Former Wycombe goalkeeper Alex Lynch opens up about his time as a professional footballer.
Lynch was gutted when he found out he was leaving the Chairboys because he loved his time at the club.
“It was really tough to take I loved my time at Wycombe I was gutted when I got released but had to start looking at what the future held for me.”
Before he was playing professional football Lynch suffered several set backs after his height was stopping clubs signing him.
After championship club Peterborough United sent a memo out Lynch went down and spent a week with the club.
He enjoyed being involved with the first team and youth team goalkeepers and while he was trial he played some games for the club.
“I had a lot of trials around that time when I was 16 I had been all over England really but I was quite small and kept getting knocked back cause of my height.”
“I think Peterborough sent a memo out looking for a 16 year old goalkeeper and I ended up going down there for a week or so. I trained with the first team goalkeepers and youth team goalkeepers and it was a good experience for me at the time! I played a game for the youth team at the end of the week and did pretty well and they offered me a two year scholarship after the game!”
When he was offered a two year deal it was a no brainer for Lynch to sign for the club.
“It was a no brainier signing the club was going to the championship at the time and the goalkeeper coach there wasn’t bothered that I was under 6 foot at the time and I instantly got on with him really well. I think they was a bit worried I was moving so far from home but I wasn’t bothered I was committed to going so I signed.”
After two years as a scholar Alex was offered a one year professional contract but soon as he signed his goalkeeper coach left to go to Wycombe.
“They offered me a one year deal at the end of my scholar and I was happy with it but my goalkeeper coach left and went to Wycombe and I was gutted about it at the time cause he really looked after me.”
After signing his pro contract he had a few loan spells but being on loan at Stamford was one of his best times in football.
It was his first experience playing mens football and playing in a proper league.
Lynch had to adapt to the standard after going there as a kid and learning a different way of playing.
“Going on loan to Stamford was one of the best times in my career I absolutely loved it. It was my first experience of men’s football and playing in a proper league, It took some getting used to because it was much different to youth team football and everyone just wanted to smash me cause I was a kid in a mans league. I played most of that season there and did pretty well whilst I was trying to get used to a completely different way of playing football.”
After Peterborough verbally told Lynch the club would give him a new year deal, everything with up in the air and when he spoke to Barry Richardson (goalkeeper coach) who had left Peterborough to go to Wycombe, Lynch knew he wanted to go there.
Lynch asked Richardson if Wycombe would have him, Richardson told him there’s a two year deal waiting for him.
Lynch’s mind was set after hearing Richardson told him that.
“Peterborough offered my another one year deal at the time but they only offered me it verbally so it wasn’t in writing and it was up in the air cause the club lost in the play offs and didn’t go up so I wasn’t sure what was happening.”
“So I spoke to the goalkeeper coach who signed me at Peterborough as he had gone to Wycombe and I asked would he have me down there And he said yeah there was a two year deal waiting for me if I wanted to go there.”
“I knew as soon as he said that I was going there! I wanted a change and a new experience so be fair and to work with Barry Richardson (goalkeeper coach) again cause he knew how to get the best out of me.”
Alex also represented Wales at youth team playing for Wales U17-U19.
The young goalkeeper was delighted playing for his country but he was disappointed with his form.
“Playing with Wales was an amazing experience even though if I’m being honest I don’t think I found my best form ever playing for Wales.”
The goalkeeper admits he used to work himself up when going away with Wales. But, he also believes that’s made him stronger.
“I think maybe I got worked up going away with wales and even though I didn’t always do great I think it definitely made me stronger as a player and dealing with disappointment and mistakes.”
Alex Lynch was a massive fan for Declan John after playing with him in the U16s, Lynch wasn’t too sure on the other if they’re still playing.
“I think Declan John was the one I played with he was always good all the way from 16s really, and he’s still playing at a good level now. To be honest I don’t know if any from my age group have gone on to play at the very top level. Some great players and great lads in there though!”
After signing that two year deal at Wycombe Lynch knew the best thing was to go out on loan and play some first team football.
Lynch had a a spell at Hayes and Yeading where he didn’t play but he got plenty of game time at Burnham.
“Going out on loan again I knew it was the best thing for me to do, playing regular first team football on a Saturday and any level is better than sitting on the bench in your comfort zone. That season was tough the team I went on loan to was struggling in the league and we took a bit of a battering but it was all part of the experience again playing men’s football in a different league.”
In May 2015 Lynch made his professional debut on the last day of the season vs Northampton Town.
Lynch made the matchday squad and he was on the bench.
Wycombe goalkeeper Matt Ingram got injured and Lynch was about to make his debut.
