The 24/25 Season review Pt.1

The 24/25 seasons has officially ended, tables have been reset the first transfer window before the Club world Cup is open, loan spells have ended and players have been released of signed with other clubs. This season for me and my fans has been a success, others might not think so. My opinion is we have to take the loss against Charlton in the play-off semi-final on the chin and regroup next year with new faces and more fans than ever due to the season ticket change. But putting hat aside lets look back on the season of 24/25.

The start of the season

Wycombe had a really exciting summer, we brought in new loanees including West Brom centre-back Caleb Taylor and Ipswich midfielder Cameron Humphreys. They also brought in left-back Daniel Harvie to replace Joe Jacobson and had Fred Onyedima return for the fourth time in his career. This was also a big season for young striker Richard Kone who came in from a non-league side last year. Wycombe began the campaign against Wrexham at the SToK Cae Ras. The game finished 3-2 with Wrexham taking a 2-0 lead at half-time. Kone scored his first goal of the season in the 58th minute. Former Sunderland forward Steven Fletcher made it 3-1 to Wrexham in the 83rd minute. Sam Vokes pulled back a late goal in the 89th minute but we couldn't get another one.

A tough August

Saturday 10th Wrexham- A FS- 3-2 

Saturday 17th Birmingham- H - FS - 2-3

Saturday 24th Rotherham- H - FS - 2-0 

 Wednesday 28th FA Cup Swansea 0-1

Saturday 31st Blackpool- A - 2-2

August was not fun for Wycombe this year as we pulled of last years antics by conceding 6 goals in two league matches. Birmingham was as close as Wrexham  with Wycombe taking the lead but the Bluenoses responded with three goals before Sam Vokes' 90th minute goal his second goal in back-to-back games. 

Rotherham was the first win of the season from the Blues with two late goals deciding the win. Wycombe gained some momentum in the FA Cup with the blues beating Championship side Swansea 0-1 to take us into the 23rd round. We finished August with a 2-2 draw against Blackpool. We sat in 16th knowing that we had to do better.

The comeback kings

September started good for the boys with a 1-2 comeback away at Northampton. New signing Daniel Udoh from Shrewsbury drew things level then Richard Kone netted his second of the season to complete the turnaround. The Tuesday we had a massive game on our hands- FA Cup 3rd round against Aton Villa. The stadium was packed and we brought a voice to Adams Park. Villa took the lead through Argentinian Emiliano Bluendia, Villa's second came through a penalty converted through Jhon Duran. Gareth Mccleary pulled one back but it wasn't enough. We exited the FA Cup. On the Saturday the blues pulled back 2 goals against Bristol Rovers in the second half one headed in by centre-back Joe Low from a set-piece by Bolton loanee Aaron Morley- who was absolutely impeccable until his loan terminated in January. We had some momentum building we were 7th in the league three wins on the trot. We had some form.

Points galore

In October something changed. The blue got points in every ingle game, Bloomfield found his magic touch. The midfield duo of Aaron Morley and Josh Scowen were unbeatable and Richard Kone was League One's hidden gem, scoring four goals in the month, one against Barnsley at Oakwell in a 2-2 draw and a hat-trick in 9 minutes off the bench at Adams Park, he was a man in-form. Some results were scraped over the line-like the 2-3 win against Burton with a goal in the 81st minute winning the game, to to some teams we overpowered with quality like with the 3-0 win against Leyton Orient.

Don't stop me now

This was the the month we knew that we were in contention for promotion. On Saturday 2nd we beat York City 3-2 in the FA Cup at Adams Park, that game didn't fill me with confidence for the upcoming Tuesday night match against Stockport County. That night we thumped Stockport 0-5 away at Edgeley Park. Kone and Onyedinma got braces and Aaron Morley got the 1. Apart from beating Stockport 0-5 we also became the highest scorers in League One and we took Birmingham's place at the top. We beat Wigan, Lincoln and Mansfield in the League and progressed in the FA Cup by beating Wealdstone 2-0. (I had the privilege of watching this game). We were the team to beat, life as a Wycombe fan was sweet.

