WYC JOY SERVED WITH ICE CREAM
WYCOMBE WANDERERS are flying high after scooping promotion to League One – but there’s no danger of manager Gareth Ainsworth’s side getting ideas above their station.
Last month, the Chair Boys secured the third and final promotion slot in League Two – avoiding the pitfalls of the play-offs that have proved a step too far in recent seasons.
It crowned a memorable campaign at Adams Park and sparked massive celebrations among fans who know Wycombe are punching above their weight on a shoestring budget.
For one man in particular, this promotion is special.
Andrew Howard, the club’s former chairman and now its sporting director, remembers when Wycombe were just 90 minutes from dropping out of the League, back in May 2014.
Howard used to milk cows for a living, made his way in the business world as an ice-cream maker, and has since gone on to own a motor racing team. He is committed to keeping Wycombe’s players on the right track and grafting.
Howard revealed: “What you’re constantly trying to do is to say to the players, ‘this is a job’.
“But the reality of this job is you’ve got 5,000 people watching you, and some days they’re shouting at you, other days you’re a god.
“Somehow, you need to bring some normality to that situation.”
One way Howard has done that is by getting the players doing shifts in his ice-cream factory.
He has also taken the players on trips to the Somme to provide them with a sense of perspective.
Howard added: “We have been working towards a culture that we didn’t know was going to be successful, but that we knew would offer us the best opportunity on the budget we’ve got here.
“Giving Gareth the time to develop his own culture and environment has been critical.
“Money is wonderful, but if you can’t manage the situation then you can have all the money in the world and it won’t make a blind bit of difference.
“We’ve seen lots of teams in the past have loads of money chucked in and it hasn’t bought them success.
“You’ve got 46 games – you’re going to win some and you’re going to lose some. That’s football.
“If you start the season the right way and keep that same mentality all the way through then you’ll be fine.”
Wycombe have that proved this season. Bring on League One.