SUNDERLAND’S Wembley woes have been well documented over the years but can the same be said for Wycombe Wanderers?

The two meet each other next weekend in the League One play-off final for a place in the Championship.

Wycombe’s climb up the leagues has been nothing short of extraordinary over the decades. But away from their time in professional football, they did have one outing to the home of English Football where they came up short against a Northern League side.

Here’s a history of how the Chairboys have got on in the past at Wembley…

Wycombe 1-3 Bishop Auckland (FA Amateur Cup 1957)

A game mired in controversy with the inclusion of Billy Russell for Bishop who went on to score in the final in his one and only appearance in the competition.

Wycombe had won the Isthmian League title that year which is a whopping four divisions below where they currently stand in the football pyramid.

It might have been an amateur competition but 90,000 spectators watched on as Bishop secured the trophy on Wycombe’s first Wembley outing.

Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Kidderminster Harriers (FA Trophy Final 1991)

It was a defining moment in the club’s history. It was the first season Wycombe had moved from their beloved Loakes Park to their current home Adams Park.

Keith Scott opened the scoring before Dave Hanley found an equaliser for Harriers in the second half. Mark West’s diving header late in completed their first Wembley triumph.

None other than former Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill led them to a cup victory in front of 35,000 spectators.

Wycombe Wanderers 3-1 Runcorn FC (FA Trophy Final 1993)

Having surrendered their title the following season, the Chairboys were back at Wembley again to regain their crown in the FA Trophy.

30,000 fans watched on as they made short work of Runcorn FC. In the same season, they also sealed promotion to the Football League after winning the Conference title.

O’Neill went on to reject the chance to manage Nottingham Forest and stay with Wycombe.

Wycombe Wanderers 4-2 Preston North End (Division 3 Play-Off Final 1994)

It was a third trip to Wembley in four years for the Chairboys and so it would transpire to be another triumph.

Riding the crest of a wave under O’Neill following promotion to the Football League, the Chairboys climbed into Division 2 thanks to a comeback win.

Guess who was playing in the heart of the Lilywhites midfield that day? Wycombe’s current manager Gareth Ainsworth.

Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Southend AET 6-7 pens (League Two play-off final 2015)

21 years later, Wycombe found themselves back at the home of English football battling it out for a place in the third tier of English football.

The Chairboys, now under the stewardship of Gareth Ainsworth, thought they had won it in extra-time when goalkeeper Daniel Bentley turned the bell into his own net before Joe Piggott slotted home in the 122nd minute to take it to penalties.

Bentley went from villain to hero saving Sam Wood’s spotkick and ensure a miserable return to Wembley.

Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Oxford United (League One play-off final 2020)

Two years ago, the Chairboys were promoted to the Championship for the first time in their history.

In front of an empty Wembley Stadium in mid-July due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a tight contest was settled by a Joe Jacobson penalty in the 79th minute of the game.

Wycombe would seal an immediate return to League One but are now looking for a jump straight back up into the second tier when they face Sunderland next weekend.