# 139 Years Old Today - Legacy Numbers For All 1640 Players **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [24 September 2026 08:55 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055 "2026-09-24T08:55:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wwfcblue](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/wwfcblue/32/5325_2.png) [@wwfcblue](https://www.gasroom.org/u/wwfcblue)\ **Post date:** [28 September 2026 17:51 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/21 "2026-09-28T17:51:05Z")
> [@Borgoff](#): > > As this report was from Jan/Feb 1876 it’s highly like WWFC were formed in 1875 or before. I think if you read all the three letters its clear the club was formed in Jan or Feb 1876. ---
**Author:** ![Borgoff](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Borgoff](https://www.gasroom.org/u/Borgoff)\ **Post date:** [28 September 2026 17:56 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/22 "2026-09-28T17:56:39Z")
> [@peterparrotface](#): > > Not what the club needs. We were finally seeing peace after years of battles between the 1884s and the 1887s we now have the 1876s running amok chanting about being the Disraeli Boys and calling Gladstone a twat or whatever. As Benji baby, gave a large proportion of working class males the vote, and brought in the law to allow peaceful picketing. Perhaps he encouraged the working class bodgers to form WWFC. ---
**Author:** ![perfidious\_albion](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/perfidious_albion/32/77_2.png) [@perfidious\_albion](https://www.gasroom.org/u/perfidious_albion)\ **Post date:** [28 September 2026 19:42 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/23 "2026-09-28T19:42:08Z")
> [@Borgoff](#): > > As Benji baby, gave a large proportion of working class males the vote, and brought in the law to allow peaceful picketing. Perhaps he encouraged the working class bodgers to form WWFC. Roughly a third or 2 million full age males had the vote by 1880 almost certainly none of the North End lads. ---
**Author:** ![Borgoff](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Borgoff](https://www.gasroom.org/u/Borgoff)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 07:52 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/24 "2026-09-29T07:52:09Z")
Patents Law was introduced into the UK in 1624, So if the 1876 WWFC, were a different club to the 1884/1887 WWFC would they have not blocked the use of the name ? When did the 1876 club cease to exist ? Or were there two WWFC simultaneously competing ? Will anybody still be alive, when the mystery is finally solved ? ---
**Author:** ![OxfordBlue](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/oxfordblue/32/2898_2.png) [@OxfordBlue](https://www.gasroom.org/u/OxfordBlue)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 07:55 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/25 "2026-09-29T07:55:09Z")
It feels quite unlikely that they’d also go for the name wanderers, if they weren’t in some way a continuation? ---
**Author:** ![StevePeart](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@StevePeart](https://www.gasroom.org/u/StevePeart)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 08:44 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/26 "2026-09-29T08:44:56Z")
There is reason to believe that, in the years before 1887, the group of players who would form Wanderers in 1887 were playing under the name North Town Wanderers. In the BFP archive, if you search for “Wycombe Wanderers” before 1887, the only occurrence is this letter in 1876. Did the club actually start? It really is a mystery at this stage, more research is needed, going through editions of the BFP around that time for any clues. ---
**Author:** ![perfidious\_albion](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/perfidious_albion/32/77_2.png) [@perfidious\_albion](https://www.gasroom.org/u/perfidious_albion)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 08:52 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/27 "2026-09-29T08:52:27Z")
Some historic context to the etymology of the name. The suffix ‘Wanderers’ would have been really popular at this time copying the most famous club in the land. ‘The Wanderers’ had won their fifth FA Cup in 1878 (the North Town boys and many other lads having stood on The Rye the previous season watching them thrash High Wycombe 9-0 on the way to winning the 1877 trophy). Also explains why both founder members of the Football League: Christ Church fc changed their name in 1877 to Bolton Wanderers and St Luke’s fc to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1879. So I have a feeling there would have been many nascent clubs adopting the name at this time. Not to mention the alliterative appeal of the name for Wycombe lads. ---
**Author:** ![Borgoff](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Borgoff](https://www.gasroom.org/u/Borgoff)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 14:02 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/28 "2026-09-29T14:02:55Z")
Sky are doing a series on lost football grounds,where as our council can’t even put a plaque where Loakes Park was. If you walk up Loakes Road, the old green perimeter fencing is still in place. I suggest anyone with a nostalgic bone in them, reinacts the walk from where the gate pub used to be. You can still walk up the pedestrian walk way in between the old gasworks. And then you hit where Queens Alexandra met Suffield Rd, take a deep breath and close your eyes and imagine where one of the most iconic grounds in Amateur football stood. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Atomic](https://www.gasroom.org/u/Atomic)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 15:07 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/29 "2026-09-29T15:07:35Z")
Who do we have to petition for a plaque? 😁 ---
**Author:** ![bookertease](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/bookertease/32/72_2.png) [@bookertease](https://www.gasroom.org/u/bookertease)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 16:03 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/30 "2026-09-29T16:03:37Z")
> [@Atomic](#): > > Who do we have to petition for a plaque? 😁 Did I dream this but didn’t they sell/give patches of the pitch/turf off after the last ever game. If so I wonder if there are parts of High Wycombe (and anywhere else) that are forever Loakes Park? ---
