I know what you mean of course, but they were not our 5th and 6th "best ever seasons" unless you genuinely believe finishing 10th last season was a better season than winning the non-league double (in which case I recommend a visit to the doctor)
Far better to describe it as 5th and 6th highest placing in the football pyramid. Not that it really matters of course.
Eric spot on as usual, and in fine nit-picking form. Hypothetical, of course, but that Non-League Double squad would have had a decent shot at beating "10th in League One" had it been playing at that level, that season...
Would you take 10th in L1 over a season in non-league if you knew in advance that the non-league season was going to end with two trophies, including a win at Wembley? I was born in '98 so this is of no odds to me but, having never seen us win a trophy (play-offs do not count), I'd quite like to do so
I was born in 85 so i was a little bit too young to understand what was going on, even if i remember it. But for those who appreciated it, 1991-1994 must have felt like having pure euphoria pumped into your veins every week!
We'd been a non-league side for over 100 years, and the previous season we'd missed out on the title in the most heartbreaking fashion imaginable to the worst set of players and fans imaginable.
We bounced back and won the double playing the most scintillating football possible culminating of course in a 4-1 victory at Wembley on front of 30,000 Wycombe supporters. We had one of the best managers in the country and an unbelievably good side. The possibilities seemed endless.
You can't just remove all context and say last season was better. It sounds absurd
I'm with Eric here, yes last season was one of our best ever highest finishes. But for pure joy and emotion, that season we won promotion to the league and the following season winning the play off at Wembley were for me, standout seasons, and some of the best seasons. I have more memories from those seasons than I do from others we've finished higher.
When I gave Martin my copy of his autobiography to sign, I said "I've been going to football matches for 60 years, and the five years you were here was the most fun I've had". "Is that right?", he said.
I can't emphasise just how exciting those times were. We were on a mission to the promised land of the football league, and onwards from there. As others have said, we had some really talented players who were a pleasure to watch, and who really connected with the fans. The joy of going on so many away trips, to places I had barely heard of, is something I really miss. The Wembley visits were a bonus, when supporters and their families and friends all joined together for a bit of a party, a very different atmosphere to recent visits. We've had success since but nothing compares to those magical years when Martin was here.
I genuinely think the non-league / O’Neill years (I started supporting in ‘88) are part of the reason I have no great fear when talk of the club folding comes around.
We just go again from the bottom.
Not saying I want that to happen but it’d be absolutely fine with me.
My age meant that the O’Neil era was my peak football period. Less distractions in life, football and beer and good friends. Home and away. All conquering. Great times.
It could never last forever (on and off the field) but when S***h arrived and systematically took everything apart it was simply horrible.
I'm considering going to a few Chesham games this season when Wycombe are away. Easy from Holmer Green, bus straight to Chesham and stop near the ground. Obviously Wycombe will always come first, but I know what you mean.
I was born in 83 and started paying attention in the Autumn of 1992 (the first match I actively recall being the West Brom replay). Obviously being young makes a massive difference, but the spell from then until the six match winless run in March 1995 was incredible. I'm sure it meant more for those who had followed the club for longer, but we seemed like a really exceptional team for that entire period and it looked like nothing would stop us.
Went to my first game when there was a fire outside (Salisbury at home). After that my first 8 games or so were all massive wins to the point that I always expected us to win 4-0. A few players came to my school and gave away free tickets for a weekend I couldn’t go- I told my classmates we always win but we lost 2-1 to Kettering. I genuinely thought I was blessed.
Remembering that time when we were 4-0 up away against Kettering at half-time and some loon wrote a letter to the BFP moaning that we didn’t score any in the second half!
Comments
I know what you mean of course, but they were not our 5th and 6th "best ever seasons" unless you genuinely believe finishing 10th last season was a better season than winning the non-league double (in which case I recommend a visit to the doctor)
Far better to describe it as 5th and 6th highest placing in the football pyramid. Not that it really matters of course.
Eric spot on as usual, and in fine nit-picking form. Hypothetical, of course, but that Non-League Double squad would have had a decent shot at beating "10th in League One" had it been playing at that level, that season...
They would have been champions.
