By Dale Jenkins
Wycombe 1-0 Hayes - 11th April 1931
Middlesbrough 1-0 Wycombe - 7th January 1975
Wycombe 2-1 Kidderminster Harriers - 11th May 1991
Wycombe 4-2 Coventry City - 5th October 1993
Wycombe 4-2 Preston North End - 28th May 1994
Wimbledon 2-2 Wycombe (Wycombe win 8-7 on penalties) - 20th February 2001
Leicester 1-2 Wycombe - 10th March 2001
Liverpool 2-1 Wycombe - 8th April 2001
Charlton 0-1 Wycombe Wanderers FC - 19th December 2006
Wycombe 1-1 Chelsea - 10th January 2007
11th April 1931 - Wycombe 1-0 Hayes
This was Wanderers first appearance in a national final. The venue was Highbury, with Wycombe in superb recent form, scoring 22 goals against just 5 teams in their passage to the final. Hayes themselves had come through an amazing run, playing and winning all nine games through the qualifying games, with Hayes away from home in every tie.
A crowd of 32,489 crammed in to view the final, and Hayes, who were the favourites to lift the Amateur Cup, were marginally stronger in a poor first half. After just fifteen minutes, Sid Crump went off with an injury and Wycombe had to reshape.
After the interval, the game livened up and Wycombe began to get a grip of the game. Captain Braisher had a shot saved and Arthur Greenwell and Bill Brown also had close efforts. However, the deciding factor was ten minutes from the end, when Wycombe were awarded a penalty, after previously escaping an appeal for handball at the other end.
Bill Caesar, a player surprisingly named in the Hayes team, handballed and Bill Brown lined up the penalty. It was hit straight at the Hayes goalkeeper, yet Dick Britnell followed up with the rebound. After this, Wanderers held on comfortably to secure the Amateur Cup.
Wycombe Line Up: Kipping, Crump, Cox, Rance, Badrick, Greenwell, Simmons, Brown, Vernon, Braisher, Britnell.
7th January 1975 - Middlesbrough 1-0 Wycombe
This FA Cup third round replay was perhaps Wycombe's finest performance in their history, as they put in a brave and determined performance against Division One leaders Middlesbrough.
Middlesbrough were fortunate to earn a replay after being tested at Loakes Park in the first leg of the tie. John Maskell, in goal for Wanderers, played superbly as Wycombe thwarted Middlesbrough time and again. The keeper, adding to a string of other fine saves, kept out Graeme Souness' fine 20-yard volley.
As the crowd to get on Boro's backs, they wasted a host of other chances and time began to run out, with Wycombe's defence holding firm. Cruelly, a goal arrived right at the death, with Armstrong running onto a pass from Souness before slipping the ball past Maskell.
The bravery and determination Wycombe showed on this night at Ayresome Park was typified by the whole crowd chanting 'Wycombe, Wycombe' as the teams exited the field of play, as Middlesbrough applauded the Blues off the pitch.
Wycombe Line Up: Maskell, Bridseye, Hand, Mead, Phillips, Reardon, Perrin, Kennedy, Searle, Holifield, Horseman (Evans).
11th May 1991 - Wycombe 2-1 Kidderminster Harriers
Around 25,000 Wycombe supporters helped the attendance for this FA Trophy Final sum to 34,842, as Wanderers won for the first time at Wembley.
Dave Carroll caused early problems for the Harriers defence, before Keith Scott scored the opening goal in the 18th minute. Scott converted after Steve Guppy's long ball found Mark West, who crossed as the goalkeeper fumbled, leaving Scott with a tap in. Scott soon after had a snap shot well saved, before Blues goalie John Granville, who was playing with a broken thumb, forced a superb save from a Kidderminster forward.
After an hour, Kidderminster scored the equaliser as Hadley's shot squirmed in. It was back to square one for Wycombe, but this stung Wanderers back into action and they regained the lead soon after the setback as Scott returned the favour to West who headed home. Wycombe pushed forward in search of another but Harriers goalkeeper saved from Guppy and Carroll.
The final whistle sounded to jubilation as Wycombe's first Wembley victory was confirmed. The team travelled through the Town Centre in an open top bus parade where a huge crowd met them.
Wycombe Line Up: Granville, Crossley, Cash, Kerr, Creaser, Carroll, Ryan, Stapleton, West, Scott, Guppy (Hutchinson).
5th October 1993 - Wycombe 4-2 Coventry City
This was a Coca Cola Cup Second round game, where Wycombe trailed 3-0 from the first leg, and any hopes of further progression looked severely limited. However, a crowd of 5,933 had something beyond imagination to observe as Wanderers put in a stirring display.
This said, the first half was rather low key, which was what Coventry would have wanted after they held that three-goal first leg advantage. Despite this, Keith Ryan opened the scoring after 32 minutes with a low 25-yard strike. This was it for the first half, as it still seemed Coventry would comfortably head through.
