Gareth Ainsworth wants Wycombe to produce FA Cup ‘shock of the round’ against Tottenham

The Chairboys have a history of big performances in the cups

Jonathan Veal
Sunday 24 January 2021 15:08 GMT
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Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth
Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth (Getty Images)

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Gareth Ainsworth will show his current side highlights of the last time Wycombe played Tottenham.

The Chairboys meet Spurs for only the second time in their history in Monday night's fourth-round FA Cup fixture.

Their first meeting was four years ago at the same stage of the same competition and then, as a League Two side, they were minutes away from causing a real shock as they led 3-2 after 89 minutes.

READ MORE: Premier League fixtures and table - all matches by date and kick-off time

But goals from Dele Alli and Son Heung-min rescued Mauricio Pochettino's side and broke Wycombe hearts.

There are a number of players still at Wycombe from that day and they and their new team-mates will be taken on a trip down memory lane before Jose Mourinho brings Tottenham to Adams Park.

"I will be playing the boys the highlights of four years ago," Ainsworth admitted.

"What we achieved as a League Two team, with similar players, I have still got players who played that day.

"There is definitely comparisons to be made. We were a League Two team going to White Hart Lane, we have come on, we are a Championship team, we know we are better now. I will be playing them those highlights, without a doubt."

While Ainsworth has created history at the Buckinghamshire club by taking them to the Championship for the first time in their history, he still has some way to match previous efforts in the FA Cup.

Twenty years ago, Lawrie Sanchez guided the club to the semi-finals where they gave eventual winners Liverpool a tough game before falling just short.

Ainsworth is hoping his side can at least cause the shock of the fourth round.

"This club has broken records. We have achieved what no one else has achieved by getting into the Championship," he said.

"We have got an FA Cup record to equal now, a semi-final, wow that is some record that this club has got.

"I will be drawing on some goals and history, I will be making sure the players know what the FA Cup means to me as a person and what it means to Wycombe Wanderers. We will definitely be using this underdog tag to the maximum.

"I am real good friends with Keith Ryan who scored against Liverpool in the semi-final but I won't go as far as bringing him in for a team-talk.

"We are still a lower-league football team and we have got a chance to do something special on Monday and I am hoping we can be the shock of the fourth round."

PA

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