Dip in the festive season

The Blues slightly nose-dived in December with back-to-back draws against Exeter and Reading and we were knocked out of the Virtu Cup by Swindon Town. Things picked up with a 4-1 win against Shrewsbury. A 0-0 draw against Bolton but a Boxing daw 3-0 win against Stevenage to bring out the Christmas cheer. We were left with a reality heck by loosing 2-1 to Charlton at the Valley. 

Match Report Leyton Orient vs Wycombe

A disappointing performance from the blues as we loose 1-0 to promotion seekers Leyton Orient. We knew that we had nothing to play for because Wrexham nabbed the second place spot and we were guaranteed play-offs. Today was big though because it is form for the play-offs, and the thing we need right now is form with Stockport coming up and the play-offs. 

The game was poor and we got thrashed. They were all over us and we were lucky to only concede One. The goal came from Orient's Randel Williams in the 65th minute. This win puts them to 5 games unbeaten and for me, they are the team that for me has a good chance in the play-offs.

What frustrates me is both teams played the same formation but yet one dominated. We need to learn how to attack or play-offs are out of the window.

My season review will come after Stockport and will include who my players of the season are and mor on the record breaking season we have had, keep up the hope, its not over yet. COYBS 

Match Report- Wycombe Vs Bolton Wanderers

Wycombe Wanders gain a big three points as Caleb Taylor scores in a second successive weekend in a Wycombe shirt. The former Bolton loanee headed home a Luke Leahy fee-kick at the back post he, just seven days earlier, headed home a 91st minute winner against Stevenage. The game was even until Bez Lubala ran the ball into the corner drawing two defenders out just to roll it through both of them for Adam Reach to pass the ball to Josh Scowen who teed it up for Luke Leahy to thump home with a venomous shot to the top right-corner of the net.

This win keeps our automatic promotion push alive as we move ahead of Wrexham into second with three games until the end of the season, but these games won't be easy. on Monday 21st- Charlton(H), then on Saturday 26th- Leyton Orient(A) and on the last game of the season we have Stockport(H). 

These fixtures won't be easy but coming of a three game win streak we need to take the game to Charlton and show them whose house this is. The season is coming to a close lets get behind the boys in blue and cheer them on until the very end.

Match Report Wycombe Reading

 The week has just got a lot worse for Mike Dodds’ Wycombe. A second half penalty from Harvey Knibbs gives three points to Reading’s last-minute play-off push and it leaves Wycombe’s automatic promotion charge looking much more unlikely as the season’s end draws near.

 

The penalty was the deciding factor for these teams as they were like for like with their chances on goal. Adam Reach had a chance to put the blues into the lead with a side-volleyed lob, but Pereira was there to reach it and push it away.

 

The ball did go in after Reach’s lob attempt, by Xavier Simons by was ruled out for offside by the linesman. Wycombe had 17 shots overall in the match with only 4 of those on target, multiple attempts from Reach, Humphries and Kone Wycombe’s leading line we missed, and with over half of in game possession the ball should of gone in the net.

 

The problem is this happened on Tuesday with Shrewsbury. 32 shots, 7 on target, 0 goals. When teams have this many shots at least 1 should go in. For me the problem that needs to be dealt with is goalscoring which is ironic because we were to scorers in the league. Something has to be done or we will not get anywhere, and at this stage of the season it’s all up to play for.

Match Report Wycombe vs Lincon City

Wycombe 1-0 Lincoln. This game was big for the Blues. After the loss to Wrexham and a nervy 3-2 win against Rotherham, Dodds had to prove that he could win comfortably. Wrexham's fixtures are only getting easier as we progress into the latter stages of the season. We needed a win

The game started slow and Wycombe did what is now so common in Dodds' reign. Keep the ball for too long and not do anything with it. Too many times we would have the ball at the edge of the box and instead of shooting, we would try the extra pass which normally lead to us loosing the ball. At the end of the match, I said to my friend, "It's like we are allergic to taking shots". Throughout the whole match I was begging for us to have a shot. Multiple times Xavier Simons had a chance to shoot but made the unnecessary pass instead.

