Sign of the Times

Kernow Yellow · Post by **Kernow Yellow** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 4:07 pm

When Wycombe were promoted from the Conference I was keen for them to do well. Even when we played them (and lost our first three fixtures against them) I bore them no animosity. I mean, you couldn't begrudge little Wycombe, could you? They'd been a non-league team only a few years previously.

When we won 3-0 at Adams Park on that sunny Easter Monday, we were destined for greater things, they'd probably slip back quietly to where they'd come from and it'd be a while before we got to play our quaint little country neighbours again.

Now, only ten years later, and a significant number of Oxford fans are getting excited because we've drawn &quotWycscum&quot in the Cup. Even Snake thinks it's our Cup Final.

FFS. The idea that we might perform some kind of 'giant killing' at Wycombe - that they might even be meaningful rivals in any way - has temporarily removed my enjoyment of the season, and reminded me exactly how far we've fallen.

Am I the only one?

yellowportly · Post by **yellowportly** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 4:57 pm

&ltrant&gt

This tie represents a couple of things for me
i) We get to really see how we match up to a reasonably good League Team, and offers a great comparison between how we were in February of this year versus how we are now, and whether the new regime really is making a difference
ii) Having lived in Thame for a few years, there's no-one I'd prefer to beat than Wikkum, even Swindle games pale into insignificance as far as I'm concerened if we can get one over the inbreds from wwfc.

That abiding memory of Moody and Massey in that game at Adams Park all those years ago is one I'll cherish for years to come

So as far as I'm concerened it marks a checkpoint in the recovery process of the Yellow Army and one I'd love to win

&lt/rant over&gt

Of course, others may feel differently ...

SteMerritt · Post by **SteMerritt** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:29 pm

I am a Thame lad (still work in Thame, although now live in Bicester), and there is just no rivalry towards Wycombe to me. If they knock us out it won't bother me any more than being knocked out by Carlisle would do.

Mally · Post by **Mally** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:58 pm

&quotSteMerritt&quot wrote:I am a Thame lad (still work in Thame, although now live in Bicester), and there is just no rivalry towards Wycombe to me. If they knock us out it won't bother me any more than being knocked out by Carlisle would do.

I think your indifference is probably a symptom of your age. My son went to school in Thame and sadly was one of a very small group of Oxford fans (probably less than 1% of all pupils). For him the one result that would ensure taunting and ridicule at school was if we lost to Wycombe.

Oxford is almost equidistant from Reading, Slumdon and Wycombe. Of course the main rivals are Slumdon always have been and probably always will be (although personally I dislike Reading and their &quotfans&quot more) but over the last decade we've played Wycombe as many times as Reading and Slumdon and certainly in the east of the county there is a growing rivalry.

DLT · Post by **DLT** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:25 pm

What I remember of the game in February is that they were there for the taking. Their back line looked static and slow and yet we just didn't attack them.

yellowportly · Post by **yellowportly** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:16 pm

Agreed they were there for the taking, but we didn't take them and if it weren't for the Turley wunder-save we would have lost more heavily ... their back line was slow and cumbersome, but sadly so was our front line

Baboo · Post by **Baboo** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 11:29 pm

My greatest loathing as people may already be aware is for MK Dons. From Bicester it is only 45 mins away and is closer than Slumdon, Reading and Wycombe too (just). I worked there for 17 years up until last year. I've never seen them play &amp never want to. (Although I would pay up if we were playing them)

A-Ro · Post by **A-Ro** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:50 am

&quotKernow Yellow&quot wrote:FFS. The idea that we might perform some kind of 'giant killing' at Wycombe - that they might even be meaningful rivals in any way - has temporarily removed my enjoyment of the season, and reminded me exactly how far we've fallen.

Am I the only one?

KY - That is a sentiment that I totally agree with, we (WE) are better than them, always have been and always will be.

The fact that they think this game is going to be one of, if not the, best games of the season tells a story about their ambition.

Their fans (and snake) are calling it our cup final but even if we lose we are going to have much bigger games towards the end of the season.

Kernow Yellow · Post by **Kernow Yellow** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:58 am

What gets me is that Wycombe are a small basement division team. We've only been in the Conference for 3 months and shouldn't be getting excited about playing them. To be honest, even if we get promoted my joy will be short-lived at the realisation that we'd be playing 'the likes of' Bury and Boston [edit - and indeed Wycombe] all over again.

I guess I can see where some of you are coming from with the rivalry thing, though I don't share those feelings. Of course if we'd drawn Slumdon I'd be excited...

Pe├▒a Oxford United · Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:26 am

&quotA-Ro&quot wrote:we (WE) are better than them, always have been and always will be.

This isn't true, is it?

Matt D · Post by **Matt D** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:23 am

&quotKernow Yellow&quot wrote:What gets me is that Wycombe are a small basement division team. We've only been in the Conference for 3 months and shouldn't be getting excited about playing them. To be honest, even if we get promoted my joy will be short-lived at the realisation that we'd be playing 'the likes of' Bury and Boston [edit - and indeed Wycombe] all over again.

I guess I can see where some of you are coming from with the rivalry thing, though I don't share those feelings. Of course if we'd drawn Slumdon I'd be excited...

i agree with the others - i don't think this is viewed as potential giant-killing, they have just developed into real local rivals for many oxford supporters, including me - more so than Slumdon in many ways.

i grew up in princes risborough, went to school in aylesbury, and many of my friends jumped on the wycombe bandwagon as they got promoted towards the league. maybe it is an east of the 'OUFC catchment area' thing.

boris · Post by **boris** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:54 am

The main (only) reason I'm excited by the Wycombe game is because I think it's very winnable, and I'd love to see another away FA Cup win (or, if the worst happens, bring them back to Oxford so we can gubb them at home). Of course, the proximity helps - if we were away at, say, Grimsby (who I reckon are about the equivalent of Wycombe), I'd be far less tempted to travel.

Kernow Yellow · Post by **Kernow Yellow** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 3:48 pm

&quotboris&quot wrote:Of course, the proximity helps.

It might help you.

Personally I'd have preferred Torquay away...

Pe├▒a Oxford United · Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:01 pm

So would boris, in his time.

GodalmingYellow · Post by **GodalmingYellow** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:51 pm

I think the only reason this so called rivalry exists, is because they are geographically close and we have played them more frequently than Reading and Slumdon in recent years.

As Mally said, the rivalry is more real for younger fans who have less experience of the Slumdon and Reading matches and more experience of the Wycombe League era.

For me it's a yardstick game. How good are we compared to where we would wish to be this time next year and how good are we compared to where we were this time last year. The same would apply to any of the top 5 or 6 in League 2. The rivalry only adds a small element n this fixture. More enticing is a step nearer a potentially big tie.

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