Favourite player from my early days would probably have been John Delaney, but the player who's probably made the biggest impact on me over the last 50+ years would be Noel Ashford. A class above any other player I'd seen playing for us up until that time, and still an all-time great as far as I'm concerned.
The precise moment I fell in love with Wycombe Wanderers was Jason Cousins scoring in the second minute of my first game (the 1993 FA Trophy final) and then scaling the Wembley perimeter fence in probably the most crazed celebration of a Wycombe goal I can remember.
Would be Mark West for me, was a few years off his peak when I started watching in the mid 80s, but already a favourite of all the youngsters in the Gasworks End.
Noel Ashford came along a season or 2 after I started watching and was also an early hero of mine.
My Grandmother always wore a Berks and Bucks cup medal that her father had won as Captain of Wycombe Wanderers in 1902. She told me of how William (Bill) Buchanan and his 3 brothers, Charlie, George and Albert had all played for WWFC. Not once did she ever tell me about her husband, my Grandad Walter Ball played and won the league. My first heroes that I saw play were Tony Horseman, John Maskell and Keith Searle. Walking up from my Saturday job in Bull Lane past all the pubs that I would later frequent, up the afore mentioned alley between the gasometers. There are so many players I have love watching in the MON and GA times.
I think when I was really young I liked John Granville, I honestly don’t know if he was a particularly good keeper or not but he had bloody long throw and that obviously impressed me! Probably Cousins, Scott, Guppy and Martin O’Neill tbh
I started going to games in the 2010-11 promotion season, so it was probably actually Ainsworth himself.
Or maybe Scott Rendell who wasn't an amazing player by any means, but he was a hard worker and scored lots of important goals that season. I really liked him
After Howard Kennedy, Ruth Rendell was the best penalty taker i've seen in a Wanderers shirt. most other aspects of his game were nothing special though.
@ChasHarps said:
After Howard Kennedy, Ruth Rendell was the best penalty taker i've seen in a Wanderers shirt. most other aspects of his game were nothing special though.
He was absolutely brilliant at them. Always sent the keeper the wrong way and rolled it right into the corner. Turned penalty taking into an art
@Fit2drop said:
My Grandmother always wore a Berks and Bucks cup medal that her father had won as Captain of Wycombe Wanderers in 1902. She told me of how William (Bill) Buchanan and his 3 brothers, Charlie, George and Albert had all played for WWFC. Not once did she ever tell me about her husband, my Grandad Walter Ball played and won the league. My first heroes that I saw play were Tony Horseman, John Maskell and Keith Searle. Walking up from my Saturday job in Bull Lane past all the pubs that I would later frequent, up the afore mentioned alley between the gasometers. There are so many players I have love watching in the MON and GA times.
The image of your grandmother wearing the medal is wonderful. I've just dipped into the official history and William Buchanan seems to have been the main man around that time, a prolific scorer over a number of years. In the earliest team pictures he looks about 12!
@MindlessDrugHoover said:
Anton Vircavs lives just round the corner from me - he's a plumber these days.
Anton was a plumber/heating engineer in his Wanderers days, a couple of years after leaving Loakes Park, Anton rejected the offer to turn pro with Birmingham City who were in the old 2nd div. But turned it down, presumably as they couldn't match his combined wages of plumbing and Semi pro football at Cheltenham.
My first game was watching an evening match in 1973 from a room high up in the hospital, can't remember who we were playing. I was 14 years old. My Grandad was on his last legs, bless him, but we both loved the match. It was like watching the game from an executive box, before such things were thought of (apart from the smell of disinfectant of course). Keith Searle was the player who impressed me most, he just had it all. Pace, power, distribution, great in the air. Started my love affair with the Blues that will never die.
Not so much the players, although Pritchard, Searle and Delaney really stood out in my first season. It was the unique atmosphere which kept me going. The fug in the cowshed housing the old'uns in their caps and long coats, mooing with displeasure at a misplaced pass, muttering in their think Bucks accents. The diabolical smell of the bogs, the magical click of the turnstile, the characters on the terrace, the "firm" behind the goal. The slope, the quaint stand, the tea bar, the clock, the music on the PA. Changing ends at half-time and pausing outside the away changing room to sometimes hear their manager giving the players a bollocking. The away trips on the Jeffways coaches, their unique smell still persists, to obscure grounds.
After our final game there, I remember walking away, glad to be leaving a ground no longer fit for purpose, and looking forward to the new ground. How wrong I was. I really miss Loakes Park. I had some of my happiest times there.
