Wycombe Wanderers Relegated to League Two

Willi's Wycombe

It was always going to take a herculean effort to avoid relegation and Wycombe Wanderers finally succumbed to their fate following a 2-0 defeat in east London to Leyton Orient. In recent weeks, the Blues had given their fans renewed hope of avoiding the drop and completing the greatest of escapes. They went into Saturday's clash with the O's on the back of three victories and a draw.

Wanderers were five points off safety with only two games left and had to beat Orient to retain any hope of survival. As it turned out, Tranmere Rovers and Gillingham, the two sides directly above Wycombe, both won their games against Millwall and Southampton respectively.

Wycombe, roared on by a vocal travelling contingent, toiled with the home side however their resolve was broken twelve minutes from time by Ryan Jarvis. Ex-Wanderer Scott McGleish added the decisive second goal in the final minutes of the game.

Following the disappointment of relegatiom, the overwhelming feeling emanating from the stands appears to be one of hope for next season. No doubt there will be plenty of changes in personnel as manager Gary Waddock seeks to further imprint his own stamp on the team. Only a few members of the current first-team look likely to take their place in next season's starting line-up.

Wanderers will now return to League Two, just one season after gaining promotion. In their Football League history, the Blues have spent ten seasons in the third tier and inclusive of next season, will have participated in seven campaigns in the fourth.

In truth, despite the spirited end of season run, Wycombe never managed to muster a positive set of results significant enough to secure their League One status. There were brief moments when it looked as if the team were about to spark into life, including two 'doubles' over Millwall and Bristol Rovers. Sadly, these were fleeting and thumpings at the hands of Yeovil and Brighton combined with slip-ups against fellow strugglers Oldham Athletic and Exeter City meant relegation always seemed inevitable.

Upon examination, the Blues can have few complaints with their demise. The team have leaked seventy-six goals and have one final game to negotiate, a relegation decider against Gillingham. Recriminations have begun with some fans already pointing to the damaging effect Steve Hayes' protracted pre-season takeover/coup had on events on the pitch.

Whatever protestations certain groups or individuals have made, the difficult task of re-building a squad capable of challenging for promotion next year is of paramount importance. The 2009/2010 season will ultimately be deemed a failure however if the owner's ambitions are to be met, a successful 2010/2011 term is vital.