League One play-off final: Oxford United face Wycombe Wanderers for Championship spot
- Published
Either Karl Robinson or Gareth Ainsworth will lead their side to promotion from League One at Wembley on Monday
Oxford United meet Wycombe Wanderers in the League One play-off final on Monday, with a place in the Championship at stake.
The U's have spent four years in non-league since they last played in the second tier in 1998-99, while Wanderers are aiming to reach the Championship for the first time in the club's history.
Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth has described the match, which will be played behind closed doors at Wembley Stadium, as "the biggest league game in the club's history".
'The underdogs have overachieved'
Oxford spent three years in the top flight during the 1980s, a spell during which they won the League Cup in 1986, and were regulars in the second tier in the 1990s.
But they fell out of the English Football League in 2006 and, after four years in non-league, the U's could win promotion to the Championship just 10 seasons after returning to the fully professional ranks.
Karl Robinson's men won five consecutive games to climb into promotion contention before the season was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"You've got two teams with budgets in the bottom half of the table playing in the final, which is quite remarkable," Robinson told BBC Radio Oxford.
"If you look at what (champions) Coventry City have done, it seems to be a year that all the underdogs have overachieved."
Oxford players celebrate after a penalty shootout win over Portsmouth in their semi-final tie
After the rest of their regular campaign was called off, Oxford secured their spot at Wembley after a close play-off semi-final with Portsmouth, with both legs of their tie ending 1-1.
U's keeper Simon Eastwood was the hero, denying Cameron McGeehan to keep out Pompey's fourth penalty, and Cameron Brannagan's decisive spot-kick gave Oxford a 5-4 victory.
"We always say it takes seven or eight games to get up to speed," Robinson added.
"We have had two games in a short period of time. With a seven-day recovery, I expect a high level of intensity on Monday."
'This could be the biggest surprise in history'
Wycombe's whole history prior to 1993-94 was spent in non-league and are aiming to reach new territory by winning on Monday.
The Chairboys were the big beneficiaries of clubs voting to end the season early and the table being calculated on a points-per-game basis - they jumped from eighth in the table to third in the final standings.
"The season we have had has been astonishing," Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio. "Nobody dreamed that we could be where we were all season.
"This Wycombe team keeps on surprising and this could be the biggest surprise in history.
"It would be a huge achievement if we can get this team to the Championship."
Fred Onyedinma scored both of Wycombe's goals in the second leg of their semi-final against Fleetwood
Finishing in third spot set up a play-off semi against Fleetwood Town, and gave Wycombe home advantage in the second leg.
Yet Wanderers did the damage in the first leg, going 2-1 up after a manic first six minutes and eventually winning 4-1 as Fleetwood had two men sent off.
A 2-2 draw at Adams Park sealed a 6-3 aggregate victory and booked Wycombe's passage to Wembley.
"Watching the first leg against Fleetwood, it hit home to me that on our day we are devastating to teams and we can really affect games," Ainsworth added.
"I am looking forward to seeing what we can produce on the big occasion. If the players can produce anything like they did in the first leg of the play-off, then we are in for a fantastic game."
A club with 'big heart'
An empty Wembley will be the setting on Monday, with no fans allowed at matches because of social distancing rules.
Ainsworth, the longest-serving manager in the EFL, is sad that Wycombe's fans will be missing out on a potentially historic occasion, yet stresses his squad will know they have backing from viewers and listeners at home.
"We might be a small club, but we have big heart," he said.
"The boys will be fully aware they have support up and down the country and over the world from Wanderers people, willing every ounce that we can get to the next level and make the town so proud.
"For Wycombe Wanderers to be associated with the Championship - the fifth biggest league in the world - is phenomenal.
"It would be amazing to manage in the Championship but there is a big hurdle in front of us. We will make sure we give it our best shot."
There have been remarks about a possible clash of playing styles, with Oxford's passing game pitted against Wycombe's more direct approach.
"I don't overly worry about the style of the opposition," U's boss Robinson said.
"It is very disrespectful if we use derogatory terms, as their style has got them to the final and ours has got ourselves to the final.
"We have a process and we will stick to that. This is one more push, one more game and one more adventure together."