@barneysmith said:
My first game was watching an evening match in 1973 from a room high up in the hospital, can't remember who we were playing. I was 14 years old. My Grandad was on his last legs, bless him, but we both loved the match. It was like watching the game from an executive box, before such things were thought of (apart from the smell of disinfectant of course). Keith Searle was the player who impressed me most, he just had it all. Pace, power, distribution, great in the air. Started my love affair with the Blues that will never die.
Wow a very similar story here too. My dad was in hospital same time I remember watching the Newport county game from a hospital window - dad was in for a while (made a full recovery and is still following the blues today) so I saw a few matches - after he came out we started going to matches. I was about 8 at the time! Earliest memories the smell of liniment, Badger Horseman and Mickey Hollified then a few years on George Borg and Terry Glynn
The image of your grandmother wearing the medal is wonderful. I've just dipped into the official history and William Buchanan seems to have been the main man around that time, a prolific scorer over a number of years. In the earliest team pictures he looks about 12!
The medal was gold and had been modified to be worn on a fine chain. Unfortunately gone missing now. My brother has two or three B&B medals from that era. Charlie was the first Wycombe player to get sent off.
I first started watching in 1956, I remember Len Worley and Jacky Tomlin. The best player I remember was Larry Pritchard, amazing ball skills and could have played at a far higher level.
The best season was the year they played Middlesboro in the cup. After that game we never seemed to lose, the team always seemed to score and get on top of teams.
Dannie Bulman. I used to watch Ashford Town home and away, as my Grandparents both volunteered at the club after they retired. I was regularly mascot when I was a wee nipper and the players always made me feel like I was part of the team. When Dannie moved to Wycombe in the late 90’s, I started to follow his progress, and the rest is history.
For me it’s split into 2 parts. As with @micra I loved watching Ian Pearson in the 1970s. Latterly it would have to be Rob Lee. Both fell into the category of “what are players of this stature doing playing for Wycombe!”. They were a joy to watch, as was winger Kenny Swain.
Apart from the cameos of those above it would have to be the Searle/Horseman partnership in the 70s. Since our Football League elevation Dave Carroll’s wonder goal at Wembley v Preston is my stand-out moment.
Regarding other people’s references to Loakes Park, I think it was as much the characters you used to find there. Whether that was the era or the fact that most people stood up I don’t know but there aren’t nearly as many unusual individuals at Adams Park as used to frequent Loakes Park.
Comments
Nathan Tyson, then Tommy Mooney, then Sergio Torres.
Favourite player from my early days would probably have been John Delaney, but the player who's probably made the biggest impact on me over the last 50+ years would be Noel Ashford. A class above any other player I'd seen playing for us up until that time, and still an all-time great as far as I'm concerned.
The precise moment I fell in love with Wycombe Wanderers was Jason Cousins scoring in the second minute of my first game (the 1993 FA Trophy final) and then scaling the Wembley perimeter fence in probably the most crazed celebration of a Wycombe goal I can remember.
Would be Mark West for me, was a few years off his peak when I started watching in the mid 80s, but already a favourite of all the youngsters in the Gasworks End.
Noel Ashford came along a season or 2 after I started watching and was also an early hero of mine.
My Grandmother always wore a Berks and Bucks cup medal that her father had won as Captain of Wycombe Wanderers in 1902. She told me of how William (Bill) Buchanan and his 3 brothers, Charlie, George and Albert had all played for WWFC. Not once did she ever tell me about her husband, my Grandad Walter Ball played and won the league. My first heroes that I saw play were Tony Horseman, John Maskell and Keith Searle. Walking up from my Saturday job in Bull Lane past all the pubs that I would later frequent, up the afore mentioned alley between the gasometers. There are so many players I have love watching in the MON and GA times.
I think when I was really young I liked John Granville, I honestly don’t know if he was a particularly good keeper or not but he had bloody long throw and that obviously impressed me! Probably Cousins, Scott, Guppy and Martin O’Neill tbh
Devine and Currie
Paul Hyde. On the day Wycombe release Allsop it's fair to say we've had some good uns (Keepers) !!
Seeing your username @Jonny7 reminds me that it must be at least six months since we heard from @Jonny_King. Hope all is well.
Darren Currie and Tommy Doherty
Great shouts on Currie, a pleasure to watch
Steve brown, Dave Carrol, Martin Taylor, Sean devine, Jermaine mcsporan, Sergio Torres
Mark West, Noel Ashford, declan link
I started going to games in the 2010-11 promotion season, so it was probably actually Ainsworth himself.
