League One play-off final: Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth happy to be underdogs
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Wycombe were struggling in League Two when Gareth Ainsworth took over in 2012
Gareth Ainsworth says his Wycombe side relish being underdogs for the League One play-off final against Sunderland.
The Wearside club have sold almost 44,000 tickets for the game at Wembley and are favourites to win promotion.
"We know super-well everyone fancies Sunderland," Chairboys boss Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"Everyone fancies Sunderland who isn't connected with Wycombe Wanderers, which is brilliant because there's only one team with something to lose."
Sunderland, a Premier League club until 2017, have spent four seasons in the third tier since suffering back-to-back relegations.
Manager Alex Neil was appointed in February following the sacking of Lee Johnson, who lost his job despite the Black Cats being just two points off top spot at the time.
While the pressure is on Neil to achieve promotion, it is fair to say Ainsworth has vastly delivered above expectations during almost a decade at the helm.
Ainsworth took the club from near the bottom of League Two to the Championship, almost kept them there against all odds last season, and is now looking to defy the odds again by returning there at the first time of asking.
"We really have had a brilliant, brilliant season. It's so refreshing to know that the fans know what we've done," said the former winger.
"The players have had a fantastic season. We have an opportunity now to make it an unbelievable season. They're going to grasp it. They're going to give everything that they've got. I'm so proud of them.
"It's Wembley. It's a brilliant occasion. We embrace things here and don't just go 'it's just another game' - it's not. It's Wembley and it's to play a final.
"We know what's going to happen with the crowd being so big and being outnumbered on that front.
"The boys are in a good place and I can't wait to walk out on that pitch."
'I've got to put him on, haven't I?'
Akinfenwa and Ainsworth have built a close relationship at Wycombe
Saturday's match will also mark the end of Adebayo Akinfenwa's playing career.
The charismatic 40-year-old striker, known as 'the Beast', is bowing out after six years at Wycombe.
Akinfenwa will be a substitute at Wembley - and Ainsworth is hoping for a fairytale ending.
He said: "At Wembley I've got to put him on, haven't I?
"He's not going to start and he probably knows that. But I wouldn't like to be the gaffer who didn't put him on for his last game, at the home of football.
"I'm sure the football gods are looking down, thinking 'there's one more moment'.
"There's a story to be written there. If Bayo can seal the deal then what a way to go out. But he'll say that even if he doesn't, what a way to go out."
Akinfenwa contributed 10 goals as Ainsworth's side won promotion to the Championship via the play-offs two years ago.
He recently told BBC Radio 5 Live "my knee has been gone for the last 18 months", but he too is hoping to finish on a high note.
"If it's 10 minutes, two minutes, to be able to get out on the hallowed turf for my last kick in the professional game, it's a beautiful ending to my story - as long as we get the win," he added.
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