|
The Story of The Blues brought to you by |
|
| 1993-1994 RETRO INDEX | HISTORY MENU |
| Retro - A look back on the 1993/94 season August 1993 - Big Tel arrives |
Wanderers completed August 1993 with away games at Wigan Athletic and Hereford United. The Wigan game at Springfield Park saw Paul Rennie put the home side ahead after just seven minutes with a 20 yard strike from the right side of the penalty area. However, Wanderers hit back and equalised after 35 minutes when Steve Guppy stab in Dave Carroll's mis-hit shot from Keith Scott's cross. Wanderers had chances to win but the game ended 1-1. The game at Hereford on the evening after August Bank Holiday Monday turned out to be a thriller and provided the Wycombe debut for on loan centre-half Terry Evans. Martin O'Neill had taken the Brentford player on a six week deal in what turned out to the catch of the season. But O'Neill admitted later in the season that Evans' first games in a Wycombe shirt had him worried. The Wycombe boss said "It turned out to be the buy of the season and I would love to take fantastic credit for that and eventually I will do. But that's not how it happened believe it or not." Evans came to Wycombe after he had a disagreement with Bees Manager David Webb. He was also a good friend of Jason Cousins and that was enough to convince O'Neill to take on the giant defender. O'Neill commented "His first real game was when he came on against Hereford. Matt Crossley got injured and Terry came on after about 25 minutes. He caused a foul and when the ball came into the penalty box he's missed a header and goal!. It was a concern to O'Neill "I thought to myself I'm not sure about this fella. The following night he played in a reserve game against Sutton United and he was absolutely pathetic! I turned to Terry and I said to him, if your loan ended tommorrow I would be sending you back. He said 'Hold on gaffer, I'm not fit, I'm like that when I'm not fit. Just give me another week and we'll do it'.". O'Neill took the comments on board, adding "Luckily enough and fortunate for me I listened to his advice and I threw him in for his full game against Coventry City and from then on he was just simply magnificent. In fact he was carrying the side for two or three months."
The game at Edgar Street played in front of a crowd of 2,847 saw Wanderers take the lead through a Keith Scott penalty in the 9th minute. However, poor defending saw Wycombe fall behind 2-1 be the 30th minute. Andy Kerr levelled the scores three minutes before the break when he headed home from close range after Evans had knocked the ball down.Scott then restored Wycombe's lead on 62 minutes with a far post header but the home side clawed back again on 59 minutes despite having being reduced to ten men a few minutes earlier when Colin Anderson was sent-off for a bad foul on Cousins. The game looked to be ending in a draw before Kerr scored his second of the night with just four minutes on the clock - heading in again from a left wing cross and delighting the 500 strong travelling support, most of whom had been delayed in traffic problems before the game. Speaking after the game Terry Evans told the press "I am just hoping to improve on that performance and get another chance. I had a great rapport with the crowd at Brentford who used to get behind me and I am hoping to get the same here. I will give 100 per cent, no problem about that". Evans was true to his word as he eventually secured a permanent deal and become a firm favourite with the Wanderers' fans. A side story during August was speculation of Martin O'Neill being in the running for the vacant Manager's role at Manchester City. The national press assumed O'Neill was the man to take over from Peter Reid when City's General Manager John Maddock gave an interview while travelling south on the M40. It later turned out he was on his way to interview Oxford United's Brian Horton who was later appointed Manager at Maine Road. September would see Wanderers renew their acquaintancies with Colchester United in a first ever Football League meeting between the two sides. The month would also see Wycombe travel to Coventry City in a Second Round First Leg Coca Cola cup tie at Highfield Road. The Doncaster home game would also prove memorable for a number of reasons. Click here to read more |
| This is the story of WYCOMBE WANDERERS brought to you by www.CHAIRBOYS.co.uk HISTORY MENU |