Peterborough United are out to impress an expanded fanbase, but there's a player missing Wembley because of injury

Peterborough United hope to use the EFL Trophy final at Wembley to increase their regular fanbase at London Road.
Posh boss Darren Ferguson with the EFL Trophy in 2014. Photo Alan Storer.Posh boss Darren Ferguson with the EFL Trophy in 2014. Photo Alan Storer.
Posh boss Darren Ferguson with the EFL Trophy in 2014. Photo Alan Storer.

Posh have an average home attendance of just over 9,100 for League One games this season, but will be backed by over 22,600 fans when they tackle Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley on Sunday (4.30pm kick off).

Posh boss Darren Ferguson believes it’s a great opportunity to get some of that extra support to return by putting on an entertaining show as his team attempt to mark the 10-year anniversary of their first win in the competition with another victory. Posh beat Chesterfield 3-1 at Wembley in the 2014 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final.

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On-loan Brentford winger Michael Olakigbe has picked up a knock and will miss Sunday’s game. Teenage full-back James Dornelly has been added to the regular matchday squad.

On-loan Posh winger Michael Olakigbe will miss the EFL Trophy Final.On-loan Posh winger Michael Olakigbe will miss the EFL Trophy Final.
On-loan Posh winger Michael Olakigbe will miss the EFL Trophy Final.

"We will have close to 23,000 fans enjoying a great day out,” Ferguson said. “And I hope some of those fans, who are not regulars, are entertained enough to want to come back and watch us.

“You need luck in cup finals and we had some in that final against Chesterfield as we didn’t play well, but we scored at good times.

"We have a better team now than 10 years ago, but both teams have shown you can have success in this competition and the league in the same season. We lost in the play-offs in 2014, but no we still have a chance to finish in the top two.

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"I always take this competition seriously and I always plan in my head how I want it to go and it went perfectly this season. I wanted to win the first two group games so we could play younger players in the third game and that happened. We won the group to get a home draw in the first knockout round and then you just hope for good draws.

"The semi-final is always the most difficult game with plenty of tension and nerves. It’s easier in the final because, although you obviously want to win, you can also enjoy playing at Wembley.

"We are travelling down there tomorrow (Saturday) and we well get on the pitch in the afternoon which is when it will sink in just where we are going to play.

"I know my team and the players will know it tomorrow. It would be a great thing for these young players to win at Wembley, but we all know hard it will be.

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"Wycombe have good players and are always well organised. They have a good blend of youth and experience. The league games won’t have a bearing on Sunday though.

"I watched the away game back this week (Posh lost 5-2 at Adams Park). I changed formation for the game and we were fairly comfortable, without creating too much, but just gave away terrible goals at bad times. We got back from 3-0 to 3-2 and immediately conceded again for instance.

"This will be a very different game in a much different environment though.”

Wycombe’s average home gate is just 4,873, but they will have over 15,000 at the final.

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