The seventh team to visit Brunton park this season will be Wycombe Wanderers.
We take at look at them here.
Nicknames: The Chairboys, The Blues
Club Colours: Sky Blue & Navy
Who are they?
Founded in 1887, Wycombe Wanderers began life by playing a series of friendlies and enjoyed amateur status until 1984 when they first entered the Conference.
The turning point for the Chairboys came in 1990 when they appointed Martin O’Neill as manager. In the same year, they moved to Adams Park and went on to lift the FA Trophy in 1991.
Promotion to the Football League was achieved in 1993 alongside another FA Trophy triumph, seeing them become only the third team ever to complete the non-league double. Their first season in the Football League saw them win promotion courtesy of the Third Division play-offs.
The resultant years have seen the Blues bounce between League One and League Two, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation to the Conference thanks to a superior goal difference in 2013/14. The years since have seen the side push for the play-offs, even reaching the final in 2015.
Did You Know?
+ Wycombe were awarded the FA Cup Giant Killers Award in 2000/01 after a cup run which saw them beat higher level opposition in Grimsby, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wimbledon and Leicester before pushing Liverpool all the way in the semi-final.
+ The club’s nickname, the Chairboys, comes from Wycombe’s tradition as being a town of furniture makers.
+ American TV pranksters the Impractical Jokers filmed part of an episode, entitled ‘British Invasion’ at the Chairboys’ home ground of Adams Park.
+ The club’s ‘lucky mascot’ is the Wycombe Comanche - a 5ft wooden statue of a Native American which was gifted to the club early in the 21st century and is said to have aided their escape from relegation.
How did they get on last season?
The Chairboys enjoyed another strong campaign after a respectable mid-table finish in 2015/16. Wycombe ended last season in 9th place, missing out on the play-off places by a single point having been in contention for the top seven throughout the season.
Who’s in charge?
Gareth Ainsworth is the man in the hotseat at Adams Park after the midfielder ended his playing career at the club. He boasts spells at Preston, Wimbledon and QPR during his time as a professional, and made over 110 appearances for the Chairboys.
He was first handed the manager’s job in 2012 on a caretaker basis before taking over the reigns permanently. Ainsworth keep his side in League Two thanks to a late survival bid in 2013/14 and then led Wycombe to the play-off final the following year.
How has their summer transfer business looked?
It’s been a quiet summer for the Chairboys with no new additions yet. They did, however, release experienced duo Garry Thompson and Sam Wood. Defender Aaron Pierre has been offered a new contract with the club also in talks with midfielder Marcus Bean over extending his stay.
They’ve Played For Both
Whitehaven-born midfielder Stuart Green has played in both shades of blue, having represented the Chairboys during the latter stages of his career. Green spent two spells on loan at Brunton Park, making 26 appearances and netting five times. His final Football League club were Wycombe, whom he joined in 2009 on a two-year deal. He made only 15 appearances during his spell at Adams Park.
More recently, winger Angelo Balanta joined United having spent time on loan at Wycombe. The ex-QPR man played 11 times for the Chairboys and scored three, before joining United for the 2015/16 season.
Memorable Meeting - Carlisle 4-2 Wycombe (26 November 1995)
A fine performance saw a recently-promoted United side claim victory over a Wycombe side who had beaten them in the play-offs two years previously. Dean Walling, Warren Aspinall, David Reeves and Tony Gallimore found the net for the Cumbrians, with David Farrell and Dave Carroll scoring for the visitors.
When Did We Last Meet?
United came from behind to beat the Chairboys 2-1 in February and keep the dream of promotion alive. Adebayo Akinfenwa handed Wycombe the lead after only two minutes, but Jamie Proctor quickly levelled things up. Reggie Lambe then struck just after the half hour to secure three points on the road for United.
Highlights from our 1-0 home win last September are here:
Highlights from our 2-1 away win in February are here:
When Do We Meet Next?
Wycombe travel to Brunton Park on Tuesday 17 October, while we travel to Adams Park on 3 February.
