Yes, Kelman signed creaser, who was sent off for fouling mark west in a game before we signed him. Meaning when he became a wycombe player, he was suspended for 3 games.
It must be noted that Kelman was handed a budget way larger than any previous manager in WWFC history. Brought some good players in, and some bad ones, but the continued progress never arrived until St Martin arrived.
If you watched home matches only, you'll have fond memories of Gregory. If you watched away games a fair chunk of your soul will be missing for evermore.
@arnos_grove said:
If you watched home matches only, you'll have fond memories of Gregory. If you watched away games a fair chunk of your soul will be missing for evermore.
And if you greeted him during training in Holmer Green you were lucky to get a response.
Jim Kelman was a lovely approachable man who fully embraced the tradition of free flowing attractive football. He left far too soon but, in the event, it proved to be an ill wind of course - ie Martin O'Neill might never have come to Wycombe.
Many, many thanks to @stevedore. That video of an interview with Jim in 2006 should be required listening for all Wycombe fans and coaching staff alike.
After the Kelman interview was published in One-One, Jim wrote a very nice letter saying that he felt his time at Wycombe was portrayed sensitively and accurately. A true gent with a real love of the game.
@micra . One thing i'll never forget with Gregory, was I was at one game with my mum back in those days, in the main stand. Gregory was all decked out in training gear, and from about 8 yards out had a shot at an open "cone" goal. He missed, and from about 10metres from us let out the loudest "f''''kin hell" I've ever heard.
Puzzling one.
In Collymore's book, (whether it's to be trusted, with his obvious questionable back catalogue, and most obvious bias v Gregory for his dodgy comments on depression), he said that O Neill thought Gregory was a c@nt.
I thought that was a very strange relaying of someone's else's opinion.
Just for 2 random Gregory anecdotes!
But like @arnos_grove says, home games, excellent, away, not any sort of attacking force.
PS, how can anyone rate any of our managers worse than Smith?
He set us back years, wasted tonne loads of money, kicked out heroes for no reason, took the praise for stuff he had no right too, and was incredibly smug for what was an incredibly disappointing season following our terrific 6th place the year before.
"i couldn't understand where their fans were coming from, I genuinely thought I was doing a good job"
"the players aren't carrying out instructions"
Does anyone remember that end of season video after his full season with us?
Now, i'm sure none of us are exactly handsome devils, but he looked like an absolutely sozzled tramp, who'd been woken up after a heavy bender.
@Malone said:
PS, how can anyone rate any of our managers worse than Smith?
I didn't think anyone HAD rated anyone worse than him. Even my wife thought he was a complete dickhead (she came along with me to some do in the Vere Suite where he waffled on) and she has no interest in football
Treatment of Hydey was a sickener. In hindsight yes he probably shouldn't have brought up the contract issue midseason, but he wouldn't for a second have thought it'd be his demise.
O Neill taking him to Leicester to keep him in football showed his class.
Meanwhile Smith was saddling us with Brian bloody Parkin.
I agree with the majority of the comments on this thread. I was fortunate enough to be involved with Q&A sessions with the majority of the list. My point is I dont think Jim Kelman gets the credit he deserves. A good proportion of the team Martin inherited were signed by JK.
Tony Adams was entertaining as he often answered a completely different question to the one asked, or halfway through would forget the question. Alan Smith wouldnt take questions, John Gorman was extremely generous with his time and answered any and every question, usually making sure he knew the name of the person he was addressing.
But still my #2 has to be Laurie Sanchez, yes he could be a cantankerous old sod but taking my team to an FA cup semi final will live with me forever. He was basically a part time manager due to his admirable commitment to his children as he was a widower.
Even 13 years later, Sanchez is a tough one isn't he? He gave me some of my best memories, not just as a football fan, but of my life. Moments that I'll never forget which still give me goosebumps.
But he also was in charge for some of our worst, weirdest, and downright embarrassing moments. If he'd left at the end of 01/02 there'd be no contest.
It's interesting that the style of football and big game memories seem to outweigh promotions quite heavily on this thread.
I've always said the moment of promotion Peter Taylor gave us was probably the most angry I've ever been as a Wycombe fan. Waddock's promotion was a much more enjoyable but seemingly more forgettable day.
Any thoughts on why Lamberts cup run is not held in as high esteem as the Sanchez cup run?
The games away at Bury and then at home v Southend during the Waddock promotion are some of my highlights as a Wycombe fan.
The Lambert cup run was great but not quite as magical as the FA Cup run, as @bill_stickers says the League Cup just isn't as prestigious - plus there wasn't the same narrative, things like McCarthy scoring all those goals, the crazy penalties v Wimbledon (featuring Ainsworth), and signing a striker on Teletext who scored a winner in the last minute. Was the game with the fog in that cup run too?
@Right_in_the_Middle , were you seriously asking that question?!
It was still a great achievement and I loved every minute though.
I still wonder what would have happened if the Doc hadn't tried to play such a suicidal ball in the away game letting Shevchenko in.
I remember Betsy had a terrific game, giving Ashley Cole the biggest going over i'd seen him take for ages. A fitting last game in our colours, first time round at least.
Can't be many lower league clubs that have hit semi finals of both cups within 6 years. Incredible scenes.
Comments
Don't mention the Met Police (re: Kelman)
Describing the end of the Kelman reign as terrible was a bit too harsh. It just petered out badly culminating in THAT MATCH.
Kelman just for signing Dave Carroll
Kekman signed Creaser as well didn't he?
Yes, Kelman signed creaser, who was sent off for fouling mark west in a game before we signed him. Meaning when he became a wycombe player, he was suspended for 3 games.
