Wycombe Wanderers have sacked manager Michael Duff after the Buckinghamshire club failed to win any of their first five League One matches of the 2026-27 season. First-team coach Alex Morris has departed alongside him.

Three points from 15 not enough to save Duff

The Chairboys have collected three points so far this season, losing twice and drawing the remaining three fixtures. That record made Duff the first managerial casualty of the 2026-27 campaign across the top four divisions of English football.

The 48-year-old arrived at Adams Park in September 2025, replacing Michael Dodds having previously managed Cheltenham Town, Barnsley, Swansea City and Huddersfield. Duff guided Wycombe to a top-half finish last season, but the club's statement pointed to a wider stretch of poor form rather than the early-season results alone.

"The club has made the decision in light of a disappointing run of results since the spring and believes the time is right to take a new direction," Wycombe said on Tuesday morning.

Wycombe's sole win across their past 13 games in all competitions came on the final day of last season, a victory over Rotherham. That barren spell covers the current League One campaign as well as a Carabao Cup defeat and a Vertu Trophy draw, results that contributed to the ownership group's verdict.

Morris also exits after less than a year

Morris, a former Crewe Alexandra manager, had joined Wycombe's coaching staff in October 2025 following two years working under the hood at Stoke City. His departure leaves the Adams Park dugout empty of its two most senior figures simultaneously.

The club confirmed an interim head coach will be announced later on Tuesday, giving the squad minimal disruption ahead of their next third-tier fixture.

Context: a tough opening schedule

BBC Three Counties Radio analyst Sam Avery described the decision as "a bit of a surprise," noting that Wycombe's early fixtures brought them up against some of the division's stronger sides, including Sheffield Wednesday, Stockport County and MK Dons. Two of those three games ended in draws, and the club concede they have only actually lost twice in the league.

Yet the ownership group appear to have reached their verdict based on the longer trajectory. Since Matt Bloomfield departed for Luton Town nearly two years ago, Wycombe have employed two head coaches, signed close to 40 players and reportedly broken their transfer record on at least two occasions. The concern among some supporters, as Avery noted, is that progress on the pitch has not matched investment off it.

What comes next at Adams Park

Whoever steps in as interim will inherit a squad that includes recent arrivals Wareham from Exeter and Mothersille on loan from Stockport, suggesting the transfer business of the summer was not the primary driver of this change at the top.

With the League One table still taking shape this early in September, Wycombe sit in the lower reaches but remain only a handful of points adrift of the pack. A new manager, even a temporary one, will need to convert draws into wins quickly if the club is to avoid a prolonged battle against the lower reaches of the division.

  • Duff's League One record at Wycombe this season: P5, W0, D3, L2, points 3
  • Wycombe's last win in all competitions: final day of 2025-26, vs Rotherham
  • Interim head coach: to be confirmed later on 8 September 2026

The clock is already ticking for whoever takes temporary charge. Wycombe's ownership will be under pressure from a supporter base that wants stability, not another rapid rebuild.

Frequently asked

Why did Wycombe sack Michael Duff?
Wycombe dismissed Duff after he collected just three points from the club's opening five League One games in 2026-27. The club's statement also cited a poor run of form stretching back to the spring of the previous season, with Wycombe winning only once across their last 13 games in all competitions.
Who is in charge of Wycombe Wanderers now?
Wycombe announced on 8 September 2026 that an interim head coach would be appointed later that day, following the departures of Michael Duff and first-team coach Alex Morris.
What is Wycombe's League One record so far this season?
After five games, Wycombe have won none, drawn three and lost two, leaving them with three points from a possible 15 in League One.