OXFORD v WYCOMBE ‘WE’RE IN DEEP S**T!’ Boss Ainsworth had little pre-season hope ... now Wycombe are on brink of promotion
WHEN Gareth Ainsworth agreed to a book about Wycombe Wanderers’ season he didn’t envisage the final chapter being written at Wembley.
Instead, he feared a League One campaign dominated by relegation fears and a struggle to survive financially.
It’s why author Neil Harman, who was granted no-holds-barred access to all parts of the club to chart an incredible journey, needed to be at his persuasive best to get Adams Park boss Ainsworth on board.
Harman said: “I live about 10 miles away from Gareth. Last June, I broached the idea of spending the season with the club.
“He said to me, ‘You know what, we are in deep s**t. Here it really is backs to the wall, the lowest budget in League One, not many players – I think it’s going to be a real struggle’.
“But he eventually agreed to it. His one real worry was it would highlight a Wycombe relegation season. He had never been relegated before.”
But tomorrow night the
Chairboys could create club history by claiming a place in the Championship at the expense of Oxford United in the League One play-off.
“Ending the season at Wembley was an impossible thought last summer,” said Harman.
“The first day I turned up, there were just nine players for a pre-season training session. In one of the pre-season games, they had more trialists than official players.
“Within a month of that arrived this guy from Louisiana saying he wanted to buy a club.
“Rob Couhig
(right) had a little dabble at Yeovil, but found they were not a going concern – and set his sights on Wycombe.
“He had to persuade the trust membership that he was genuine with his offer of help. But he was true to his word and new players started to arrive.
“The new owner and his family aren’t mega-rich, but they paid off the debt and gave Gareth a bit of money to bring in some new faces.
“Rob was a lifesaver. If he hadn’t arrived on the scene, the club was dead. They would have been relegated. But we are now on our way to Wembley – it’s just crazy. Some of the stories along the way would stretch fiction all the way.”
Like the day Ainsworth, the longest serving manager in the Football League, had to jump start the team bus.
“At Blackpool, after drawing 2-2, they got back on the coach only for it not to start,” recalled Harman. “The secretary tried to see if the Blackpool groundsman was around.
“He was and he managed to find some jump leads, but wouldn’t pair up because he couldn’t get his van close enough. “Gareth shouted, ‘Give me those ruddy jump leads’ and somehow he fixed them and when our driver turned the engine, we were back in action.”
Ainsworth, 47, is also a vocalist in rock group The Cold Blooded Hearts – his long hair testimony of his love of the music scene.
“He was probably the only person who didn’t worry about going to a barber in lockdown,” said Harman.
“Players want to play for him, he has a tremendous relationship with the lads. He treats people like human beings. On the side of the pitch, he’s Mr Animation.
“He heads and kicks every ball, but away from it he’s quite a quiet man.
“Until recently he was playing midweek games for Woodley United in the Hellenic League until his ankle was wrecked.”
As a qualified referee, Harman was called into action as Ainsworth and his players prepared for the semi-final play-off games against Fleetwood Town.
“It was a hot Tuesday just before the first leg against Fleetwood,” said Harman.
“It was full-on, first team against reserves. Gareth and his assistant Richard Dobson wanted to watch it and normally Dobbo would take the session. They asked me to do it, knowing I was a qualified referee.
“A lot of my decisions were met with profanities, but it was great fun.
“I’ve got 3,000 words to write and it couldn’t be a better final chapter with the Wembley experience. I so want this bunch of lads to win and reach the highest point in their history.”