Wycombe Wanderers’ 23/24 campaign was a mixed bag, to say the least. Even though a Wembley trip in the final of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy against Peterborough happened later on in the season, the rest is certainly something that we’re all glad is behind us now.

Matt Bloomfield’s first full season in charge, taking over following Gareth Ainsworth’s departure to Championship side Queens Park Rangers in February 2023, his first Summer transfer window as Wycombe manager was definitely an interesting one, with players such as Luke Leahy and Joe Low joining the club. Then there were players like Richard Keogh, Kane Vincent-Young and Lyle Taylor who were profound disappointments, to say the least.

Then there was the January transfer window, Richard Kone joining the club, a move which could go down as Wycombe’s best bit of business in their history, later going on to sell him to QPR for a healthy sum and a sell-on clause. Bez Lubala, Matt Butcher and Nathan Shepherd also joined Wycombe. In terms of outgoings, many people such as Dominic Gape, Jordan Obita, Lewis Wing and Tjay De Barr left the blues.

The Chairboys were prone to dip into the loanee market this season too, many of them not entirely working out. Kian Breckin, Dale Taylor, Harry Boyes, Killian Phillips, Chem Campbell and Saxon Earley were some of the players who came into Wycombe on a short-term basis and never really managed to find their best selves.

However, their attempts were not entirely in vain in terms of the loan market. Freddie Potts and Nigel Lonwijk were brilliant. Potts recently got the PoTM in West Ham’s most recent 3-1 win against Newcastle United. During his time at Wycombe, he also was voted Player of the Season. Let’s also not forget Lonwijk’s amazing goal against Reading away.

Wycombe’s business this season could be used to describe their season simply: Some good, some absolutely dire.

Speaking of absolutely dire, Wycombe’s opening-day defeat to Exeter City already put pressure on Bloomfield. Ainsworth’s boots being big ones to fill, giving Wanderers their first ever season in the Championship.

They went 2-0 down in only five minutes in their opening match against the side from Devon, lucky not to go three down but Exeter missed their penalty. Another 3-0 loss away to Lincoln once again heightened fans frustration.

Registering their first win of the season against Leyton Orient at home thanks to a Joe Low brace and a Dale Taylor goal, it looked like things were on the turnaround as they went on to go on a four-game undefeated streak. But it was broken after a 3-1 defeat to Charlton. Wanderers continued to struggle to find a good run of form.

Things went from bad to worse after Wycombe’s 4-1 win away to Fleetwood in early October was their last of the calendar year. The away loss to Exeter City on Boxing Day was the worst it got, Wanderers looming dangerously close to relegation, many calling for Bloomfield to get the sack following no wins in the League in three months.

New Year’s Day finally saw Wycombe return to winning ways in a 3-2 win against Bristol Rovers, but then didn’t win until 3rd February against Cheltenham. A 5-2 thrashing against Peterborough made Wanderers fans finally start to believe that things were getting better. During the close of the campaign, Wycombe won seven out of their last 11 games, climbing up the table and eventually finishing tenth.

Of course, there was the trip to Wembley in between all of this for the final of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy. Even though it ended in a 2-1 loss, it was a great distraction from the League at the time.

Even though the season could have gone a lot better, it was Matt Bloomfield’s first full season in charge of a League One team, his previous experience at League Two side Colchester United. Many were asking if he was the right man for the job, despite the fact that was a club legend. It was definitely a ‘learning’ or a ‘transition’ season for the Chairboys, changing from Gareth Ainsworth’s style of football to Bloomfield’s was a massive one.

We all know what went on to happen during the 24/25 season, but that’s a story for a different day. If Matt Bloomfield had been sacked during Wycombe’s bad run of form, there is the question as to if 24/25’s league run would have ever happened.