Cod Almighty | Diary
A case study in fan ownership
14 July 2020
Today's Casual Diary will be short, because I only want to address one issue. It isn't Vernam or salary caps. It's Wycombe Wanderers. Wycombe will play in the second flight next season, whenever that starts. Let that sink in: Wycombe.
If you want a contrast to the fortunes of two clubs Wycombe and Town provide an excellent study. In 2014, Wycombe escaped relegation to the Conference on the last day, on goal difference. Five seasons later they are a second-flight club. While John Fenty and his admirers seek congratulations for maintaining a League status we once took for granted, Wycombe's board, on significantly smaller crowds, have gone on to win two promotions.
Some will point out that Wycombe are owned by an American sports team owner's family. But until February the club was owned and run by a supporters trust. The trust stepped in when in 2012 the club was on the verge of extinction. Having gained stability, they didn't pat themselves on the back for staying in the league. They didn't speak solemnly about being custodians of a community asset. They did not appoint anyone to the board who knew lots of wealthy people, to seek investment. They didn't conduct a decades-long battle with the fans, decrying and ridiculing their fundraising efforts. What they did do, when they got a decent young manager, was to back him.
Whether the trust will come to regret selling out to the Americans only time will tell, but the promotions belong to them. Well done to the supporters trust and supporters of Wycombe Wanderers on your promotions.
The "if it wasn't for John Fenty" camp put forward the defence that while we may be an also-ran divison four club, we are at least still in existence or in the football league. We aren't Bury, Stockport, York or Darlington. That seems a reasonable stance, but also we aren't Bournemouth, Swansea, Hull or Luton. We can now add Wycombe to that list.
To those who decry our own fanbase's ability to achieve such heights: bollocks.