Well, Thursday 18th September 2025 is a day that will go down in Wycombe Wanderers history, as the day that we ultimately learnt that Mike Dodds’ tenure at the club wasn’t going to be a success.
It’s certainly a very surreal feeling currently writing this article, as the shock of the day’s events are yet to truly sink in, which isn’t helped by the fact that this is the first time our club has given a manager their marching orders in 13 years.
As Wycombe supporters, we’ve been blessed over the years with the incredible tenure of Gareth Ainsworth, and the emergence of Matt Bloomfield, who eventually went on to become a massive success.
Then came January 2025. Bloomfield walked out of Adams Park in favour of a move to Luton Town, and Wanderers were left to appoint their first external manager since Gary Waddock in 2012.
After weeks of speculation, it was announced that Dodds would become Wycombe’s first ever head coach, leaving his post as number two to Regis Le Bris at Sunderland, to come to Buckinghamshire and have a crack at being the main man in an exciting project.
However, things sadly didn’t work out for the 39-year-old, with wholesale changes on and off the pitch in such a short space of time proving to be a difficult challenge to guide the team through.
The end of last season was a sombre feeling. Months of excitement in a promotion dogfight with Wrexham eventually culminated in a play-off semi-final defeat, with a tumultuous run of form heading into the competition shattering hopes and expectations.
This was unfortunately the beginning of the end for Dodds, as Wycombe would never truly recover from that 4-0 thumping at the hands of Charlton Athletic in April, carrying these struggles into the new season.
Despite plenty of new players coming in at Adams Park, and plenty of departures also shaking up the playing squad, performances at the start of the season have been all over the place, and the relationship between fans and management had clearly become strained.
The 39-year-old’s comments post Stevenage, where he admitted his side had ‘no plan-B’, further upset supporters, as this sort of revelation is not something you want to hear the man leading you football club saying, whether it was meant to come across as it did or not.
Dodds gave himself a chance to save his job and kick on with a win over Mansfield Town almost two weeks ago, but it was followed up with a turgid performance, and subsequent defeat, to bottom side Peterborough United.
For many supporters, this is where the patience ran out, and the regression in the performance against Posh was clearly a huge concern for all, as Wycombe had taken one step forward, to just take another one back.
It seemed Dodds was set to take charge against Northampton Town on Saturday, but reports emerged that the Wanderers head coach was on the verge of being sacked on Thursday morning, which was confirmed around 20 minutes later.
And that brings us to now, the end of the Dodds era, and the beginning of a new exciting chapter under Michael Duff.
However, before we look ahead to a new era, it’s only right that we pay tribute to a man who put his heart and soul into Wycombe Wanderers, and always emanated positive, no matter how tough the situation was.
It’s always sad to see someone lose their job, and whilst you look at results as the driving point for the club’s decision, you can’t deny that Mike’s infectious personality will be sorely missed around the club.
From the minute he entered the door, Mike was always open, honest, and very transparent about his goals for the football club, and what was going on behind the scenes, which is a commodity in modern football.
Not only this, but he’s a wonderful person as well, who treats those around him with warmth, respect, and kindness. I personally found it impossible not to smile when around Mike, as his personality really rubbed off on everyone around him.
It’s clear to see why he’s such a popular man with players wherever he goes, and his talent as a coach will undoubtedly land him plenty of opportunities in the future, in a role which will bring the best out of him.
Mike is certainly a ‘Wycombe type of person’, and understood what it meant to be Wycombe, which was something that fans were concerned would be lost after Bloomfield departed, but it wasn’t.
It’s a genuine shame that the supporters and Dodds never really got to know each other well, as I’m sure a strong bond could’ve been formed there, but sadly we’ll never get to find out.
Whilst the club moves forward, you can’t help but feel sorry for Mike, who clearly gave it his all, but sadly it just didn’t work out. Everyone wanted him to succeed at Adams Park, but this project just wasn’t the right fit for him.
Dodds had to navigate through as he often said ‘cataclysmic’ change at the club, which is no easy task, especially in your first full-time rodeo, and this would’ve definitely had a part to play in his struggles in South Bucks.
That leads us on to our final statements, as we close the book on the Mike Dodds era, and prepare to open a whole new book this Saturday with Duff.
Mike – you are a wonderful person. Thank you for everything you’ve done for this football club, and all the very best for the future.
