Saturday’s game at Oxford United will be my last as Digital Content Manager for Wycombe Wanderers after three special seasons at Adams Park. I never thought somewhere over 200 miles away from where I live would instantly feel like home but such is the culture of this special club I instantly felt an emotional connection to the place.

I arrived at Wanderers in the latter stages of 2016/17 to work with the legendary Matt Cecil after previously working at Southend United, and my first experience at the club was certainly a memorable one as I was grilled by former chairman Andrew Howard in my interview (just a tip - don’t say inexperience is a weakness to him).

I was later told by Andrew before he left the club that he wanted me to really prove that I wanted to be part of this project they were building in the interview and I am so thankful that he did because I instantly got a feel of the passion people have for this badge and I immediately bought into what the club was trying to achieve, both as a media and marketing department and as a whole. I was sold, and thankfully Matt gave me the job.

After narrowly missing out on the play-offs by a single point in my first season, myself and Matt looked forward to a summer of building momentum on our social channels about backing the boys for a promotion push. Top seven was the PR line but that was quickly extinguished when an excitable Luke O’Nien sat down and said he wanted to win the title to the Bucks Free Press on the first day of pre-season.

The cat was out of the bag, League One was the desired destination and what a ride it was to get there. The greatest anniversary present I could have given my now fiancée Hannah was a seat in the press box for Nathan Tyson’s late winner against Crewe Alexandra! Marcus Bean gave me one of the greatest moments I have ever witnessed watching this beautiful game with his strike vs Carlisle, and walking past Danny Hylton’s glum face in the tunnel after the 3-2 win at Kenilworth Road still brings a smile to mine today. I could go on and on but sadly I would end up filling up the paper with all the memories that 2017/18 gave me.

Of course I do have to mention that day at Chesterfield though, when Sir Dominic Gape scored I ran the length of the gantry in pure elation before finding Nick Tunney and Phil Catchpole on commentary. Hats off to Phil for keeping his composure on the radio as I was repeatedly kissing the top of his head once I got to him! I went to film the full-time whistle reaction and seconds after that whistle blew I saw all the emotion pour out of Gareth; the near relegation to the abyss, the Wembley heartache. Professionalism went out the window, I stopped recording and gave him the biggest hug you could imagine. For me and Cec, it has never felt like ‘us and them’ with the playing staff, we share everything together and that was evident in the celebrations. What a day!

I have been so proud of what the team and club have achieved in its first season back in League One in over six years, and I know that Gareth and the boys have what it takes to finish this five-year plan I bought into two years ago by securing their status in this division.

Before I go, a lot of thanks need to be said. To all the people I have had the pleasure to work with in the press; Nick, Phil and the staff at Wycombe Sound to name a few. To our matchday media team who help us punch above our weight as a department and the office staff who work so hard behind the scenes to make this club one to be proud of.

Gareth, Dobbo and the football staff are some of the most inspirational characters I will ever have the pleasure to work with and I thank them for all the support, laughs and pearls of wisdom they have given in my time here. Of course, Matt Cecil, one of the greatest guys I know professionally and personally. I leave this place with a lot more experience than what I came in with thanks to him, but more importantly I leave with a lifelong friendship.

I am extremely sad to leave this place, and if it was around the corner from my native north you would struggle to get rid of me. A new challenge at Blackburn Rovers awaits me which sets me up for married life, but there will always be a big place in my heart for Wycombe Wanderers. This club has some of the best fans in the game and I hope we have provided content worthy of that support.

See you again soon.

COYB!

TJ