Wycombe Wanderers: Owner Pete Couhig likely to sell within four years

Rob Couhig has been owner of Wycombe Wanderers since February 2020

Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig says he is likely to sell the League One club within the next four years.

The US businessman bought a 75% stake from the supporters' trust almost three-and-a-half years ago.

The Chairboys reached the Championship under Gareth Ainsworth a few months later, but their stay in the second tier lasted only one season.

"Right now we are sifting through various offers of investment," Couhig told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"One of the lessons I've learned is that none of us is forever and so my goal is to make sure as we go about putting in additional investment, we are setting up a true succession plan."

Wycombe came within one match of a return to the Championship in 2021-22, but lost to Sunderland in that season's League One play-off final at Wembley.

• Listen to full BBC Three Counties Radio interview with Rob Couhig

Ainsworth left to become QPR boss in March after more than a decade in charge, with former player Matt Bloomfield returning to Adams Park - which is still owned by the Trust - as his replacement, but they ended last season eight points outside the top six, in ninth place.

"Our club, like a lot of clubs, spends more than it brings in sometimes although we try and keep a pretty tight rein on it," said Couhig.

"A bunch of folks have knocked on the door and said 'tell you what, even better than investment, why don't we just buy you out?' which is sort of a bittersweet thing to hear.

"For now, we are engaged in the process of looking at some folks who want to help (us) capitalise on our ongoing goal of promotion."

Head coach Matt Bloomfield returned to Wycombe from Colchester United

Couhig said that if one of them became a reality he would have to send a "fruit basket" to the Wrexham owners, actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who have "got everybody in America excited" about English football.

"The whole promotion/relegation scene has fascinated people in America," he continued.

"The fact they can see us on streaming TV now is a big, big deal and the fact that the entry point for EFL football, while expensive comparatively speaking, to an NBA franchise, Major League Baseball of the NFL is comparatively small."

Couhig has a spell in hospital earlier this year but does not think passing the club on to other family members is feasible.

His nephew Pete is the club's chief financial offer but needs to spend more time in the United States and Couhig said his sons were not interested in moving to England.

"Probably not this year, but sometime in the next two, three four years, it's going to make sense for us to find the right successor," he added.

"Whoever I sell it to, part of my goal would be to find somebody who's better than me, who will understand the unique nature of ownership of this club.

"The hallmark of our tenure is that every year we try and enhance the club, on the pitch and off. This year we'll be working to add extra economic resources to give us a better product on the pitch."

Wycombe will begin the new campaign with a home game against Exeter City on 5 August.