Click here for your Rough Guide to Wycombe Wanderers Wycombe Wanderers XI 0 Celtic
Celtic 4
Tuesday 8th October 2002
Jason Cousins' Testimonial
Testimonial programme cover Jason Cousins' Testimonial Season culminated on Tuesday 8th October when a crowd of just over 5,000 witnessed Wycombe take on Martin O'Neill's Celtic side at Adams Park. The Scottish giants ran out 4-0 winners in the end but the score was irrelevant on a night of mixed emotions and moments of great entertainment.
Former Wanderer and Cousins' current team-mate at Aldershot, Dave Carroll, was the only guest in the Wycombe side and O'Neill also gave 'Davey' a five minute run-out in the famous Green and White hoops - Carroll's boyhood heroes. Jason even managed to get on the score sheet when he turned a Celtic cross from the right bye-line into his own net. Celtic's other goals came from Henrik Larsson (2) and Momo Sylla while the closest Wycombe came to scoring were through second-half efforts by Sean Devine, Richard Harris and Youth Teamer Pat Lynott.
Pre-match presentationCousins was greeted with a standing ovation as he took the field before the game. Donning the famous light and dark blue quarters for one final time he was then presented with momentoes by Martin O'Neill on behalf of Celtic plus a gift from Wanderers Supporters Club representatives. His framed No.4 shirt was handed over by Lawrie Sanchez while Jason himself wore a shirt himself that simply said COUSINS.
The action itself was typical testimonial stuff but with a Celtic side so brimming talent it was untrue there were times when the visitors looked like they could score at will. It actually took Celtic 15 minutes to get the ball into the back of the Wycombe net but not before Martin Taylor had denied the awesome Henrik Larsson, while at the other end Chris Vinnicombe's deep cross from the left was nearly converted by the head of Danny Senda as he sprinted in at the far post.
ActionIt was Larsson who smashed home the first goal as he made room for himself before sending a bullet past Taylor. Wanderers then showed they could pass the ball around with the highlight being a 27th minute move that ended with a cheeky chip from Steve Brown from the left channel sailing just a fraction over the Celtic crossbar.
Cousins himself went close to scoring for Wycombe before Celtic eased into a 2-0 lead on 35 minutes when Larsson tried to dink the ball past Taylor from the left edge of the six yard box only for Andy Thomson's block ending with the ball deflecting into the Valley End net.
Four minutes before the break Dave Caroll was replaced by fellow 'old' boy Keith Ryan. The Wycombe legend was also wearing his CARROLL Wycombe shirt for the last time but it wasn't the final appearance of the evening for the Scottish born player.
Half-time Wycombe 0 Celtic 2
Wycombe made wholesale substitutions at half-time with Cousins remaining the only player from the starting line-up. Ex-Wimbledon centre-back Dean Blackwell made his first appearance in a Wycombe shirt having been given a trial by Lawrie Sanchez while Youth Teamer Jack Smillie made good impressions at right-back.
Celtic too made changes but as they took the foot off the gas Wycombe could have scored when Stuart Roberts broke away from the half-way line before feeding Harris down the right side but although the final shot was on target it didn't have enough on it to beat Jonathan Gould in the Celtic goal.
Jason exits for the final time in a Wycombe shirtCeltic were quick to respond but in an ironic twist there were chants of 'One Jason Cousins' came from the Celtic fans after 55 minutes when 'Couz' only managed to turn the ball into his own net following Didier Agathe's low ball in from the right bye-line. Cousins acknowledged the 1,000 plus following in the away end with genuinely appreciative applause before just three minutes he took the appreciation from the Wycombe fans for the final time following his substitution.
Dave Carroll of CelticSean Devine should have scored for Wycombe on 60 minutes when he was left in space on the right but substitute 'keeper David Marshall was equal to the shot. Celtic completed the scoring on the night when a flowing move down the right ended with Momo Sylla directing the ball past Frank Talia.
Youth Teamer Pat Lynott saw a 25 yard pile driver brilliantly saved by Marshall on 80 minutes following Jonny Dixon's lay back before Dave Carroll was honoured by Martin O'Neill in allowing a five minute spell in the famous Celtic shirt.
An entertaining evening and one where the Wycombe fans had the chance to say their thank you's and farewell's to both Jason Cousins and Dave Carroll. They are heroes!
Final Score Wycombe 0 Celtic 4
Wycombe (1st half): Taylor, Senda, Vinnicombe, Thomson, McCarthy, Cousins, Simpson, Brown, Carroll (sub 41 Ryan), Faulconbridge, Rammell.
Wycombe (2nd half): Talia, Townsend, Johnson, Cousins (sub 58 Cook[sub 79 Dixon]), Blackwell, Smillie (sub 79 Parsons), Ryan (sub 79 Lynott), Currie, Roberts, Harris, Devine
Celtic: Gould (sub 59 Marshall), Boyd (sub 76 McGlinchey), Healy (sub 86 Carroll), Larsson (sub 55 Miller), Thompson (sub HT Sylla), Sutton (sub 62 Wallace), Fernandez, Petta (sub 62 Beattie), Laursen (sub HT Smith), Agathe (sub 62 Doyle), Lennon
Referee: Dermot Gallagher (Thame) Attendance: 5,072 (1044 Celtic)

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Sanchez says it was tough to let Cousins go.
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