Wycombe Wanderers can quash play-off fear by drawing on 2022 despite eventual Sunderland heartbreak | OneFootball

Wycombe Wanderers can quash any play-off fears by looking back on their memorable 2022 campaign, despite losing to Sunderland.

Summary

Wycombe Wanderers are competing in their third play-off campaign since the turn of the decade, and can look back on their most recent venture in 2022 for inspiration.

It's been a remarkable few years for the South Buckinghamshire side, who've managed to upset the odds time and time again following their return to League One in 2018.

When the Blues got promoted to the third tier seven years ago, many neutrals would've expected them to be heading out of the league, which they did, but not the way that was expected.

In 2020, Wycombe beat neighbours Oxford United at an empty Wembley to reach the Championship for the first time in the club's history.

Two years later, they returned to the famous arch but fell short at the hands of the mighty Sunderland.

Three years after the heartbreak in the capital, the Chairboys go again, now under the stewardship of Mike Dodds, who was in the Black Cats' dugout that day at Wembley.

Despite the gut-wrenching end to a memorable campaign, Wycombe can look back on their most recent venture in the play-offs for some inspiration to go one better this time around.

Wycombe Wanderers' memorable 2022 play-off campaign

When you ask a Wycombe fan about that night at Adams Park in May 2022, many would describe it as one of the most incredible nights in the club's recent history.

Wanderers welcomed county rivals MK Dons to HP12, after snatching sixth place on the final day from Plymouth Argyle, who were hammered 5-0 by the Dons.

Many expected the North Buckinghamshire outfit to get the job done over the two legs, but what happened next left Liam Manning's side regretting helping their rivals into the play-offs.

A first-half header from Ryan Tafazolli set the hosts on their way, which was followed by a red card for MK midfielder Josh McEachran in the second period. Sam Vokes then got what would prove to be the decisive goal in front of the terrace, which exploded into bedlam.

The ground shook as over 7,000 Wycombe supporters bounced up and down in jubilation, knowing that the second goal could prove decisive.

Fortunately, their hopes would be proven correct, as despite an early Troy Parrott goal, Gareth Ainsworth's side produced a tenacious defensive performance to see the tie out and march down Wembley Way once again.

Sadly, the Chairboys would lose the final to a Sunderland side who were the superior side on the day.

Regardless of this result, the current squad can look back on this memorable campaign, particularly the performances against MK Dons, and use this to go one better than last time.

Wycombe can use Sunderland heartbreak to go one better in 2025

After a poor end to the 2024/25 season which saw Wycombe defeated in their last three games by all three of their play-off competitors, Charlton go into the two-legged affair as the firm favourites to make it to the final.

Fortunately, the underdog tag has often suited the Chairboys, as it did in 2022 when MK Dons came to town. This is a tag that the club has learned to embrace and wear with pride, rather than shy away from.

As mentioned, current Wycombe boss Dodds was in the dugout when Sunderland got the better of Wanderers at Wembley. Now, the 38-year-old hopes he can experience that feeling again, but being the main man for that day's opponents.

Despite a large overhaul of the squad since then, a few players such as Garath McCleary and Jack Grimmer, who were part of the defeated squad at Wembley, are likely to feature in this season's play-off campaign.

Nobody will understand the hurt of going so close but coming up short in the final, and they will be looking to channel those emotions from three years ago to help them get to the final again and bring the trophy home this time around.

As for the rest of the squad, it's clear the pain they felt after falling short of automatic promotion. The final three games of the season were far below the required standard, and they will know they must be better to get the job over the line.

That leaves them in a similar boat to the members of the 2022 squad, who will have a point to prove going into the play-offs, and look for revenge after the Addicks thrashed Wycombe on Easter Monday.

All in all, Wanderers should take inspiration from their performances against MK Dons in their last play-off adventure, as they once again find themselves as the underdogs in the semi-finals.

Then, if Dodds' men make it past Nathan Jones' Reds, they will know they have the chance to become legends and right the wrongs of the Sunderland heartbreak three years ago.