It must be noted that Kelman was handed a budget way larger than any previous manager in WWFC history. Brought some good players in, and some bad ones, but the continued progress never arrived until St Martin arrived.
Seems like a good time to dig out this Kelman interview:
If you watched home matches only, you'll have fond memories of Gregory. If you watched away games a fair chunk of your soul will be missing for evermore.
"Neil Davis just needs a goal to get him started"
And if you greeted him during training in Holmer Green you were lucky to get a response.
Jim Kelman was a lovely approachable man who fully embraced the tradition of free flowing attractive football. He left far too soon but, in the event, it proved to be an ill wind of course - ie Martin O'Neill might never have come to Wycombe.
Many, many thanks to @stevedore. That video of an interview with Jim in 2006 should be required listening for all Wycombe fans and coaching staff alike.
After the Kelman interview was published in One-One, Jim wrote a very nice letter saying that he felt his time at Wycombe was portrayed sensitively and accurately. A true gent with a real love of the game.
It would be hard to guess which two managers got us promoted just looking at the results of those polls
Do you mean Nil Davis?
@micra . One thing i'll never forget with Gregory, was I was at one game with my mum back in those days, in the main stand. Gregory was all decked out in training gear, and from about 8 yards out had a shot at an open "cone" goal. He missed, and from about 10metres from us let out the loudest "f''''kin hell" I've ever heard.
Puzzling one.
In Collymore's book, (whether it's to be trusted, with his obvious questionable back catalogue, and most obvious bias v Gregory for his dodgy comments on depression), he said that O Neill thought Gregory was a c@nt.
I thought that was a very strange relaying of someone's else's opinion.
Just for 2 random Gregory anecdotes!
But like @arnos_grove says, home games, excellent, away, not any sort of attacking force.
PS, how can anyone rate any of our managers worse than Smith?
He set us back years, wasted tonne loads of money, kicked out heroes for no reason, took the praise for stuff he had no right too, and was incredibly smug for what was an incredibly disappointing season following our terrific 6th place the year before.
"i couldn't understand where their fans were coming from, I genuinely thought I was doing a good job"
"the players aren't carrying out instructions"
Does anyone remember that end of season video after his full season with us?
Now, i'm sure none of us are exactly handsome devils, but he looked like an absolutely sozzled tramp, who'd been woken up after a heavy bender.
I didn't think anyone HAD rated anyone worse than him. Even my wife thought he was a complete dickhead (she came along with me to some do in the Vere Suite where he waffled on) and she has no interest in football
Treatment of Hydey was a sickener. In hindsight yes he probably shouldn't have brought up the contract issue midseason, but he wouldn't for a second have thought it'd be his demise.
O Neill taking him to Leicester to keep him in football showed his class.
Meanwhile Smith was saddling us with Brian bloody Parkin.
Of course Brian Lee's time in charge puts every manager bar Martin O'Neill in the shade, though the poll did state post 1980 managers.
Brian Lee also gets bonus points for managing the move to Adams Park.
I agree with the majority of the comments on this thread. I was fortunate enough to be involved with Q&A sessions with the majority of the list. My point is I dont think Jim Kelman gets the credit he deserves. A good proportion of the team Martin inherited were signed by JK.
Tony Adams was entertaining as he often answered a completely different question to the one asked, or halfway through would forget the question. Alan Smith wouldnt take questions, John Gorman was extremely generous with his time and answered any and every question, usually making sure he knew the name of the person he was addressing.
But still my #2 has to be Laurie Sanchez, yes he could be a cantankerous old sod but taking my team to an FA cup semi final will live with me forever. He was basically a part time manager due to his admirable commitment to his children as he was a widower.
Even 13 years later, Sanchez is a tough one isn't he? He gave me some of my best memories, not just as a football fan, but of my life. Moments that I'll never forget which still give me goosebumps.
But he also was in charge for some of our worst, weirdest, and downright embarrassing moments. If he'd left at the end of 01/02 there'd be no contest.
But if he'd left in 2002 you'd have been dissapointed and wanted more.
@floyd totally agree.
of course I would @Right_in_the_Middle. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
I don't think Waddock was very good, but he did get us a promotion lest we forget.
It's interesting that the style of football and big game memories seem to outweigh promotions quite heavily on this thread.
I've always said the moment of promotion Peter Taylor gave us was probably the most angry I've ever been as a Wycombe fan. Waddock's promotion was a much more enjoyable but seemingly more forgettable day.
Any thoughts on why Lamberts cup run is not held in as high esteem as the Sanchez cup run?
Because the League Cup is toilet?
The games away at Bury and then at home v Southend during the Waddock promotion are some of my highlights as a Wycombe fan.
The Lambert cup run was great but not quite as magical as the FA Cup run, as @bill_stickers says the League Cup just isn't as prestigious - plus there wasn't the same narrative, things like McCarthy scoring all those goals, the crazy penalties v Wimbledon (featuring Ainsworth), and signing a striker on Teletext who scored a winner in the last minute. Was the game with the fog in that cup run too?
All those reasons and more
Main one being the FA cup run happened first
@Right_in_the_Middle , were you seriously asking that question?!
It was still a great achievement and I loved every minute though.
I still wonder what would have happened if the Doc hadn't tried to play such a suicidal ball in the away game letting Shevchenko in.
I remember Betsy had a terrific game, giving Ashley Cole the biggest going over i'd seen him take for ages. A fitting last game in our colours, first time round at least.
Can't be many lower league clubs that have hit semi finals of both cups within 6 years. Incredible scenes.