Wycombe Wanderers are the original Football League team from Buckinghamshire.
But with Milton Keynes’ presence in the EFL following their rebranding in 2003, a hostile rivalry has been created.
Separated by 35 miles across the county, the two sides have met 16 times since their first encounter in 2006, with there being no love lost between each club.
Eight red cards, 61 yellow cards, 45 goals, seven clean sheets, and five meetings last season has really made the Buckinghamshire derby one of the most aggressive in the 72.
88: RED CARD! Agard is sent off for being thrown to the floor and kicked? Apparently?
— Milton Keynes Dons (@MKDonsFC) November 12, 2019
1-1 #MKDvWYC
88: RED CARD! Giles Phillips is now shown a red card by the referee, for throwing Agard to floor and kicking him.
— Milton Keynes Dons (@MKDonsFC) November 12, 2019
1-1 #MKDvWYC
And with Wycombe going into this weekend's derby following back-to-back victories on top of fresh memories from their play-off semi-final success at Stadium MK last season, it could be anyone’s game in north Bucks on Saturday.
MK are currently in the League One drop zone after only winning three of their 13 games this season.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's match, Ainsworth said: “It’s a strange one because MK Dons took over the position of the old Wimbledon who were a Championship side for a bit whilst Wycombe were quite a way off them.
“All of a sudden, this team from Buckinghamshire started to climb the leagues and the other fell down the leagues and now they are quite level, and I think it's nice to have [a rivalry].
“It makes this special and you need these close proximity games as they are great.
“We travel all over the country so it’s nice to only go up the road and have a game against someone who is quite close to home.
“But manager-wise, you don’t look at that.
“I’m a Blackburn Rovers fan and my rivals are Burnley.
“That’s my passion.
“But for some people, I know how much this game will mean however for me, it’s another League One fixture where we want to try and get three points and climb up that table.”
Despite the play-off triumph in May over MK, Wycombe have got a terrible record away at their county neighbours.
In their nine matches in north Bucks, Wanderers have won two, drawn once, and lost six.
Those two victories came in 2010 and 2019, with the former being their only win away at the stadium in a league match.
The latter was in an EFL Trophy tie in November of that year with Josh Parker scoring a late winner in a 2-1 victory.
Ainsworth continued: “I remember when I first joined, we won 3-2 up there with Kevin Betsy getting a last-minute winner and the rivalry is not like how it is now.
“It adds a bit more spice to it for the fans which is great.
READ MORE: 'This is a second home for me' - Adebayo Akinfenwa on his love for Wycombe Wanderers
“I’m really happy about that as it means a few more Wycombe fans might turn up and get behind us, as they were brilliant in the second leg back in May, and that's a night I will not forget.”
The scenes at Stadium: MK will be forever remembered. Amazing, the result means Wycombe have won twice in nine attempts at Stadium: MK, yet they have managed to get a place in a final from the latter. What a result! More to follow #Chairboys
— James Richings (@James_BFP) May 8, 2022
Kick-off is at 3pm.
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