[themaclad]

Wycombe Wanderers
Deepdale 8/2/2025 15.00hrs

It's the joy of the Cup

https://www.wwfc.com/

MANAGER

New manager bounce ?



Mike Dodds (born 3 June 1986) is an English football coach, who is the Head Coach of EFL League One club Wycombe Wanderers.

Coaching career
At the age of 18, Dodds joined Coventry City as a youth coach, after acquiring his UEFA B License whilst still at college.[1] In 2009, Dodds joined Birmingham City's academy in a coaching capacity. In 2020, Dodds made the step up to academy manager at Birmingham.[2] During Dodds' time at Birmingham, he was credited with having a positive impact on the development of Birmingham academy graduates Nathan Redmond, Demarai Gray and Jude Bellingham.[1]

In August 2021, Dodds left Birmingham to join Sunderland as head of individual player development.[2] On 2 February 2022, Dodds was appointed interim manager of Sunderland, following the sacking of Lee Johnson and again following the sacking of Tony Mowbray.[3] On 19 February 2024, he was once again appointed interim manager until the end of the season following the sacking of Michael Beale.[4]

On 2 February 2025, Dodds was appointed head coach of League One second-placed side Wycombe Wanderers on a three-and-a-half year deal.[5]

LAST ROUND





MET BEFORE



Last three meetings all behind the doors that were closed when we played in front of fans wwe won 5-1, I know I was there

NEWBIES



HOT SHOTS



The Fitness Test

After picking up an injury against Blackburn Rovers, defender Jordan Storey will be sidelined at least until the March international break.

Ryan Porteous was brought in on deadline day to add competition in that backline, however he is unavailable having featured in Watford’s third round tie against Fulham.

Hero of the last round, Milutin Osmajić is expected to be back in contention after struggling with illness last week. Ben Whiteman and Robbie Brady will miss out through injury, and Will Keane is a doubt.

The Chairboys



Wycombe Wanderers will begin a new era at Deepdale this weekend as Mike Dodds takes charge of his first match as head coach.

The former Sunderland assistant has succeeded Matt Bloomfield at Adams Park and will now look to finish the job off in terms of their search for promotion.

Wycombe have enjoyed a brilliant season so far and sit second in the League One table. In Richard Kone, they possess the EFL's top goalscorer, and the Chairboys will also be hoping to enjoy a cup run on the side of their league success, having already defeated a Championship side in Portsmouth in the third round.

The Officials

Referee: Benjamin Speedie
Assistant Referees: Conor Brown and Graeme Fyvie
Fourth Official: Martin Coy

North End will be hoping they can come close to replicating what they did the last time Benjamin Speedie took charge of one of their matches, as PNE progressed to the next round of the Carabao Cup thanks to a 5-0 win over Harrogate Town.

In total this season, Speedie has refereed 27 matches, showing 91 yellow cards and one red.

MACS VIEW

We have a chance to make a rare visit into the 5th Round, which could lead to an even rarer visit to the 6th Round which in the nearly 56 seasons of misery I have witnessed is a round I have never reached

Not be easy against these lads, new manager bounce as well

[themaclad]

HECK

Paul Heckingbottom says preparations for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Wycombe Wanderers aren’t being taken lightly, with the PNE boss well aware of the quality the opponents possess.

It’s Championship plays League One at Deepdale in the fourth round, however the Chairboys will be hoping that in a few months’ time they can call themselves a second-tier side again.

North End have already got the better of two lower-league opponents so far this season – Harrogate Town and Charlton Athletic – and they’ll be hoping to do the same again this weekend to earn a place in the fifth round.



Hecky said: “The moment we don't treat a game at home against Wycombe the same as we did Fulham or Arsenal is the moment we come unstuck. Whoever’s in front of us, we’ll try and win. That’s it.

“They’re up there for a reason. You can see how tough Charlton were as a team who are well organised, the calibre of player they've got and the squad they've got, and they gave us a really tough game.

“Wycombe are above them in the league. They're there on merit for how effective they are, especially when they're attacking, and their style of play, how effective that is. We’re expecting an even tougher game this weekend.

“They'll come here trying to impress a new manager as well. We're preparing for a really, really good, tough, competitive game.”

The manager provided a team news update ahead of the clash, confirming that Robbie Brady will miss out again, while Will Keane remains a doubt.

Jordan Storey, who picked up an injury in the defeat to Blackburn Rovers, isn’t expected to feature prior to the March international break.


