Sad to hear of the passing of a Wycombe Wanderers legend
John Delaney has passed away at the age of 84
John joined our club from archrivals Slough in 1969.
(where he also is a legend ) He was immediately made Captain by manager Brian Lee. A brilliant leader and superb Centre half he was noted for his no nonsense style of play and he was equally effective in either penalty area. A fantastic header of the ball he would regularly bag around 15-20 goals a season with a combination of bullet headers and bullet penalties !
He once scored a hat-trick in a league game at Enfield , two from the penalty spot and the third from a rebound after the keeper had the cheek to save the 3rd spot kick !.
In an amateur cup tie against the same team minutes after John Maskell had saved a penalty with the score at 0-0 John scored two goals in two minutes from set pieces with his head to put us very much in the driving seat in front of a crowd of over 7000
He was captain and centre
half from 1969 to 1973 when he turned professional with Bournemouth. Indeed he played against us in an FA Cup match in late 1974.
He then returned to us for a further spell in 1975
He scored 65 goals in 228 appearances for us, winning two league titles and leading us to victory over Monza in the Anglo Italian trophy in 1975.
He also played regularly for the England amateur team
A true captain and a Wycombe Wanderers legend. Rest in peace “skipper “Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time
Big D is among my earliest memories of watching games at Loakes Park
RIP
RIP John. That night against Monza (hence the handle) was, if not my first ever game, was my first experience of a packed terrace going completely mental. As a youngster both scary yet exhilarating in equal measure.
John Delaney along with Maskell and Bodger seem to have that legendary status amongst not only Wanderers fans but the town folk of Wycombe and beyond.
His son John was a member of that victorious Wycombe schoolboys team in 1981 that lifted the ESFA trophy.
Rip Big John
RIP Big John, forever a legend.
Rest in Peace John,
Thanks for the memories, expecially of the hatrick at Enfield. I remember going to that game thinking “We are not going to win this!”
I stood outside the Monza ground with a teenage fellow RGS High Wycombe chum for the away leg of the Monza match waving my light and dark blue scarf at the team bus as it drew up at the ground gates. The coach stopped at skipper John Delaney’s insistence. He descended the steps and he called us on board saying that we were to enter the ground as guests of the players. A champion on and off the pitch. Many fond memories of one of the giants to wear light and dark blue over the years.
These are unbelievable numbers for a centre back. A legend in the true sense. RIP big John.
Very similar stats in his time at Slough in the 1960s
They are paying their own tributes.