Official Match Thread: Wycombe Wanderes V Preston North End

Wycombe Wanderers V Preston North End
FA Cup 3rd round
Saturday 9th January 2021
KO 3pm

A view from the bunker

As I write I cannot help but reflect on this week’s transfer activity. Ched Evans had a decent record and I will leave it at that. There will be a lot of pressure on the guy and the hierarchy from the off. An unknown, Daniel Iversen, in the keeping department. I hope we reverse our recent fortunes in this department. The lad from Brighton, Jayson Molumby, is well liked down there and has kicked a premier league football this season, so here’s hoping.

I love the FA cup. Lost nothing for me. We’ve been fortunate in the last decade to host Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool. All to full houses. Equally I’ve always enjoyed watching sides from lower divisions. Shrewsbury had a nippy young lad in midfield, Ryan Woods, who tore through us not unnoticed by the Deepdale faithful. ‘We should sign him’ and noe he’s on Brentford’s books. A replay stood out where we knocked Ipswich out courtesy of a Joey Garner hattrick on a bitterly cold evening where we all had to occupy the finney stand. All 5K of us. Atmosphere was good though. Kevin Davies stood out that night, creating the space for Joey to work his magic. He had a habit of pulling down two defenders with him. The other time he stood out in a NE shirt was indeed at Wycombe in the FA cup. A wonderful shot on the turn ended up top bins and it was the deciding goal.

Our opponents tomorrow are in poor form and sit at the bottom of the championship with a goal difference of -19. Hard to imagine they will be playing championship football next season. Two defensive errors by the Wanderers saved our blushes at Deepdale this season and allowed us to salvage a point when an away win looked likely. Their manager, Gareth Ainsworth, has done a great job with the championship new boys and his name always comes up in the rare event of a managerial change at Deepdale along with another former great, Graham Alexander. Gareth’s efforts for NE were notable and appreciated during his two-year spell with the club starting in 1991 making 82 appearances netting 12 times from midfield. He always receives a great reception from the town end and it’s obvious that it’s appreciated by Gareth. His paying career started way back to 1991 with Northwich Victoria before ending in 2020 playing for Woodley United. He’s already managed 442 games, all but 11 with Wycombe, with a win ratio of 40%. It’s a football man allright and we’ll need to be at our best to get a result tomorrow.

Enjoy the game. It’s free to watch tomorrow!