Former Wycombe Wanderers cult hero Simon Garner has released his second autobiography.
The 64-year-old, who spent two years on the books at Adams Park where he scored 15 league goals in 66 league appearances, spoke about his stint in South Buckinghamshire.
The ex-forward, who is also Blackburn Rovers’ all-time top scorer with 194, revealed how he joined the club following his departure from West Bromwich Albion, how he spent some time in prison, and how he fell out with manager Alan Smith, who took over from Martin O’Neill in 1996.
In his latest tell-all book, ‘One Last Shot’, he recounts: “Why did Alan Smith have to go and f**k it all up?
#OTD Sunday 15th May 1994
— Chairboys on the Net - Paul Lewis (@GasmanCOTN) May 15, 2022
Carlisle United 0
Wycombe Wanderers 2
4th Tier Play-Off Semi-Final 1st Leg
Steve Thompson & Simon Garner give Wanderers advantage ahead of 2nd leg at AP
👇
My coach ticket for the long journey north - 7am depart for 3pm KO. Worth it for the celebrations pic.twitter.com/In1XMk59o5
READ MORE: 'It feels like a win for us' - Luke Leahy on Wycombe's brilliant draw at Derby County
"I’m not just saying that because he didn’t fancy me much, though he obviously didn’t.
"The whole place just lost its momentum from the minute he arrived.
"Under Martin, we finished sixth in Division Two.
“Under Smith, we dropped to 12th.
“He dumped Steve Thompson, Paul Hyde and Terry Howard into non-league football, he changed the first team kit to resemble that of Crystal Palace, the club that had just sacked him after being relegated from the Premiership.
“He made us train at Bisham Abbey where the facilities were good, expensive and, coincidentally I’m sure, where he had his tennis lessons.
“He wore very short shorts.
Here’s the cover for my new book!
— Simon Garner (@simongarner10) November 7, 2023
Hope you like it.
One Last Shot will be on pre-sale exclusively at https://t.co/me6192dzXw this week.
⚽️ 📖 pic.twitter.com/RrXOZAhAu0
“On one occasion it was raining as we were walking onto the training pitch and we could see fake tan running down the back of his legs.
“One of the lads laughed and he never played for the club again.
“He presided over the worst attendance in the league history of the club and looked on as the Wycombe board announced record losses of £300,000 for the season.”
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“Martin’s philosophy was to play to our strengths and not to worry about our deficiencies, a dream to a player like me.
“So long as we scored more than the opposition, he didn’t care how many we conceded.
“We rarely practised set pieces, rather we’d play by instinct.
“@MartynBCFC: #PlayerPic Simon Garner - Wycombe Wanderers - Striker 1994-96 #wwfc pic.twitter.com/k6fa73In” Wycombe legend! @wwfcofficial
— Coobarga (@stevecub1980) December 23, 2012
“Anyone would take a corner or throw-in and we weren’t assigned positions to defend or attack at particular points in the game.
“Martin was much keener that we use our heads and take responsibility for situations ourselves.
“It made us an attractive attacking side.”
READ MORE: 'I’m so proud of them' - Matt Bloomfield on Wycombe's late draw at Derby County
The book, ‘One Last Shot’, is now out.
To purchase it, visit www.simongarner.co.uk.
His previous autobiography, ‘There’s Only One Simon Garner’, was released in 2002.
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