Muskwe cheers grieving Wycombe

Zimbabwe international forward, Admiral Muskwe, scored for his English Championship side Wycombe Wanderers to help cheer the spirits of a club mourning the death of one of their legends.

The Chairboys, who are battling relegation, thrashed fellow strugglers Rotherham 3-0 United on Monday, with Muskwe scoring their first goal, after just two minutes, at the New York Stadium.

The 22-year-old forward is on loan at Wycombe Wanderers from English Premiership side, Leicester City.

His last league goal has come in a 2-7 defeat at the hands of Brentford on January 30.

The victory came at the right time for Wycombe Wanderers, who are mourning the loss of their legends, following the death of Cliff Trott, at the age of 91.

“He’s the third of the legendary 1957 FA Amateur Cup line-up to pass on in the last eight months following the loss of Jim Truett and Mike Wicks,’’ the club said.

“It leaves only Dennis Syrett and Len Worley left from the Blues side that became the first from the club to grace the famous Wembley turf.

“Trott was a key member of the squad that Sid Cann got together to become one of the leaders of amateur football in the 1950s.

“Aside from that great Cup run which saw them score six memorable victories before bowing to Bishop Auckland in front of a 90,000 crowd, the Wanderers won the Isthmian League title twice and were runners-up twice in a memorable spell of the club’s history.

“Cliff was the heartbeat of that side, his hustle, bustle, non-stop running and aggression created openings for fellow strikers Malcom Hunt and Paul Bates and fitted in perfectly with the silkier skills of teammates like Len Worley, Jackie Tomlin and Frank Smith.

“But, Trott got more than his fair share of goals too — 158 in only 224 games between 1954 and 1961. His 29 goals in his first season of 1954-55 were followed by 19 more in the League alone the following year when the Wanderers clinched their very first Isthmian League title. His five in the Amateur Cup that season also helped on the road to Wembley.

‘’Spotted by coach Cann playing for home club Slough Centre, alongside his brother, Cliff created life-time bonds at Loakes Park. He and wife Eileen were particularly close to Malcolm Hunt and his wife Barbara, lunching together every week before Malcom died in 2012.

“Typically, they both agreed to be founder members of Wycombe’s Ex-Players Association on the same day and attended lots of the early events including the first tribute dinner to the 1957 heroes when the whole squad bar Fred Lawson and Frank Westley were re-united in 2009.

“Cliff was made a Life Member of WWEPA along with surviving members of the squad back in 2017. Although confined to a Care Home, with advancing dementia, he was proud to display his Ex-Players’ plaque on the wall of his room where he kept all his Wanderers’ memorabilia.’’

Clearly, there was inspiration for the Chairboys, on Easter Monday, in their six-pointer showdown, against the Millers, with Muskwe rediscovering his scoring form, at the New York Stadium.

The hosts endured a nightmare start as Muskwe handed the visiting side a second-minute lead with a cool finish that beat goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.

Despite the lead, the visitors did not put their feet off the pedal and they deservedly got the second goal in the 24th minute courtesy of a deflected effort from Jason McCarthy — with Uche Ikpeazu providing the assist. — The Herald/Wycombe Wanderers