The funny thing about it Lynch didn’t know he was coming on till one of the players came in the dressing room to tell him, Lynch had gone to the toilet.
Lynch soon realised when he came back out and Ingram was down injured that nerves started to set in.
“Yes when I made my debut for Wycombe I actually went back to the changing rooms for a wee and one the other young lads on the bench cane running through to tell me Matt has gone down and I thought he was joking but then I walked out and seen the physio give the sub sign to the bench.”
“I was nervous yeah the most nervous I’ve ever been because it was the last day of the season and we was in the mix to go up so it was quite full on to be fair. “
Soon after making his debut for the club he was straight into the play offs.
Wycombe were facing Plymouth Argyle and Lynch was feeling the nerves again in a much bigger game than Northampton.
Lynch looks back at their game at Home Park an amazing experience and a good atmosphere from the Green Army.
“Amazing experience. The first leg of the semi finals I was nervous as I’ve ever been to be fair. The atmosphere was good at their ground.”
Lynch knew he was making a step up and he knew it wasn’t like any other game.
“I knew that this game wasn’t like anything I’d played in before and it was a step up for me but I still believed I could play at that level once I got settled in!”
Wycombe won the game 3-2 at Home Park.
The young goalkeeper felt he did ok in the game but he knows he can perform better.
“We got through the first leg with a 3-2 win I did okay but I wasn’t the best to be honest.”
Wycombe were going into the second leg with a 3-2 lead and there were still pressure on Wycombe to get the job done.
The Wycombe goalkeeper was busier and had to pull off some decent saves for Wycombe to go to Wembley.
Wycombe won the game 2-1 and Lynch was delighted that Wycombe were going to Wembley.
“The second leg was different atmosphere was good again at home but I had more to do and I made a few decent saves and by the end of the game I knew I’d done my bit and was really happy that everyone at the club was gonna get a trip to Wembley!”
The biggest game of his career and Lynch was in relax mood ahead of the play off final game vs Southend.
Following the second leg play off semi final vs Plymouth, his performance in that game gave him the confidence he can do well in the final.
“The build up to the final was genuinely the most relaxed I’ve ever been before a football match. The fact id done well in the second leg and had people patting my back I felt more confident going into the final.”
The play off final was a rollercoaster for Lynch emotions.
Losing a play off final in a penalty shootout was a heartbreaking moment for Wycombe and Lynch.
Lynch was in mixed emotions following the final, he was gutted to lose in that fashion but the whole experience was amazing.
“The game was a rollercoaster of emotions from going so close to conceding with 10 seconds to go and then losing on penalties. It was heartbreaking but at the time for me personally the experience of it for me was amazing it wasn’t till later on and watching it back that I realised what could of been and how close we actually got. Not that it matter so much now cause the club are in an amazing position now and I’m delighted for everybody there.”
After a run of games Lynch knew he was going to be NO.1 when Matt Ingram was back from his injury.
Lynch describes Ingram the best goalkeeper in the league.
“No if I’m honest I knew I wasn’t gonna be number 1. Matt Ingram was the best goalkeeper in the league and he was on the boarder of getting a move to the levels above so i knew if he was back fit that I wasn’t playing.”
In January 2016, Lynch was again needed, this time against Premier League outfit Aston Villa.
He couldn’t believe he was about to play in the FA Cup against Aston Villa.
Wycombe done very well and they got a draw and a replay at Villa Park.
“The villa game was another one where I got chucked in the deep end of the tele to be honest. Matt got sent off the week before against someone in the league so he was banned and then one of the boys let me know who we was playing the week after and I couldn’t believe it to be honest, It was another great experience getting to play against a premier league team and drawing against them to get a replay we did well. I’m sure they was having a rough patch in the premier league at the time so we knew it was the best chance of getting something out of the game and we did to be fair, I didn’t have that much to do but an amazing experience.”
Following the game Alex got one of the Villa goalkeeper shirts.
“No I didn’t speak to any of them I think I got there goalkeepers shirt but that was about it really.”
After Matt Ingram was sold to QPR in the championship, Alex felt he had the opportunity to play regularly but when he suffered a torn quad in the first game after Matt had left, Lynch season was over when he was ruled out for the rest of the season.
Alex was gutted because his time at Wycombe had come to an end after finding out the club wasn’t renewing his contract.
The goalkeeper loved his time at Wycombe.
“Yeah I did want to stay in the full time game I had a tough second half of that season I got released. I got the chance to play regular after Matt had been sold to QPR but I tore my quad in the first game after he went and missed the rest of that season! It was really tough to take I loved my time at Wycombe I was gutted when I got released but had to start looking at what the future held for me.”
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