Or maybe Scott Rendell who wasn't an amazing player by any means, but he was a hard worker and scored lots of important goals that season. I really liked him
After Howard Kennedy, Ruth Rendell was the best penalty taker i've seen in a Wanderers shirt. most other aspects of his game were nothing special though.
He was absolutely brilliant at them. Always sent the keeper the wrong way and rolled it right into the corner. Turned penalty taking into an art
The image of your grandmother wearing the medal is wonderful. I've just dipped into the official history and William Buchanan seems to have been the main man around that time, a prolific scorer over a number of years. In the earliest team pictures he looks about 12!
Anton was a plumber/heating engineer in his Wanderers days, a couple of years after leaving Loakes Park, Anton rejected the offer to turn pro with Birmingham City who were in the old 2nd div. But turned it down, presumably as they couldn't match his combined wages of plumbing and Semi pro football at Cheltenham.
I saw two of his company's (APV) vans yesterday on a driveway in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Was tempted to say hi if I saw him
Anton had a brother called Russell, who played for Oxford City in the 80's.
My first game was watching an evening match in 1973 from a room high up in the hospital, can't remember who we were playing. I was 14 years old. My Grandad was on his last legs, bless him, but we both loved the match. It was like watching the game from an executive box, before such things were thought of (apart from the smell of disinfectant of course). Keith Searle was the player who impressed me most, he just had it all. Pace, power, distribution, great in the air. Started my love affair with the Blues that will never die.
Not so much the players, although Pritchard, Searle and Delaney really stood out in my first season. It was the unique atmosphere which kept me going. The fug in the cowshed housing the old'uns in their caps and long coats, mooing with displeasure at a misplaced pass, muttering in their think Bucks accents. The diabolical smell of the bogs, the magical click of the turnstile, the characters on the terrace, the "firm" behind the goal. The slope, the quaint stand, the tea bar, the clock, the music on the PA. Changing ends at half-time and pausing outside the away changing room to sometimes hear their manager giving the players a bollocking. The away trips on the Jeffways coaches, their unique smell still persists, to obscure grounds.
After our final game there, I remember walking away, glad to be leaving a ground no longer fit for purpose, and looking forward to the new ground. How wrong I was. I really miss Loakes Park. I had some of my happiest times there.
Wow a very similar story here too. My dad was in hospital same time I remember watching the Newport county game from a hospital window - dad was in for a while (made a full recovery and is still following the blues today) so I saw a few matches - after he came out we started going to matches. I was about 8 at the time! Earliest memories the smell of liniment, Badger Horseman and Mickey Hollified then a few years on George Borg and Terry Glynn
The medal was gold and had been modified to be worn on a fine chain. Unfortunately gone missing now. My brother has two or three B&B medals from that era. Charlie was the first Wycombe player to get sent off.
I first started watching in 1956, I remember Len Worley and Jacky Tomlin. The best player I remember was Larry Pritchard, amazing ball skills and could have played at a far higher level.
The best season was the year they played Middlesboro in the cup. After that game we never seemed to lose, the team always seemed to score and get on top of teams.
Dave Carroll
His goal against Kettering Town (W5–1, Nov 3, 1990) was a thing of absolute beauty.
The first two players that came to mind for me were Sean Devine and Steve Brown - particularly THAT goal vs Col U.
But I just checked the dates, and they were both about ten years into me watching them every week.
Paul Hyde, Steve McGavin, Cyrille Regis, Miguel DeSouza, Dave Carroll
Dannie Bulman. I used to watch Ashford Town home and away, as my Grandparents both volunteered at the club after they retired. I was regularly mascot when I was a wee nipper and the players always made me feel like I was part of the team. When Dannie moved to Wycombe in the late 90’s, I started to follow his progress, and the rest is history.
For me it’s split into 2 parts. As with @micra I loved watching Ian Pearson in the 1970s. Latterly it would have to be Rob Lee. Both fell into the category of “what are players of this stature doing playing for Wycombe!”. They were a joy to watch, as was winger Kenny Swain.
Apart from the cameos of those above it would have to be the Searle/Horseman partnership in the 70s. Since our Football League elevation Dave Carroll’s wonder goal at Wembley v Preston is my stand-out moment.
Regarding other people’s references to Loakes Park, I think it was as much the characters you used to find there. Whether that was the era or the fact that most people stood up I don’t know but there aren’t nearly as many unusual individuals at Adams Park as used to frequent Loakes Park.