The second half started with Dave Carroll shooting just wide and Paul Hyde making two good saves. Next, Keith Scott set the crowd mad as he doubled the advantage with a header, and Wycombe fans began to believe. Foreigner Ogrizovic had to be sharp to make another stop as Wycombe defied the odds. Terry Evans then bundled home after Ogrizovic lost the trail of the ball, taking the tie to extra time, the ground rocking.
Incredibly, two minutes into extra time, Jason Cousins earned Wycombe a lead for the first time in the tie as he sent a free kick crashing in. However unfortunately after this Coventry saved themselves from humiliation as they netted twice to deny Wycombe a famous victory. Phil Babb scored the decider as Coventry nicked a passage through.
Despite being defeated over the two legs, Wycombe had done themselves no harm by defeating a premiership club, a 4-2 victory in truth being a remarkable, marvellous success.
Wycombe Line Up: Hyde, Cousins, Crossley, Kerr, Evans, Ryan, Carroll, Hayrettin (Hutchinson), Hemmings (Horton), Scott, Guppy.
28th May 1994 - Wycombe 4-2 Preston North End
Both clubs were in a similar position leading up to this Play Off match, as Wycombe and Preston had both let automatic promotion slip in the final few games of the season. A crowd of 40,109 turned up to view the Division Three Play Off Final at Wembley.
The beginning of the game saw Wanderers off to a flying start. Steve Thompson twice went close, Steve Guppy missed another opportunity and Garner and Reid also had chances. Following this however was a set back as Preston took the lead against the run of play. Simon Garner equalised two minutes later with a superb goal, controlling a long ball from David Titterton expertly before firing home. Dave Carroll then ended a flowing move, sliding home to give The Blues a 2-1 advantage.
Carroll followed this by sealing victory with a stunning goal, striking past the goalkeeper after some great skill, passing many players en route to goal. Despite some late chances and a mini revival from Preston, they were only in bursts and Wycombe held out to a comfortable victory in the end.
Wycombe Line Up: Hyde, Cousins, Titterton, Crossley, Creaser, Ryan, Carroll, Thompson, Reid, Garner, Guppy.
Recent History
20th February 2001 - Wimbledon 2-2 Wycombe (Wycombe win 8-7 on penalties)
A cold night in Selhurst Park, London hosted what was probably the most dogged, determined and proud night the Blues had had in many years, staving off pressure and difficult situations to eventually clinch an FA Cup quarterfinal tie. The game itself started disappointingly for Wycombe as Gareth Ainsworth gave the Dons the lead, and it looked as though Wycombe may struggle from then on.
However, the 2,000 fans that had made a noisy and rapturous Wycombe contingent were rewarded for their continued support with an equaliser from long serving Dave Carroll, who stroked home after Andy Rammell's strike was stopped following a 30-yarder from Danny Bulman. Patrick Agyemang's header was the closest Wimbledon came to restoring a lead, but Taylor was generally untroubled. The game continued to twist and turn, and midway through the second half, Wanderers were down to ten men due to two bookings for Michael Simpson. Wycombe held on to what they had with great effort and rigid defending to take it to extra time.
Perhaps fans thought the only way Wycombe could win from here was the potluck of penalties, but two goals in extra time meant there was more than enough action to make a winner in those 30 minutes. Wayne Gray with the goal to make it 2-1 to the hosts, but in the closing minute, with Wycombe heading out, Sam Parkin created and Paul McCarthy finished to give the Blues fans new hope.
Penalties were about as nerve racking as it was going to get, with Brown, Bulman, Carroll, Vinnicombe, Townsend and Parkin scoring, and the score was 7-7 and into sudden death, when goalkeeper Martin Taylor slotted home, and when Hawkins placed his penalty over, Wycombe had won. This earned them a quarter final against Leicester, where the drama didn't stop.
Wycombe Line Up: Taylor, Vinnicombe, Cousins, McCarthy, Bates, Carroll (Townsend), Bulman, Simpson, Brown, Rammell (Baird [Parkin]), Ryan.
10th March 2001 - Leicester 1-2 Wycombe
With the national media looking on in numbers, Wanderers produced a massive shock to reach the FA Cup semi-final, dumping out Premiership side Leicester. Hero on the day was Roy Essandoh, who had applied to be included in Wanderers squad after Wycombe advertised for a striker on teletext. Manager Lawrie Sanchez said he gave Essandoh 'The benefit of the doubt'. And boy did it pay off as substitute Essandoh scored the winner into added time.
Previously in the game, ex Wycombe winger Steve Guppy had tested Blues keeper Martin Taylor as Wycombe cranked up the pressure, before taking a lead of his or her own. Paul McCarthy, sending the away end crazy, bundled fans favourite Steve Brown's ball across in. However, the joy was short-lived as Muzzy Izzet quickly converted a lofted equaliser, and Adi Akinbiyi tested the Blues goal again.
