When something’s good it’s never gone…

Ron Waller

The eleventh month has nearly been and gone, and as all acquaintances by association of Terry Evans know, nothing lasts forever in the cold November rain. Wanderers sit around ninth place in League Two, poised to attack the play-offs with a flurry of functional and efficient one-nil wins; just you wait. Yet people are anxious. Fans are worried about the lack of a goalscorer, the lack of a leader, the lack of flair. None of our players are exciting to watch. No one floats boats for the Chairboys Barmy Army. But for me, the Players of The Season are crystal clear. >

Craig Woodman and Derek Duncan, for me, stand out a mile. For only these two players really understand the mood, the attitude and the style of the 2007 Wycombe fan. They went to SC Verl, had a kick around in the sun for 45 minutes or so, and have hardly done anything since. It’s enough for them, and taking into account the serene environment of cheap lager, succulent sausage, good-humoured hospitality, all drenched in glorious sunshine, who can blame them? It’s sufficient. It’s adequate. It’s just enough.

Woodman has everything I look for in a player - intrigue, rumour, mystery. No one knows what’s going on with him. He looked half decent, but people were so annoyed by his small number of appearances, gossip started to appear about him. Ridiculous stories, perhaps true, but most probably not, dotted the internet. Fans stood up for him, fans knocked him, but they didn’t know. People should mind their own business – keep their beaks out. The tittle-tattle was unreasonable and that’s where the thoughts of many go when faced with something or someone that refuses to give them answers. Craig Woodman is beyond the looking glass here people; I’d have him as the first name on the team sheet every week, and then bafflingly remove him at the last minute time and time again.

Yet Woodman is not alone. Derek Duncan appeared for the second half at SC Verl, enjoying the spongy pitch and sociable atmosphere. He listened with interest to the watching Wycombe fans’ cheery acceptance that the 2007-08 season had only been two days long, and they were ok with that. Duncan went one step further – just 45 minutes was enough for him. And why not? It’s plenty. It’s ample. It’s loads. In a recent visit to an east London Building Society, banal chatter with a counter girl was stepped up a gear when she revealed to me her friendship with a Wycombe player. “You won’t have heard of him,” she offered, “His name’s Derek Duncan.” Of course I’ve heard of him I replied, he represents everything right with this football club and then still commutes back to Canning Town when his work is done.

Duncan has told the club he wants to spend some time down in Lewes, and who can blame him with the Dripping Pan Ground located in picaresque surroundings, gazed upon achingly by a lofty seventh-century castle, presumably once owned by Dracula? He deserves some time by the seaside, to regroup, cleanse and finally return to the puffed up Bring-and-Buy Sale at Adams Park.

In an age when the relationship between fans and players is supposed to have all but died, Duncan and Woodman have found a higher plane. They represent us. They hardly play and we hardly go; it works both ways. And in return we offer sanguine affection, while the regulars boo and hiss those unlucky enough to be picked every week. Some will disagree but that’s up to them. It seems the season ticket holders prefer to moan, abuse and hate the players that play. Who can blame Paul Lambert for only spending Saturdays with the team (availability permitting), when he can be in Scotland, enjoying a macaroni pie and possibly bumping into that dark-haired woman that used to be in Doctors?

All football has left is its history. The topics on the hated internet site the gasroom that arouse the most excitement in its acne-ridden contributors are those that ask nostalgic and whimsical questions. What was your first ever game? Who’s your favourite ever player? The best own goal? The worst away journey? How many Reserve team games have you watched on smack? Fans pine for football’s past like a wondrous sunset, while they fear football’s future like an over-hanging storm cloud waiting to burst. There aren’t many footballers in 2007 honest enough to admit this, or honest enough to look back and say, “What a great day we had at SC Verl. A whole season in one day. See you next year eh.” Woodman and Duncan know that by playing football for Wycombe Wanderers, all they’re doing is looking forward, and where’s the sense in that? Because if you look forward you know what you’ll see: thousands and thousands of empty black and yellow plastic seats.

28.11.2007. 10:01

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