**Author:** ![eric\_plant](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/e9a140/32.png) [@eric\_plant](https://www.gasroom.org/u/eric_plant)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 16:23 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/31 "2026-09-29T16:23:21Z")
> [@bookertease](#): > > Did I dream this but didn’t they sell/give patches of the pitch/turf off after the last ever game. If so I wonder if there are parts of High Wycombe (and anywhere else) that are forever Loakes Park As I recall patches of turf weren’t exactly given away or sold. People brought forks and spades to the last game and went on at the end to help themselves ---
**Author:** ![bookertease](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/bookertease/32/72_2.png) [@bookertease](https://www.gasroom.org/u/bookertease)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 16:44 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/32 "2026-09-29T16:44:39Z")
> [@eric\_plant](#): > > As I recall patches of turf weren’t exactly given away or sold. People brought forks and spades to the last game and went on at the end to help themselves Thanks @eric_plant Eee them were the days; when you could rock up on the terrace spade and fork in hand…. (More likely to be pitchforks these days) ---
**Author:** ![KeithBarrettsTache](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/87869e/32.png) [@KeithBarrettsTache](https://www.gasroom.org/u/KeithBarrettsTache)\ **Post date:** [29 September 2026 17:34 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/33 "2026-09-29T17:34:41Z")
> [@bookertease](#): > > Did I dream this but didn’t they sell/give patches of the pitch/turf off after the last ever game. If so I wonder if there are parts of High Wycombe (and anywhere else) that are forever Loakes Park? There’s a patch of it that I laid in the back garden of my old house in Micklefield. I’d like to think it’s still there ---
**Author:** ![ArnosGrove](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/arnosgrove/32/51_2.png) [@ArnosGrove](https://www.gasroom.org/u/ArnosGrove)\ **Post date:** [30 September 2026 06:18 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/34 "2026-09-30T06:18:49Z")
> [@bookertease](#): > > Did I dream this but didn’t they sell/give patches of the pitch/turf off after the last ever game. If so I wonder if there are parts of High Wycombe (and anywhere else) that are forever Loakes Park? Post final match it was like a rummage sale. I’ve still got a cushion from the home dugout and there may still be a square of turf at my old house. One of my mates has got the Wycombe Wanderers road sign from outside what used to be Staples. We just took it off the lamppost. ---
**Author:** ![KeithBarrettsTache](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/87869e/32.png) [@KeithBarrettsTache](https://www.gasroom.org/u/KeithBarrettsTache)\ **Post date:** [30 September 2026 12:55 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/35 "2026-09-30T12:55:35Z")
> [@ArnosGrove](#): > > Post final match it was like a rummage sale. I’ve still got a cushion from the home dugout and there may still be a square of turf at my old house. One of my mates has got the Wycombe Wanderers road sign from outside what used to be Staples. We just took it off the lamppost. That’s really cool. I remember nabbing one of those prayer mat style cushions from the main stand and it was in my parents’ shed for a few years. Think it likely got chucked when they moved. Sad times ---
**Author:** ![Twizz](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/twizz/32/102_2.png) [@Twizz](https://www.gasroom.org/u/Twizz)\ **Post date:** [30 September 2026 13:55 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/36 "2026-09-30T13:55:04Z")
I still have a mouldy conker from the tree behind the terrace at the gasworks end, and the stains on my shoes from the occasion I stood at the downhill end of the trough to take a p\*\*s and it overflowed. ---
**Author:** ![micra](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/micra/32/2697_2.png) [@micra](https://www.gasroom.org/u/micra)\ **Post date:** [30 September 2026 14:27 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/37 "2026-09-30T14:27:24Z")
> [@ArnosGrove](#): > > A great bit of work. For me, the names start to become real players I saw from around the 950 mark. So many I’d forgotten though. 872 for me. The late, great John Delaney. Only very recently departed. ---
**Author:** ![micra](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/micra/32/2697_2.png) [@micra](https://www.gasroom.org/u/micra)\ **Post date:** [30 September 2026 14:29 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/38 "2026-09-30T14:29:03Z")
> [@Twizz](#): > > I still have a mouldy conker from the tree behind the terrace at the gasworks end, and the stains on my shoes from the occasion I stood at the downhill end of the trough to take a p\*\*s and it overflowed. Time to ditch the shoes, perhaps 🤔 ! ---
**Author:** ![Borgoff](https://www.gasroom.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Borgoff](https://www.gasroom.org/u/Borgoff)\ **Post date:** [30 September 2026 16:42 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/39 "2026-09-30T16:42:25Z")
> [@micra](#): > > Time to ditch the shoes, perhaps 🤔 ! The down hill trough at the gasworks end absolute reeked. Anyone positioning himself at the bottom right of the trough must have had fetish issues. One thing has always puzzled me, in the 50’s when Loakes Park would often see 10,000 plus gates, sometimes upto to 15 k. The only bog that you could have a ‘Tom Tit’ in, was up next to the top tea bar. It had one cubicle. How did all those men after a belly full of mild ale, and stodgy beef dripping sandwiches not need a turn out ?? Or was woodbine and sawdust the imodium of the day. I’ve asked this question amongst my elder peers, but never had a coherent answer. I will probably go to the grave not knowing when WWFC were formed, or where the thousands of bryl cream boys emptied their guts !! ---
**Author:** ![Floyd](https://www.gasroom.org/user_avatar/www.gasroom.org/floyd/32/45_2.png) [@Floyd](https://www.gasroom.org/u/Floyd)\ **Post date:** [30 September 2026 16:47 UTC](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055/40 "2026-09-30T16:47:01Z")
> [@Borgoff](#): > > … It had one cubicle. How did all those men after a belly full of mild ale, and stodgy beef dripping sandwiches not need a turn out ?? Or was woodbine and sawdust the imodium of the day. I’ve asked this question amongst my elder peers, but never had a coherent answer. I will probably go to the grave not knowing when WWFC were formed, or where the thousands of bryl cream boys emptied their guts !! This is niche stuff even for the Gasroom, and still ten days until our next league game. [Previous page](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055.md?page=1) [Next page](https://www.gasroom.org/t/139-years-old-today-legacy-numbers-for-all-1640-players/1055.md?page=3)