The ref had more of a shocker than Lincoln's number 15 who was given a straight red for a studs up challenge off the pitch. This ref missed three handballs in the penalty area and a challenge by the goalie on Richard Kone. The goalie grabbed Kone's legs and pulled him down.

We luckily broke the deadlock in the 66th minute through Camron Humphreys. A penetrative pass was played through the defence to him 1 on 1 with with the goalie, he sat him down sent a defender leading him to slide into his own net for Humphreys to score in an open, empty goal.

We won by the skin of our teeth but a win is a win.

The harsh truth about Wycombe is that we don't look like scoring and when we do score we will have to score two or three because we aren't solid defensively. For me I'm not a fan of Dodds and if, if we get promoted I think the board should reconsider their options. We need an experienced manager not Dodds. Not a nervous wreck on the touchline. 

Match Report- Wycombe Wanderers Vs AFC Wrexham

 A huge match for Wycombe- 2nd vs 3rd. Wrexham three points separating us from them. A win would hopefully lead us one step closer to promotion. Mike Dodds had to change some things up, we needed to be more attacking a lot of pressure was resting on the boys. 

The game was poor no side looked like scoring. It didn't look like a 2nd vs 3rd clash. Wycombe and Wrexham had chances. Fred Onydima missed a glorious chance to put us one up and Sam Smith hit the post in the second half.

The game was delayed due to a Wrexham fan collapsing and needing CPR. The game was called of for 40 minutes and the packed out ground slowly thinned as fans made their way to the exists. The game was resumed eventually. Wycombe had a corner and Joe Low was denied by a stunning save by the goalie.

Wrexham's pressure came off with a stunning strike by Sam Smith in the 78th minute. After Wycombe put all the pressure of the but Wrexham hold firm and won the game. Wrexham now have the a 6 point gap min  second and we don't look like scoring. It will come down to the last few matches to decide our fate but for now our future is unknown. We go again COYB

Match Report WWFC vs Birmingham

 The biggest game of 2025 and I had the privilege of being there. Birmingham city the team at the top of the league were the hosts of a thrilling encounter between the top two.

Wycombe came into this game with a rather tedious and poor performance against Wigan the week before and were hoping to make a nuisance of themselves at st Andrews. The Blues welcomed back club Captain Jack Grimmer back at right back and League One's top goalscorer Richard Kone in the striker spot

The Blues in the first twenty five minutes were absolutely dominanted. We had very little ball and Birmingham's passing was next level. The midfield maestros for Birmingham ran the show. Barcelona academy product Paik Seung-Ho and former Celtic man Tomoki Iwata ran the show.

The first goal came when a long ball from former Wycombe goalkeeper Ryan Allsop played a long ball over the top for the onrushing Taylor Gardener-Hickman to take down on the chest, swivel and shoot at Will Norris. Norris did well from the initial save but the ball was moving do fast that when it hit his hand the ball span up and backwards into the net. In a later interview Mike Dodds stated that it was a "crap goal" to concede.

Things couldn't get any worse for the blues until Xavier Simons did a studs op ankle challenge on Birmingham fullback Ethan Laird. The midfielder had done so well to track back but the tackle was poor and we paid for it.

We thought that this could end in an absolute thrashing but even with ten men Birmingham could not find a way in the second half. Paik and Iwata were rendered useless as we looked for an equaliser. Ryan Allsop pulled of some of the saves of the season when he denied Joe Low from under three yards out. Allsop came of injured late on in the second half.

The game finished 1-0 but if we play like we did in the second half we could still go up. COYB.

The experience of Birmingham was unbelievable even at 11 I the morning there was a pub with two bouncers on two doors. St Andrews was very impressive and the atmosphere was incredible. St Andrews had a stadium Dj blasting out tunes. If we go up go to St Andrews it is incredible. The best part of Birmingham though was the road out of Birmingham.