-

The game that got me hooked – FA Trophy Final, 1991

Trust Director Maria Edwards writes about the match that started it all for her

When I was asked to write this article, I knew exactly which game I would refer to; the 1991 F A Trophy Final, Wycombe Wanderers v Kidderminster Harriers.

Although it was that game which started my fascination with this team I have come to love, it would be unfair not to give a little bit of credit to the game which first made me think I might quite like the world of football. Strictly speaking, I don’t think there was actually one game, but the Italia ’90 World Cup as a whole. I guess coming from half an Italian family helped, as did Paul Gascoigne crying live on television! But whatever it was that did it, the summer of 1990 led to my association with “the beautiful game”.

The next year proved to be rather disappointing for me and my new-found love; female, aged 11 and unable to get to games unaccompanied, I was forced to follow my adopted team, Tottenham Hotspur (well, they did have Gazza and Gary Lineker after all!) from the rather uninspiring setting of the family living room.

However, things started looking up when, after much persuasion my dad agreed to take me to a match. I don’t think a trip to White Hart Lane would ever have materialised, but then the perfect opportunity came along; it was May 1991 and local team Wycombe Wanderers had made it to the F A Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium.

I have some rather bizarre pre-match memories. For some reason, collecting the tickets from the travel agent (I think) at Hazlemere Crossroads stands out most! Anyway, however we happened to get the tickets, there I was taking the train to Wembley with all those thousands of others for my first live football match.

I hope you're not expecting to read an account of the game, which moves and players won the match; to be honest I'm not sure I can recall any of it (well, I am only a girl after all!). My dad allowed me to buy a scarf and programme to remember the day by, both of which I still have at home with my ever-increasing collection of Wycombe memorabilia; just imagine 17 years' worth of replica kits and match day programmes and you'll get the idea!

To be honest though, I needn't have spent any money on souvenirs; being at the game provided enough memories to keep me going whilst I pestered my dad to take me to another game, then another and finally to buy me a season ticket. It also started what I intend to make a lifelong association with the club.

I guess in some ways I was lucky that my first game was such a huge occasion, and a successful one at that. It was easy for me to get hooked; who wouldn’t want to be a part of something so amazing?! I have much more admiration for a friend of mine who has remained a committed supporter despite her first game being the 5-2 home defeat to the team we don’t like to mention during the 1993/94 season. I can only conclude that Wycombe Wanderers must have some special magic that keeps drawing people back match after match, year after year, and even decade after decade.

So there you have it; that’s how my addiction started. How about yours?

Maria Edwards
Posted 22nd January 2009

posted in special-features | 22.01.2009. 22:22

Comments:

This article hasn't been commented yet.

Write a comment

* = required field

:

:

:

:

Click to reload captcha image