Wycombe Wanderers

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Former West Bromwich Albion and Scotland forward Matt Phillips has announced his retirement from professional football.

The 35-year-old made 238 league appearances for the Baggies, scoring 28 goals during an eight-year stay at The Hawthorns which included three seasons in the Premier League.

Phillips started his career with Wycombe Wanderers before joining Blackpool and then QPR in 2013. He cost Albion £5.5m in 2016.

He made his Scotland debut in a 5-1 friendly win over the USA in May 2012, going on to make 16 senior international appearances and scoring one goal during a win over Hungary in 2018.

After leaving the Baggies in August 2024, Phillips spent 18 months with Oxford United before ending last season with Stevenage where he scored two goals in 19 League One games.

"It's been an amazing journey, as my professional playing career comes to an end let's see what's next," he said on social media., external

Graham Alexander to Preston North End, Robbie Savage to Peterborough? It's a big week for managerial movements in the EFL.

Two high-flying managers in League Two join Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff to analyse and debate the latest talking points.

Bristol Rovers' Steve Evans is fresh from celebrating a new club record in the supporters' bar, while table-topping Barnet's Dean Brennan reveals all on his regular arguments with the owner, his love for Irish breakfasts and how the Bees have risen back up.

The team discuss Alexander's move from Bradford to Deepdale, what Savage's arrival would do for Peterborough and Danny Ings' instant impact for Wycombe.

Listen to the full episode above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

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Wycombe Wanderers have signed goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith on a free transfer.

The 30-year-old arrives at Adams Park having made 172 appearances in the Championship and League One for Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, West Bromwich Albion and Barnsley. He spent the end of last season at Middlesbrough, but did not make an appearance.

During his spell with the Rams, Wildsmith helped them win promotion and claimed the golden glove award for the most clean sheets in the 2023-24 season.

His signing comes after Matt Macey sustained a cruciate ligament injury in pre-season.

"With Conor Hazard away on international duty, and this likely to happen multiple times throughout the season, we thought bringing in a keeper of Joe's quality gives us the strength in depth to compete across all competitions this season," Tom Stockwell, Wycombe's director of football strategy, said., external

The Chairboys, managerless since Michael Duff was sacked earlier this month, are 14th in the League One table with interim head coach Tom Hounsell set to lead the club into Saturday's home match with Reading.

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Reading have confirmed their League One fixtures against Wycombe Wanderers and Bradford City will go ahead despite three Royals players receiving international call-ups.

Midfielders Andy Rinomhota and Charlie Savage plus defender Jeriel Dorsett will be absent over the extended international break.

EFL rules state clubs are eligible to request the postponement of a league fixture if they have three or more players called up for international duty.

Five of the nine League One fixtures this Saturday have already been postponed along with seven of 11 on the following Saturday, however Royals boss Leam Richardson has opted not to postpone the Wycombe game.

Reading also state, external "as things stand, our fixture against Bradford City a week on Saturday will go ahead as scheduled".

Rinomhota, who has started all six of Reading's League One games this term, will join up with Zimbabwe as they face Sierra Leonne and DR Congo in African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Savage, 23, who has made six appearances off the bench in the league, has been recalled by Wales after making his senior debut against Gibraltar in October 2023.

Craig Bellamy's side face Portugal, Denmark twice and Norway in Uefa Nations League fixtures.

Dorsett, who has made two league starts, has been selected by Montserrat who play four fixtures, twice against the British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands.

"Football is a squad game and we have confidence in the players available to us, while keeping the fixture in place also helps us avoid adding another game to an already busy schedule," Richardson said.

"It's better for the supporters too. Saturday afternoon is the ideal time to play football whenever circumstances allow, so we were pleased to keep this one in place."

Wycombe Wanderers defender Steve Cook says Saturday's emotional victory away to Leyton Orient was for their long-suffering fans.

The Chairboys sacked manager Michael Duff on Tuesday before interim boss Tom Hounsell took charge of their 3-2 triumph at Brisbane Road.

The win their first of the season, and their first away victory since March, taking them out of the League One relegation places.

"We want to give the fans more to cheer about, rather than hear songs about not winning away," Cook told BBC Three Counties Radio. "We want to turn that narrative around, and that's down to us on the pitch.

"There's been a lot of change, player-wise and staff-wise, and a lot of outside noise. We've got to clear that, and be together in the dressing-room."

A number of the players and staff were hugging each other and the supporters after the final whistle, as the club climbed up to 19th.

"That's what this club is all about" added Cook. "I know their history and I played under the manager to have the most success here, Gareth Ainsworth at QPR.

"This club enjoyed the success it did by that togetherness, that feel-good factor, that 'us against the world' mentality.

"I'm an experienced player, and I know how much the players need the fans. It hasn't been nice for them probably, seeing us lose away week in week out, and it probably spilled on from last season."

Wycombe were in the battle for the play-offs last season, before losing four of their final six matches and finishing 11th.

As the search for a new head coach continues, Cook is confident they can still have a positive campaign.

"I really think this can be a successful season, and I know the fans will feel that too. But they need to see that belief on the pitch, and we're desperate to give them that," he said.

"We're playing catch-up, simple as that. We've got a 40-game season now, with lots of twists and turns, but we're up for the challenge.

"With players like Fred [Onyedinma] Jayden [Wareham] and Dan Harvey scoring goals now, we're definitely a threat."

Aaron Paul is joined by Bristol City winger Jed Wallace and AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson in the latest episode of the 72+ podcast.

They discuss what's next for Leicester City and Russell Martin after the Foxes were thrashed 4-0 at home by Oxford United last weekend to leave them 18th in League One.

Jackson reflects on Wimbledon's start to the campaign and Michael Duff's sacking at Wycombe Wanderers after just five games - with the Chairboys 23rd in the third tier - is also a topic of conversation.

Listen to the full episode above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

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Transfer deadline day is upon us and today is the final chance for your EFL club to finalise any business until January.

The transfer window closes at 23:00 BST, so we might have some late night scrambles to get deals over the line.

There has already been plenty of movement this summer and whether it's a busy or quiet day for your club, you will be able to keep across it all on BBC Sport.

Follow our EFL deadline day live text coverage throughout the day here

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