The PSLNet league was a forerunner to the IFA League as we know it today, and in the 97/98 season WIFC finished runners-up. Aidy Spender and Simon Devon show off their medals, which were presented on the pitch at Vicarage Road.
The M’Duck Cup, won in pouring rain in Leicester, back in 2001. The day was probably just as memorable for Wenham’s cracked ribs and lack of a jacket leading to a bout of pneumonia. Wenham himself had scored the 2 goals against Lincoln that eventually secured the trophy.
Having beaten Hearts and St Mirren in memorable fashion along the way, WIFC met their old rivals from QPR in the IFA Cup Final in 2002. Unfortunately, and despite a man of the match showing from Dave Perahia, QPR ran out 3-0 winners on the day. Here is the runners-up medal.
The shield below was presented to WIFC on the occasion of the first match against Inter Milan, which took place at Yeading FC in September 2002. The IFA had asked for teams to entertain the Italian visitors and this match was the first of a triple header for Inter. A return visit took place in May 2005.
WIFC have always been a leading light in the IFA, and this has led to the club winning the coveted team of the year award on four occasions, in 1999, 2005, 2008 & 2012. Voted by all other member clubs, the team of the year award is awarded to the team deemed to be the best team to play against in terms of sportsmanship and playing in the spirit intended by the IFA. On winning the shield for the third time in 2008, the club were allowed to keep the shield pictured below, and re-name the award after one of it’s own. As such, the IFA team of the year now wins the Peter Fincham Shield.
On the back of the team of the year award for the 3rd time, WIFC had their best ever Worldnet in 2008, finishing runners-up to Preston. A picture of the runners-up medal is below. This one belongs to Mat Ball.
In May 2010, WIFC won their first silverware since 2001 when the club won the Stevenage Tournament. 4 wins from 5 games secured top spot in this mini-league style tournament, in which Paul Whittenbury was named player of the day, as voted by the referees. Defeat in the opening game against the hosts got the day off to bad start, but 4 goals from Jimmy Davis, 3 from Chris Dew and one apiece for Mark Brennan and Alex Prentice accounted for Cambridge, West Ham, AFC Wimbledon and Welling to win the trophy.
May 2013 saw Pete Fincham lead a WIFC veterans side to success in Europe, with a tournament win at the Amsterdam Veterans 6-a-side tournament. Rob Sterry was on target in a 1-0 final win against Kingstonian, while keeper Darren Sear won the tournament’s Golden Glove award.
A week after Amsterdam, WIFC made it 2 trophies in a week when they defeated Stevenage in the London Cup Final. Having lost on penalties to West Ham the year before, WIFC were determined to go one better, and goals from Rob Sterry and Stuart Nicholls secured a 2-1 win.
The IFA London Cup 2013
Tom Beck shows off his London Cup winners medal
2017 saw WIFC compete in the MKDSA Changing Places Challenge Cup at Stadium MK. An excellent team effort across the 5 games of the tournament was enough to secure the silverware pictured below.