That left a gap in defence which has been filled by the addition of Ryan Porteous on loan from Watford, however the defender is cup-tied for this clash.

Hecky said: “He's a good footballer, better than people think because people see how aggressive he is and how wholehearted he is when he tackles and what he gives to try and win a game.

“But with that you'll see someone who likes to have the football, takes the ball and he's a goal threat in the opposition's box as well.

“He fits in terms of what he can do as a footballer. He's already shown that at Watford and he’s a Scottish international, however as a person as well his personality will fit great with these lads here.

“I'm sure as the days and weeks go on he'll really realise what a good decision he's made to come to us for the rest of the season.”

[talkSAFT]

" We have a chance to make a rare visit into the 5th Round, which could lead to an even rarer visit to the 6th Round which in the nearly 56 seasons of misery I have witnessed is a round I have never reached"

[/quote]

You were born too late, Mac

My 1st memory of anything to do with Football was in 1954:
My folks must have had the only telly down our road, 'cos about a dozen neighbours came round and sat/stood in our frontroom cheering the Albion on to victory in The Cup Final. (Can't remember the opposition. ) I didn't have a clue what it was all about.

[themaclad]

Preston North End 0 Wycombe Wanderers 0 (PNE win 4-2 on penalties)


Attendance: 10,444 (974 Wycombe Wanderers fans).

Referee: Mr B Speedie.

120 minutes of absolute nothingness, before North End won a penalty shoot out 4-2 we are through and no doubt for having to suffer this will be rewarded with either Cardiff or Millwall away it's an absolute certainty. A replay would have been fair for Wycombe they made iit hard for us kept their shape mind you that was easy with our usual slow build up.
Early Oneydinma effort clipped the outside of the post, as per usual we were slow to get going, final ball let the visitors down but we started to get a grip and probably should have led as Osmajic was through one on one never really had the ball under control and the chance went begging. Norris saved one form I think it was Greenwood before the follow up from McCann was cleared from the line.
Second period was even worse both sides eventually ran out of ideas, two efforts from Lubala and McCleray should have given us more problems but both were tame efforts. Greenwood hit a post and had an effort at the end well saved by Norris. Indeed in the six minutes of added time the vast majority would have taken a goal from any one to save us another 30 minutes, no suck luck.
Wanderers sat deep in extra time, we coudn't find a way through so penalties it was. Udoh and Reach both had theirs saved by Woodman, McCann to win it row 25, up stepped Ched Evans and that was that.

HECK

Paul Heckingbottom was delighted his side got through a “war of attrition” in the fourth round victory over Wycombe Wanderers.

Preston North End made it through to the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup courtesy of a penalty shootout victory at Deepdale, following a goalless draw after 120 minutes.

The high-flying League One side made it a tight affair which PNE edged in terms of chances, but ultimately the breakthrough didn’t come.



Hecky said: “I’m delighted. It was a really tough, tough game. Wycombe didn't disappoint us.

“I’m delighted we've gone through, as you always are, but also with the manner in the end because when you don't take your chances at the beginning against a team as dogged and determined as they are, it would have opened the game up massively for us.

“It became a bit of a war of attrition and then that is their strength. For us to stand up to that and still be the better team but not succumb to it, I’m really pleased and I'm really pleased to get through on penalties.”

As the game headed into penalties, Sam Greenwood, Milutin Osmajić, Mads Frøkjær and Ched Evans all converted from the spot, while Freddie Woodman made two important saves.

It’s the second time this season that Woodman’s been the hero in a shootout, following the Carabao Cup victory over Fulham in September.


Hecky said: “The boys did well at the penalties. Freddie was great. They’ve done their homework, him and Polly (Mike Pollitt).

“I was at the side of Polly and he was telling me which way each player was going and which way Freddie would go and he made the saves off the back of that. So yeah, they’ve done their homework and helped get us through.”

After the 90 minutes was done, extra-time came along and there were only two shots on target between the two teams, as the game moved towards a shootout.

Hecky said: “We were pushing and pushing but they defended their box very well. It’s a big strength of theirs. Sonny Bradley and Joe Low, they were protected really well by their midfield which meant we were trying to get down the outside.

“The line was a little bit higher in the first half because we had more of the ball in the second, and we were a lot deeper. We couldn't get in behind them so we were having to cross and then that's their strength, so unless the ball was dropping to us, their midfielders are great at dropping in on the second, and we found it harder to create in the second half.”