Today I'm going back seven years to 2015 and York City's visit to Adams Park to play Wycombe Wanderers in a League 2 fixture in front of an official attendance of 3,688. The fixture was the first game of the season for both clubs.
Today's programme cover star is Wycombe Wanderers manager: Gareth Ainsworth. Ainsworth is another of those players who has "been around" and who brings new meaning to the phrase "we go again". He has appeared, amongst others, for Preston North End, Lincoln City, Port Vale, Wimbledon, QPR and Wycombe Wanderers in all four divisions of the Premier / Football League as well as the National League making 624 club appearances and scoring 123 goals along the way. Ainsworth is also notorious for also being a talented rock musician. These days he is the manager at former club Wycombe Wanderers and has been in charge there for well over 500 matches achieving two promotions.
York, sporting an unfamiliar all red strip found themselves under pressure from the start in the featured match and the first goal wasn't long in coming. In the 7th minute, Anthony Stewart, making his second debut for Wycombe after a season away playing for Crewe Alexandra, knocked the ball past City goalkeeper Scott Flinders following a defensive mix-up. Wycombe extended their lead through Aaron Holloway who fired low into the net in the 28th minute to exert full control on the match. The result was eventually sewn up in the 58th minute with a bizarre own-goal scored by City's loan-signing Stephane Zubar who chipped Flinders from fully 25 yards to complete the scoring for the afternoon. It was a brilliant chip and it was such a shame that it had been scored at the wrong end!
York had begun the season under the management of Russ Wilcox but he left the club three months into the season with the club sitting in 21st position (of 24). His replacement was... an absolute disaster. Step forward Jackie McNamara to hoots of derision from York City supporters everywhere. It was a clear case of "be careful what you wish for" since Wilcox had, at least, keep City's out of the relegation positions whereas McNamara steered them downwards to finish in last place and relegation back into the National League. After the herculean efforts of Gary Mills and the boys to get City back into the Football League in 2012, falling back into non-league football after just four years was a terrible disappointment and worse was to come with a further relegation into the National League North the following season. It is only now, following last season's promotion back into the National League top division that things are at last looking up again for City but the Football League still feels like it's a long way away.
Despite their strong start, Wycombe's season wasn't anything special and they finished solidly in mid-table ending up in 13th place some eleven points outside of the Play-Off places (how York City would have loved that!). League 2's Champions that season were Northampton Town with Oxford United and Bristol Rovers also automatically promoted and AFC Wimbledon coming up via the Play-Offs. Dagenham & Redbridge were relegated alongside York.
CRB Match No. 2042
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