I would take 10th in L1 over being in non-league every year, but that's just me!
Surely fans of yo-yo clubs have far more fun winning the league going up than they do getting beaten every week and coming back down.
Possibly? Probably? Either way, my original point has become lost in a sea of contrarianism.
Would you take 10th in L1 over a season in non-league if you knew in advance that the non-league season was going to end with two trophies, including a win at Wembley? I was born in '98 so this is of no odds to me but, having never seen us win a trophy (play-offs do not count), I'd quite like to do so
I was born in 85 so i was a little bit too young to understand what was going on, even if i remember it. But for those who appreciated it, 1991-1994 must have felt like having pure euphoria pumped into your veins every week!
We'd been a non-league side for over 100 years, and the previous season we'd missed out on the title in the most heartbreaking fashion imaginable to the worst set of players and fans imaginable.
We bounced back and won the double playing the most scintillating football possible culminating of course in a 4-1 victory at Wembley on front of 30,000 Wycombe supporters. We had one of the best managers in the country and an unbelievably good side. The possibilities seemed endless.
You can't just remove all context and say last season was better. It sounds absurd
I'm with Eric here, yes last season was one of our best ever highest finishes. But for pure joy and emotion, that season we won promotion to the league and the following season winning the play off at Wembley were for me, standout seasons, and some of the best seasons. I have more memories from those seasons than I do from others we've finished higher.
Being the Real Madrid of non-League football for a couple of years was a much more exciting experience than being the Wycombe Wanderers of League One.
But we're heading to the Premiership in the next few years, so that'll be even more fun.
The true Wycombe way
The Gasroom - a sea of contrarianism
There's your t-shirt slogan
Totally agree 👍👍
I miss non-league. If Wycombe do ever reach the premier league I'd rather go watch a local non-league team.
Ah, another 85 baby
When I gave Martin my copy of his autobiography to sign, I said "I've been going to football matches for 60 years, and the five years you were here was the most fun I've had". "Is that right?", he said.
I can't emphasise just how exciting those times were. We were on a mission to the promised land of the football league, and onwards from there. As others have said, we had some really talented players who were a pleasure to watch, and who really connected with the fans. The joy of going on so many away trips, to places I had barely heard of, is something I really miss. The Wembley visits were a bonus, when supporters and their families and friends all joined together for a bit of a party, a very different atmosphere to recent visits. We've had success since but nothing compares to those magical years when Martin was here.
Looking forward to all the positivity if we ever do get relegated back down to the Conference!
I genuinely think the non-league / O’Neill years (I started supporting in ‘88) are part of the reason I have no great fear when talk of the club folding comes around.
We just go again from the bottom.
Not saying I want that to happen but it’d be absolutely fine with me.
If it wasn't for the Martin O'Neill years I may have never gotten into football at all.
My age meant that the O’Neil era was my peak football period. Less distractions in life, football and beer and good friends. Home and away. All conquering. Great times.
It could never last forever (on and off the field) but when S***h arrived and systematically took everything apart it was simply horrible.
I'm considering going to a few Chesham games this season when Wycombe are away. Easy from Holmer Green, bus straight to Chesham and stop near the ground. Obviously Wycombe will always come first, but I know what you mean.
Without agent Couhig that non league team could well be Reading for me.
I was born in 83 and started paying attention in the Autumn of 1992 (the first match I actively recall being the West Brom replay). Obviously being young makes a massive difference, but the spell from then until the six match winless run in March 1995 was incredible. I'm sure it meant more for those who had followed the club for longer, but we seemed like a really exceptional team for that entire period and it looked like nothing would stop us.
Went to my first game when there was a fire outside (Salisbury at home). After that my first 8 games or so were all massive wins to the point that I always expected us to win 4-0. A few players came to my school and gave away free tickets for a weekend I couldn’t go- I told my classmates we always win but we lost 2-1 to Kettering. I genuinely thought I was blessed.
Remembering that time when we were 4-0 up away against Kettering at half-time and some loon wrote a letter to the BFP moaning that we didn’t score any in the second half!
4-2. But your point stands
It was 4-1 my side of the Mandela Effect…
That’d be welcomed by @bargepole.
No it wasn't