Wycombe continued to withstand waves of pressure from Leicester, and eventually it paid off in a huge way, with substitute Essandoh. Wycombe had started the game with defensive midfielder Keith Ryan in tandem up front alongside on loan George Clegg. But it was substitute Essandoh who converted Jamie Bates' ball across, sending the away fans into raptures. It earned Wycombe a semi final against Liverpool at Villa Park, the furthest the club had been in the competition.
Wycombe Line Up: Taylor, Vinnicombe (Lee), Townsend, Cousins, McCarthy, Bates, Simpson, Brown, Bulman, Ryan (Essandoh), Clegg (Castledine)
8th April 2001 - Liverpool 2-1 Wycombe
This was probably the club's proudest moment in history, even if their cup run ended here against an extremely talented Liverpool team. It was a big day out for thousands of Wycombe supporters following a dramatic cup run that included the scalps of Millwall, Wolves, Wimbledon and Leicester. A sea of blue entered the stadium, with little expectation but hope that another shock could be repeated.
And the Wycombe fans enjoyed the time that their team kept Liverpool at bay, all the way past half time, where Wanderers were cheered off by their fans, as the dream continued. Germans Christian Ziege and Markus Babbel had missed chances, until two goals more or less saw Liverpool through to a final against Arsenal, with substitute Emile Heskey and Robbie Fowler on the score sheet. However Wycombe kept slugging out a gritty performance and their fans were rewarded by a last minute strike from Keith Ryan. Despite the strike meaning little and only being a consolation, it gave another memory to add to the famous cup run Wanderers had enjoyed that season.
Wycombe Line Up: Taylor, Vinnicombe, Bates, McCarthy, Townsend (Carroll), Cousins, Bulman, Simpson, Brown (Whittingham), Ryan, Rammell (Essandoh).
19th December 2006 - Charlton 0-1 Wycombe Wanderers FC
League 2 team Wycombe Wanderers secured a passage into the semi finals of the Carling Cup after a fantastic performance away at Premiership team Charlton, whose recent woes continued under recent boss Les Reed, with Jermaine Easter's finish satisfying the need for a next round birth.
Wycombe went into the game confidently under the knowledge that Charlton had been struggling for results in the Premiership, and their fans got on their backs from very early on, relaxing Wanderers and it showed.
The Blues could have been three or four up by half time, as they dominated a weak and lightweight Charlton outfit. Anthony Grant covered every blade of grass and Easter had three close shots. Fellow striker Mooney used every inch of energy he had, and Wycombe held a comfortable clean sheet.
The only issue was that Wycombe were not converting their chances, and the only Charlton player to perform to a high standard was goalkeeper Scott Carson, who made a series of impressive saves to thwart Wanderers attempts, until Easter stole a march on a defender and converted into the corner past a helpless Carson.
The Charlton fans vented their anger, and their team went off to a chorus of boos. Coach Les Reed was another particularly under the firing line and his team responded by cranking up a little more pressure on the Blues goal. However, Wycombe still seemed dangerous on the break, and held on to the end, to wild scenes in the away end. It was the perfect early Christmas present for Wanderers, the second Premiership team they had knocked out in the competition so far.
Wycombe Line Up: Young, Martin, O'Halloran, Antwi, Williamson, Bloomfield, Grant (Palmer), Oakes, Betsy, Mooney (Stonebridge), Easter.
10th January 2007 - Wycombe 1-1 Chelsea
This was the first leg of the Carling Cup Semi Final against Jose Mourinho's millionaires. Wycombe went into the game having removed two Premiership clubs, Fulham and Charlton, from the competition and had nothing to lose against Chelsea. A sell out crowd turned out at Adams Park in an incredible atmosphere, where the team didn't disappoint.
The first half saw Wycombe match Chelsea's ambition and style, with 20 million-pound winger Shaun Wright Phillips marked out of the game by O'Halloran, and all other Chelsea players looking ineffective. This was all until a rush of blood got the better of Batista as he charged out of his area, only for Wayne Bridge to lift the ball over him in a nasty collision, with the ball ending up in the net. This was the score at half time as manager Paul Lambert attempted to rally his troops.
Wanderers knew if they going to have any realistic chance of a huge upset they would need a result going into their second leg away from home. And they managed to earn it with a great second half display. It was goal machine Jermaine Easter who converted a ball in behind the makeshift Chelsea defence to send Adams Park into craze and frenzy.
Following this, Wycombe were probably the better team as Stefan Oakes scraped the paint off the bar with a scorcher, and Easter was denied a second in similar fashion to his goal. However Chelsea held out for a draw in the end, although Wanderers had produced a wonderful performance. This was still a magnificent result for Wycombe and one that will remain as one of their best in history, despite a 4-0 2nd leg loss.
Wycombe Line Up: Batista, Martin, Antwi, Williamson, O'Halloran, Betsy, Doherty, Bloomfield (Torres), Oakes, Easter, Mooney (Dixon).
