Relegation belatedly sinks in at Wycombe

Tony Adams, the Wycombe Wanderers manager, was still holding out hope that his team might avoid relegation after a 2-1 loss at home to Tranmere on Monday. However, he didn't realise that it was already too late for Wycombe.

Because some of the teams above them have to play each other, Wycombe cannot avoid finishing in the bottom four of the Second Division. But Adams and his staff and players did not know that.

"It's not mathematically over yet so we'll keep going," Adams said after the loss to Tranmere. Wycombe have 34 points with four games to go and can only finish with a maximum 46.

Although Oldham and Brentford, who are in the safety zone, also have 46, they play teams just two points behind. Even if they both lost, Adams' men would go down anyway.

If Chesterfield were to beat Oldham and Grimsby beat Brentford, they would have 47.

"We missed it and even the BBC missed it," a Wycombe spokesman said later. "But the fact is we are relegated."