Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth has revealed that he is ‘calm’ going into the play-off final against Sunderland this weekend.
He will be no stranger to walking out of the tunnel at the home of English football, as this will be his fourth visit to Wembley Stadium.
His previous two visits were with the Chairboys in the 2015 League Two and 2020 League One play-off finals respectively, whilst his inaugural appearance at the gargantuan stadium was for Preston North End in the 1994 Division Three play-off final.
The then 21-year-old played in a 4-2 defeat for PNE, which coincidentally was against Wycombe Wanderers.
🔹1994 Division Three play-off final (against Wycombe)
— James Richings (@James_BFP) May 18, 2022
🔹2015 League Two play-off final
🔹2020 League One play-off final
🔹2022 League One play-off final
All of Gareth Ainsworth's appearances at Wembley (as a player and manager) have involved the #Chairboys pic.twitter.com/TaB6OoCia3
He said: “I’m calm.
“I’m lucky enough to be part of a Wembley final, once as a player and two as a manager (soon to be three), and we’ve got a base of players that have played in these games, and historically, Wycombe Wanderers have turned up for big games.
“We’ve got some big players for a big game and I am hoping for a big performance.
“This is a really exciting time.”
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Southend beat Wycombe on penalties as they were promoted to League One on the day in 2015 👏
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) May 23, 2020
Could you take a play-off final penalty? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/LX2Fx8c9Qw
The 49-year-old is also no stranger to achieving promotions as a manager and player.
He has masterminded two with Wycombe in 2018 and 2020, and was seconds away from his first as the club's boss in 2015.
As a player, he went up with Cardiff City in 2003, and then with Queens Park Rangers a year later in 2004.
This means he is one of the few players to achieve promotion in two consecutive seasons with two different teams.
Ainsworth also gained promotion with Wycombe as a player in 2011 from League Two.
Not quite his last game, but @daRealAkinfenwa has given us Wycombe fans some wonderful memories in his six years. From promotion in 17-18, that goal at Southend, and a first Championship goal at 38. Even managed to become our record EFL goalscorer. A proper Wycombe legend 💙 pic.twitter.com/batXMNeIsq
— Tyron 🏳️🌈 (@tlmfootball) April 1, 2022
On his previous achievements, the boss continued: “I had one against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough with QPR, I had one at the Millennium Stadium with Cardiff, and I have got a few with Wycombe and it’s just an exciting time.
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“Playing as a 21-year-old at the old twin towers was a fantastic experience for Preston in the play-off final, which we lost, coincidentally to Wycombe.”
“These are great moments that you look back on in your career.”
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