most successful period in the club's history. He quickly pulled the team to mid-table safety and won his first trophy after just two months, the County Cup. The end of the season was tinged with sadness when Loakes Park, home for 95 years with a famous 11-foot slope, was vacated for a new ground two and a half miles out of town.

Martin O'Neill.

On the pitch, success continued, with 5^th place achieved in the Conference and a memorable FA Trophy Final win against Kidderminster Harriers in front of a record 34,000 crowd at Wembley. Season 1991-92 proved equally exciting, matching eventual champions Colchester United until the final Saturday when the title was lost on goal difference - this in spite of 94 points and 30 victories, both Conference records. However, success came in the Bob Lord Trophy (League Cup), which was won for the first time.

The club started 1992-93 as favourites for the League title, and duly won by a record 15 points, a Conference record, becoming the first team from Buckinghamshire to be elected to the Football League. The FA Cup Second Round was reached, losing by the only goal at West Bromwich Albion in a replay. The FA Trophy was won again, 4-1 against Runcorn, 28,000 Wycombe supporters making the trip to Wembley, and the club became the third non-league side to achieve the 'double'.

Wycombe began their Division Three campaign with their longest possible journey, to Carlisle United, where Steve Guppy became the first Wanderer to score in the Football League. 1500 supporters made the 590 mile round trip to see the exciting 2-2 draw. In November, top scorer Keith Scott joined Swindon Town for £375,000, a record for Wycombe. A top five position was maintained in the League, which included a nine-match unbeaten run away from home, and in January the club reached 2^nd position, their highest placing of the season.

Wycombe Wanderers earn promotion.

An automatic promotion spot was held until the last week of April, when a 2-1 defeat at Crewe Alexandra saw the Cheshire club leap-frog ahead. A final position of 4^th meant the play-offs and, after Carlisle United were beaten over two legs, the final at Wembley against Preston North End attracted a record crowd of 40,000. Trailing 2-1 at half-time, Wycombe produced their best form since beating Coventry City in the Second Round of the Coca-Cola Cup, to run out 4-2 winners after 90 minutes with Steve Thompson, Dave Carroll (2) and Simon Garner scoring the goals.

Manager Martin O’Neill turned down approaches from Leicester City and Nottingham Forest while at Adams Park, which showed both his commitment to the club and the quality of facilities at the stadium. By the end of the 1994-95 season, Wycombe Wanderers completed a notable double over local rivals Oxford United and, in doing so, reached the highest ever position in the Football League by finishing 6^th in Division II with a record 78 points. Unfortunately, this meant that they missed the play-offs by one position as this was the changeover season when the Premier League shed two clubs. Had it been any other season, the Blues would have qualified for the play-offs.

Martin O’Neill was approached by Norwich City Chairman Robert Chase and left the club after more than 5 years, having won more than 50% of matches in all competitions. This was felt by many to be the end of a fantastic crusade, it certainly turned out to be a watershed for the Chairboys. Alan Smith, the ex-Crystal Palace Manager, was appointed for two years at the start of the 1995-96 season, along with David Kemp as his Assistant Manager.

The Club experienced a dreadful start to the 1996-97 season, obtaining only 4 points out of a possible 27. Following a 3-6 thrashing by Peterborough United at London Road (after being 3-1 up!), Chairman Ivor Beeks asked Alan Smith and David Kemp to resign. Neil Smillie, the Youth Team Manager, became Caretaker Manager for 5 matches, before the Board of Directors appointed John Gregory from Aston Villa as Manager and Richard Hill from Reading as his assistant in October 1996.

After helping the club avoid relegation in 1996-97, John Gregory left to re-join Aston Villa in February 1998 and, once again, Smillie took over as Caretaker Manager until the end of the 1997-98 season. He was then given the job on a permanent basis at the start of the 1998-99 season. The Blues started 1999 without a win in six games and, following the match at Luton on Saturday 9 January, Smillie was relieved of his duties and a new manager was sought.

The Club then went through the longest period in its history without a manager, almost a month before former Wimbledon midfielder Lawrie Sanchez was appointed. He walked into Adams Park just hours before the Club was due to play its biggest game of the season, at home to Fulham on Saturday 6 February 1999.

With 18 games remaining, it looked a tough job for a man in his first Football League managerial appointment but the team won their first away game of the season at Bristol Rovers at the end of March. It was the beginning of a surge in confidence that carried right to the last game of the season at Lincoln City. Roared on by a 2,500 strong support at Sincil Bank, transported to the ground in 30 coaches paid for by the club, the Wanderers won 1-0 with a goal by Paul Emblen 7 minutes from time to assure Second Division survival.

Wycombe v Liverpool.

Season 2000-01 turned out to be a football odyssey. Wycombe Wanderers reached the Semi-Final of the FA Cup in tremendous fashion, beating Millwall, Grimsby Town, Wolves, Wimbledon and Premiership Leicester City in the process. The mighty Liverpool would be the opponents at Villa Park but, in a tremendous tussle, Wanderers narrowly lost 2-1. The League form had been affected by the cup run and Wanderers had a minor scare as games in hand were lost. Eventually the Blues reached safety to finish 13^th in the table on 59 points, one place below the previous season and two points the difference.

The following two seasons seemed like an anti-climax after the exhilaration of that FA Cup run and 2002-03, in particular, saw a disappointing finish of 18^th place, the Blues having collected just three points from a possible last 46 of the season. So ended the Adams Park Era.

In 2003, manager Lawrie Sanchez was sacked and was replaced as manager by former Arsenal and England legend Tony Adams, and there were high hopes that he could bring success back to the club.

Luton Town v Wycombe Wanderers...

A full rundown of all of the past meetings

Home Matches   Apr 8 1997 ND2 D 0 0 8117   Mar 7 1998 ND2 D 0 0 6114   Jan 9 1999 ND2 W 3 1 5063   Oct 19 1999 ND2 D 1 1 5820   Jan 12 2001 ND2 L 1 2 4551 Report Jan 25 2002 ND2 W 1 0 7351 Report Oct 11 2003 ND2 W 3 1 5695 Report Statto's Corner

Away Matches   Sep 7 1996 ND2 W 1 0 6471   Nov 1 1997 ND2 D 2 2 6219   Aug 8 1998 ND2 W 1 0 5252   Apr 29 2000 ND2 W 1 0 5379   Aug 28 2000 ND2 D 1 1 6001 Report Dec 28 2002 ND2 W 2 1 7740 Report Statto's Corner

• Stats taken from Lutonfc.com's 'Statto's Corner'

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