Football VAVEL

Former Wycombe defender Danny Foster reflects on his time at Adams Park

Danny Foster spoke to VAVEL about his time at Wycombe Wanderers and eventual retirement from his playing days. 

Former Wycombe defender Danny Foster reflects on his time at Adams Park
Foster played for the Chairboys for three years (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
harryware07
By Harry Ware

Former Wycombe Wanderers defender Danny Foster spent three years in Buckinghamshire, helping the club back to League One in his first season. 

A third-placed finish in the 2010-11 season saw the Chairboys promoted back to the third tier of English football, before being relegated straight back the season after. 

Unfortunately, the former Tottenham Hotspur youngster had to hang up his boots at the age of 29, having suffered a knee injury whilst at Wycombe. 

However, it is a career that Foster will still look back on with many special memories, and in an interview with VAVEL, he reflected on his time at his final club in his playing days, Wycombe Wanderers. 

  • Joining the Chairboys 

Foster joined Wycombe Wanderers in 2010 from then League One side Brentford. 

Joining the club with Brentford teammate Ben Strevens, Foster explained his move to Buckinghamshire. 

"I was playing for Brentford. I signed a contract there, but I wasn't quite happy. At the time I thought it was a good time to move on.

"I'd heard a rumour that Gary Waddock quite liked me as a player and that he would be interested in taking me if the opportunity came around. Thankfully we managed to get it done.

"Ben Strevens who is a good friend of mine was at Brentford at the time and in a similar situation and we both signed for Wycombe.

"As a player you always wanted to play at the highest level you could. I knew Wycombe was a good club, I knew it had good foundations, good facilities, good manager. 

"I knew after speaking with Gary Waddock that he wanted to get straight back up into League One in that first season. That was the target he set from the first conversation.

"That excited me. That was one of the things that sealed the deal.

"We had a strong belief. There was quite a few signings.

"We had a good team spirit from day one and in the changing room we believed we could go on to achieve something."

  • Promotion to League One 

His first season with the Chairboys would be a very successful one. 

Wycombe won promotion back to League One at the first attempt, finishing in third place in League Two. 

Foster explained the feeling around the club at the time of that promotion to the third tier of English football. 

"Team spirit set us on our way from an early stage in the season.

"It was quite a nervous end to the season. We were on a good run, maybe eight games unbeaten, so we had a good bit of momentum. 

"Everyone was just on cloud nine. Getting a promotion in your career is quite a rare thing.

"So many players go through their career and don't achieve a trophy or promotion.

"It's that relief at the end of the season that all the hard work that you put in, you've now got something to show and a reward for it.

"It's a real special moment in your career, for the club, for the fans and everyone. It's great memories."

However, the return season to League One did not go to plan for the Blues, who were relegated back to League Two. 

In what was a difficult season for Wycombe, Foster explained the emotions in that season. 

"That was very difficult. It was hard to put our finger on what was going wrong. 

"Again we signed quite a few players before the start of the season so maybe that was something to do with it in terms of regrouping and getting those players to gel into the way we do things.

"There were some tough teams in the league that year. It was difficult.

"I had an injury throughout that season which was difficult personally, so I was in and out the team.

"You take the ups and the downs. Unfortunately that was a down for us.

"You get to the last ten games of the season, where you're scrapping for every point, you can see the morale with some of the boys starts to go down.

"There's that uncertainty in the air. You look at yourself and you think we're in it here. This could go either way. 

"Obviously you keep fighting until the very end, but you've always got that little seed of doubt in your mind. 

"The key thing is to try and leave that at the back of your mind and focus on the next game, and try to get points on the board.

"It's a difficult situation to be in."

  • Foster's time under Gary Waddock 

The return to League Two was a disappointing one for Wycombe, and it saw the eventual dismissal of manager Gary Waddock from the club. 

Having spent his first two seasons at Wycombe under Waddock, Foster explained what it was like working under the former Wycombe boss. 

"Gary was a top guy, a lovely man. That made you want to play for him.

"His training sessions, day in day out, you look forward to coming in and training with him. He really put on a good session.

"His philosophy was total football. I remember signing and in preseason, from day one the footballs were out.

"Back then, you didn't see a football for a week or two. It was just run run run. But his whole philosophy was, we play football. I want us to have the ball and be comfortable on the ball. 

"It was a breath of fresh air. It was a shame to see him get let go.

"That's football. You're not really told much. The results weren't going great when we were back in League Two.

"It's tough. Everyone knows, Gary was a top man. We're all there to earn money and provide for our families, so whenever someone gets released or let go, it's difficult to see. 

"But that's part of the game. That's what we sign up for."

  • On injuries - "It's a difficult time"

Foster had to retire from his playing days as a result of a knee injury, at the age of 29. 

Having suffered other injuries before, Foster explained how tough it is dealing with an injury. 

"Injuries is the worst part of the game. You can't dress it up any other way.

"You just feel useless because you can't help your teammates, you can't train. You can't do the thing that you love and you're passionate about. 

"As you get older, with experience you learn to deal with them a bit better.

"The shoulder injury was tough. It was really painful. It was a dislocation and a tear of the shoulder joints. 

"You get on with it. You focus on your rehab.

"It's a difficult time.

"It was the last ten minutes away to Rotherham. Tuesday night, freezing cold, November, pouring down with rain. We actually won the game 3-2. It might have been Gaz's second or third game as manager. 

"I had a great game, but then the last ten minutes, I've gone in for this challenge and obviously come off worse.

"The initial pain and feeling in your leg, you're thinking this isn't great.

"I wasn't one to shy away. I'd always try to stay on the pitch. I remember trying to run it off.

"I was worried at that point. 

"In the next few days and weeks I saw specialists. We had scans. They gave me the bad news.

"When the physio tells you that news, it's a real dark day. It's not good.

"In terms of a ten year professional career, I managed to achieve two promotions. One out of the Conference with Dagenham and with Wycombe from League Two. 

"I played for my country in the youth teams and England C team.

"There's a few accolades I look back on and I'm proud.

"I'd like to thing there's fans out there that will look back at those few years and think what a great team we had. Hopefully we've given them some good memories along the way. Special moments.

"Without the fans, there's no football. They're a massive part. It's great to see the club where they are."