SKIPPER Jason Cousins put pen to paper on a new three-year contract this week and then said he doesn't expect to see it out in the third division.

Captain Cousins, 28, is the first player to be signed up by new boss Lawrie Sanchez as he bids to surround himself with players who will give their all for the club.

The new deal includes a testimonial for Cousins in his final year -- which will mark his eleventh season at the club.

Cousins, hot favourite to land this season's player of the year award, said after signing: "I'm chuffed about it. I've been really happy at Wycombe.

"And since the boss has come in he's given everyone a real lift. I definitely think we will stay up this season and I believe that if we do stay up and we get off to a good start next season we could do well."

Sanchez is delighted to have his skipper on board until 2002.

He said: "He's the club captain and he leads by example."

Andy Baird is the only other player so far to have been offered a new contract by Sanchez but the teenage striker, who attracted interest from Derby, Portsmouth and Bolton earlier this season is stalling on signing it.

Sanchez said: "I want Baird to stay. He's been offered a decent contract for what he's done so far and I want it resolving now if he's staying."

Sanchez is concerned that Baird's head is being turned by agents who are trying to fast-forward his career before he is ready.

He said: "money will follow success. For this moment I think it's best for him to stay here. He's still got a lot to learn."

Keith Scott turned good Samaritan as he stopped a coachload of Wanderers fans completing their journey to Tuesday's postponed game at Bristol Rovers.

Scottie got on his mobile as soon as the match was called off and phoned his mother in-law Elaine Cousins, who was on the Official Supporters club coach, to tell them they might as well turn round.

The fans who made the journey half way down the M4 got their money back as well because the Official Supporters Club are insured in the event of matches being called off.

Gary Goodchild's juniors moved up to fifth in the South East Coutnies League with their second successive win, a 1-0 success over Brighton last Saturday.

Blues boss Sanchez was philisophical about the postponement of Tuesday night's match at Bristol Rovers.

The match at the Memorial Ground was called off two hours before kick-off because of a waterlogged pitch in Bristol.

Sanchez said: "It was unplayable. You don't want to play a farce when points are so important."

Wycombe and Rovers will wait until the Auto Winscreen Shield semi-finals have been played before fixing a new date for their clash at the Memorial Ground.

April 17, the weekend of the AWS final at Wembley, is the prefered date. Rovers are due to play Millwall that day and Wycombe should play Wigan, but that will fall by the wayside if both win their AWS semi-final games.

If they don't both get through, March 23 is the most likely alternative.

John Cornforth limped off injured just six minutes into the reserves win 1-0 over Brentford.

Tomorrow's home clash against Colchester is only all-ticket for away fans. Home fans can pay on the turnstile but are reminded that any tickets bought today are £1 cheaper. Colchester expect to sell-out their 1,000 allocation.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.