Get off your couch potato backsides and support Wanderers

8:22pm Thursday 15th May 2008

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I WAS widely condemned when I wrote in this column in March last year how it would be better for Wycombe Wanderers to be relegated rather than promoted.

I was subjected to some abuse, and I have no problem with that because people are rightly proud of their local football club and want them to do well.

Of course, I don't really want Wanderers to go down. And, of course, I want them to beat Stockport on Saturday and get through to the play-off final at Wembley where I would love to see them win promotion to League One.

But the essential point I made in March 2007 still stands.

The public of this area, and I include myself in this criticism, are just not doing enough to support their club.

Take, for instance, the attendance on Sunday at the play-off first leg at Adams Park. It was only 6,587, of which 1,189 were from Stockport. Wasps, who ground share, regularly pack the 10,000 capacity stadium. The last time the Chairboys did this was in January 2007 for the visit of the mighty Chelsea.

Wycombe Wanderers is a great family club with a super record this year, but still the fans don't flock through the turnstiles as they should.

Football fans have been spoilt on a TV diet of high class matches in which they can see Ronaldo, Rooney and Drogba on a weekly basis. As a result, many think that watching a League Two match is now beneath them. And I suspect some of these even yearn for the non-league days when Wycombe were winning trophies.

However, these same lost supporters will suddenly magically rediscover their loyalty if Wanderers reach Wembley and we'll witness a sea of two-tone blue not seen since the last time Wanderers hit the big time.

It's about time these fairweather fans got off their couch potato backsides and started supporting their local team as they should on a weekly basis.

As the saying goes: a football club is for life, not just for Wembley.