Wycombe Wanderers

Concluding our close-season series looking at our Fourth Division opponents (unless we've missed anyone out), we come to the closest professional team outside of Oxford, just a short hop down the M40 (or the A40 if you're a learner driver and can't use the motorway, although we prefer the route through Watlington and Turville Heath).

It was 1884 when a bunch of furniture makers (or chairboys) formed North Town Wanderers, which changed its name to Wycombe Wanderers three years later. The club adopted the light blue and dark blue of the Varsity clubs and for its first few seasons they played friendly matches and competitive cup games. After a couple of years sharing the cricket ground, Wycombe moved to Spring Meadow in 1893, but they were evicted two years later and moved to Loakes Park. They joined the Southern League in 1896.

Wanderers failed to set alight the Southern League, having retained their amateur status, and after finishing bottom of Division Two for three seasons running they moved to the Great Western Suburban League in 1908. Wycombe also ran a team in the Spartan League, and in the first two seasons after the First World War they won the Spartan League title, and joined the Isthmian League in 1921. They won the Isthmian League title in both 1956 and '57, when they also reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup, losing 3-1 to Bishop Auckland at Wembley. Wycombe won the Isthmian League again in 1971, followed by further titles in 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1983. In 1985 Wycombe finished third, but because neither Sutton United nor Worthing could go up Wycombe climbed into the top non-league division, at that time called the Gola League, but effectively the Conference. A third-bottom finish saw Wanderers back in the Isthmian League, which they won 1987 to go back to the Conference.

In 1990 two significant events happened to Wycombe: in February Martin O'Neill became the manager, and during the summer the club relocated to Adams Park. In the Conference Wycombe finished second behind Colchester United on goal difference in 1992, but made up for that by beating Kidderminster Harriers 2-1 in the FA Trophy final at Wembley. The following year Wycomnbe won the title, 15 points clear of Bromsgrove Rovers, to earn a place in the Football League. That same season they did the non-league double by beating Runcorn 4-1 in the FA Trophy final at Wembley.

In their first League season, Wycombe reached the Fourth Division play-off final, beating Preston North End 4-2 at Wembley to seal promotion to the Third Division. In 1995 Martin O'Neill left and Alan Smith took over, assisted by a certain David Kemp. In 2001, Wycombe reached the FA Cup semi-final, losing 2-1 to Liverpool at Villa Park. Wycombe were relegated to Division Four in 2004, when Tony Adams became manager for a brief moment. In 2006 the Chairboys reached the play-offs, but were beaten by Cheltenham Town in the semis. In 2009 they finished third in the Fourth to earn promotion, but last season they were relegated back to the basement, finishing third from bottom.

Adams Park, or the Causeway Stadium as their sponsors would prefer it to be known, has a capacity of 10,284 (slightly more for the rugger, what), of which 8,310 are seated. Visiting supporters are located in the The Dreams Stand behind the goal, which holds 2,000 fans. Prices for away fans this season are