Blackman was very good (mostly) for us that one season and I thought he had all the attributes to go on to much better things (well obviously not ‘better’ as it’s impossible to top playing for us, but at a higher league level).
but for whatever reason his career has somewhat levelled out at about our level.
To me that was ‘never gonna happen’ and then ‘fcuk me we actually signed him’. That was the definitive signing. We were then bigger than Slough. People scoff now but it was a BIG moment.
Thompson and Kim Casey, we were basically gobbling up the cream of Non-League, heady days. The Kim Casey one was a complete surprise to me though, didn't seem to be a whiff of it until Ceefax declared it a done deal.
Kim Casey - what a player. Can still see in my mind’s eye the tumble on the goal line at the away end when he dislocated his shoulder. Can’t recall whether he recovered from that injury and carried on scoring goals afterwards.
The anticipation of a Slough game, the frenzy for tickets, this was an era. I know it's been said here before many time but can you imagine it being such a big game that people stood in the woods to watch a game of Wycombe v Slough. These games were HUGE. So when we took their star man...
Not quite the same but games v Aylesbury were also pretty massive. Extraordinary times.
Yep they were massive games, I remember Loakes Park being absolutely rammed for an Aylesbury game in the conference. Real shame how far they have fallen, and ridiculous that a town the size of Aylesbury has 2 teams, if only they could be brought together somehow.
Would love to see both teams rise again so we could have proper local rivalries
People would be surprised at the importance of those clashes in those non-league days. It would be interesting if any statos could post the attendances on here. There were some serious figures and goodness knows how many people tried to attend the final conference year. I was held up in London and was struggling to get there with friends. I was then stuck on Marlow Hill for an hour due to weight of traffic. We gave up and went to the pub on the old Marlow Road (now a Beefeater or similar) to discover 2 carloads
of other mates who had similarly tried and failed to get to the ground!
Out of interest, what was the perception of Wycombe amongst other fans in non-league at that time. Were we perceived to be the big spenders throwing money around to buy our way into the FL when we signed the likes of Casey?
I think we were generally pretty well liked because we always took loads of fans to away games and also we were one of the non league "originals", still a semi professional outfit rather than one of the still professional sides that had dropped out of the league
I don’t think so. Not quite on a par with Wayne Rooney’s Derby County, anyway. But then even many of their fans clearly didn’t perceive their club to be throwing money around to buy promotion. I have no idea how much we paid for Kim Casey or any other players around the same time but I’m sure it was all above board.
What a snip. To get a real idea of how genuinely prodigious Kim Casey was during his years (the ‘eighties) with “James O’Brien’s” Kidderminster Harriers (who paid £2500 to Leamington for him in July 1985) I recommend a fascinating feature dated 9 June 2020 about the deadly trio - Kim Casey, Paul ‘Ocker’ Davies and Mick Tuohy. I’ve tried to download it but, as usual, hadn’t a clue.
Comments
Blackman was very good (mostly) for us that one season and I thought he had all the attributes to go on to much better things (well obviously not ‘better’ as it’s impossible to top playing for us, but at a higher league level).
but for whatever reason his career has somewhat levelled out at about our level.
Is this the longest aniticpated signing in our history? (I probably have a short memory)
not sure the wait will be worth it ....hope to be proved wrong
Yves at Oxford was a terrifying experience. Sub Cheesewright / Parkin levels.
Felt like We were signing Craig Falconbridge for about 18 months before he turned up!
Mawson surely
Yeah, @Malone, when's this happening?
The rumours of us signing Steve Thompson from the Rebels, seem to continue for quite a long time.
Chill Winston.
Patience.
To me that was ‘never gonna happen’ and then ‘fcuk me we actually signed him’. That was the definitive signing. We were then bigger than Slough. People scoff now but it was a BIG moment.
That accolade belongs to Ruth doesn't it?
Dave Tarpey
The hypothetical Player not signed eighteen months ago who @aloysius suggested might have kept us in the Championship.
Thompson and Kim Casey, we were basically gobbling up the cream of Non-League, heady days. The Kim Casey one was a complete surprise to me though, didn't seem to be a whiff of it until Ceefax declared it a done deal.
Kim Casey - what a player. Can still see in my mind’s eye the tumble on the goal line at the away end when he dislocated his shoulder. Can’t recall whether he recovered from that injury and carried on scoring goals afterwards.
i think the Gasroom is the only forum you could get away without needing to qualify who or what Ceefax was.
that feels a weird combination of being both a good and bad thing
but I remember with the Steve Thompson signing thinking that all of a sudden we were the biggest fish in that particular pond
We were bigger than Slough…hard to imagine this being a ‘thing’ for me
As good a player as Kim Casey was, He was past his prime, when he arrived at Adam's Park.
He was absolutely phenomenal in the mid to late 80's for Kiddy. His sheer pace, close control and lethal finishing terrorised defences.
The anticipation of a Slough game, the frenzy for tickets, this was an era. I know it's been said here before many time but can you imagine it being such a big game that people stood in the woods to watch a game of Wycombe v Slough. These games were HUGE. So when we took their star man...
Not quite the same but games v Aylesbury were also pretty massive. Extraordinary times.
Yep they were massive games, I remember Loakes Park being absolutely rammed for an Aylesbury game in the conference. Real shame how far they have fallen, and ridiculous that a town the size of Aylesbury has 2 teams, if only they could be brought together somehow.
Would love to see both teams rise again so we could have proper local rivalries
People would be surprised at the importance of those clashes in those non-league days. It would be interesting if any statos could post the attendances on here. There were some serious figures and goodness knows how many people tried to attend the final conference year. I was held up in London and was struggling to get there with friends. I was then stuck on Marlow Hill for an hour due to weight of traffic. We gave up and went to the pub on the old Marlow Road (now a Beefeater or similar) to discover 2 carloads
of other mates who had similarly tried and failed to get to the ground!
The Wycombe v Ays home game in 88/89 was a 3200, the away game at Buckingham rd was 2400 with about half from Wycombe.
Out of interest, what was the perception of Wycombe amongst other fans in non-league at that time. Were we perceived to be the big spenders throwing money around to buy our way into the FL when we signed the likes of Casey?
I think we were generally pretty well liked because we always took loads of fans to away games and also we were one of the non league "originals", still a semi professional outfit rather than one of the still professional sides that had dropped out of the league
I don’t think so. Not quite on a par with Wayne Rooney’s Derby County, anyway. But then even many of their fans clearly didn’t perceive their club to be throwing money around to buy promotion. I have no idea how much we paid for Kim Casey or any other players around the same time but I’m sure it was all above board.
What year did we turn pro?
93/94, first year on the football league
Quite a few of the players needed a bit of persuading because they were having to take pay cuts
I (very) vaguely remember we paid £8K for Kim Casey
Bishop has signed for Portsmouth.
Thankfully it's a Bishop overseeing a different area of the pitch. A striker apparently.
What a snip. To get a real idea of how genuinely prodigious Kim Casey was during his years (the ‘eighties) with “James O’Brien’s” Kidderminster Harriers (who paid £2500 to Leamington for him in July 1985) I recommend a fascinating feature dated 9 June 2020 about the deadly trio - Kim Casey, Paul ‘Ocker’ Davies and Mick Tuohy. I’ve tried to download it but, as usual, hadn’t a clue.