When Tottenham visit Adams Park on Monday night, they will become the latest in a long line of England’s most famous clubs that Wycombe have played since they became a professional outfit 28 years ago.
With Spurs chasing the Premier League title and Wanderers rock bottom of the Championship, few experts will give the Chairboys much chance of beating Jose Mourinho’s team.
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However, Wycombe have an impressive history of rising to the big occasion, so perhaps a cup shock could be on the cards.
Over the years, Wanderers have had competitive games in various competitions against 15 of the 20 clubs in the current Premier League, and their record is outstanding.
League wins against Manchester City and FA Cup victories over Leicester and Wolves head the list of unexpected triumphs, and they have also beaten Brighton, Burnley, Fulham and Sheffield United.
Draws with Chelsea, Aston Villa, Southampton, Leeds, and West Brom add to Wycombe’s impressive record in big games, while defeats against Liverpool, West Ham, and Tottenham themselves were all by the narrowest of margins.
But despite their achievements against these major clubs, it was against one of the EFL’s smallest outfits that Wycombe enjoyed perhaps the most important win in their history.
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The date was Saturday, May 3, 2014, and the club’s very existence was under threat.
They travelled to Torquay United knowing that defeat in their final game of the season would mean relegation from the Football League and a financial meltdown.
On an unforgettable afternoon at Plainmoor, Wycombe won 3-0 to escape the drop on goal difference and avoid the threat of administration.
In Tottenham’s final game that season, they also won 3-0 against Aston Villa to clinch sixth place in the Premier League, meaning they finished three divisions and 73 places above Wycombe in the football pyramid.
The clubs meet on Monday night with the gap down to one division and 38 places, with Wanderers now competing in the Championship, the highest division in their 134-year history.
It is a remarkable story of triumph in adversity and proof that Wycombe can upset the odds. which they came close to doing the last time they faced Spurs four years ago. In an enthralling tie at White Hart Lane, Wanderers led 2-0 and 3-2 before a late onslaught by Spurs saw them triumph 4-3.
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The Chairboys have a much stronger squad these days, and due to Covid related postponements, it is more than two weeks since they were last in action. Spurs have played three games in that time, and they face a crunch match against Liverpool just three days after the Wycombe tie.
It is all set up for another Adams Park classic on Monday evening.
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