When Wycombe District Council vetoed Steve Hayes’ plans to create a stadium/sports complex in Wycombe to accommodate both of the teams he then owned – Wycombe Wanderers and Wasps, I suppose it was inevitable that the ground share arrangement between the clubs would be less secure. When the teams became separately owned the decree absolute became even more likely, given that Adams Park could not accommodate the crowds that Wasps could attract.

However it is undoubtedly true that the presence of Wasps in Wycombe has been of huge assistance in enabling Wanderers to survive the last few nail-biting years of financial and league insecurity. The net benefit to Wanderers has never been publicised – but there clearly was a fairly substantial annual amount in the coffers without which we may have followed the ever growing list of clubs that have gone into administration, had massive point deductions and sunk without trace through the conference and out the other side.

Mercifully the departure of Wasps in December coincides with a renaissance of form and ambition for Wanderers. If anything shows the wisdom of sticking with a manager and allowing him to develop a team – then Wanderers’ necessary retention of Gareth Ainsworth despite the team tiptoeing to the edge of the precipice at the end of last season is a great example. As he gets better and better at the job, let’s hope we can retain him as he and the team bounce from one end of the division last year to the top this year. The finances may tremble at the departure of Wasps, but if the crowds come back to see their local team battling with pride – successfully, it may not be so bad after all. And the new Chairman, Andrew Howard, seems encouragingly upbeat about the opportunity offered.

I feel sorry for the Wasps fans who now have to face a trek to the Midlands if they want to follow their team, turning all games into away matches. Many of them will be South Bucks Rugby fans, who started to support the team 12 years ago when they came out from London. Others will have been travelling from London to continue their support.

MK Dons eventually weathered the storm when they left Wimbledon, so Wasps have a strong enough brand to do the same. Let’s hope both teams flourish apart. At least the Adams Park pitch will have a better chance of surviving the season!