WYCOMBE Wanderers re-visit the scene of their biggest ever embarrassment when they travel to Basingtoke Town in a pre-season friendly tonight.
The Blues were dumped out of the FA Cup 5-4 on penalties by the non-leaguers in 1997 and assistant boss Steve Brown who was in the Wycombe side that day admits it is a night he would sooner forget.
He said: "I was embarrassed and ashamed that night. But it is one of those things I have erased from my brain. It was a horrible moment but we have moved on."
Basingstoke are still managed by Ernie Howe and his assistant Pete Peters, who masterminded that victory, while Steve Richardson - a player from that day is now on the coaching staff.
But Brown insists that tonight's re-match, the first between the sides since that cup tie, is not about revenge.
He said: "It's a pre-season friendly and that's all. It's not payback time. We are not looking to carry out any vendetta or settle any scores. We're just looking at it as another game to make sure we're right for the start of the season. It is just another important game in our preparation."
Wanderers boss John Gorman will use most of his squad tonight as he prepares for the League Two opener at home to Carlisle United on August 6 and he says any watching spies from the Cumbrian club won't learn a thing.
He said: "I don't want to show my hand yet. Everyone deserves to be part of it.
"I pretty much know who my first choice 11 are for the Carlisle game but there are one or two places that could still be up for grabs at the moment.
"But it is not just going to be about 11 players this season. It's about the whole squad. We are going to need them all. They are all going to be important"
Gorman plans to mix up his side for tonight's match but could go with the team he plans to start the season with when Wanderers play Stevenage Borough in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Thursday.
The Basingstoke side tonight does not include any of the men who heaped embarrassment on Wanderers eight years ago.
But they do include Argentine Sergio Torres who lists Bocca Juniors among his former clubs among their new faces.
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