Wycombe Wanderers have temporarily renamed their Adams Park Stadium to Adam’s Park to remember 17-year-old supporter Adam Ankers who recently passed away.

In a club statement, Wycombe confirmed that the stadium will be renamed for the Chairboy’s SkyBet League One fixture against Oxford United, on Saturday, February 17.

The family of Frank Adams, who is the namesake of Wycombe’s stadium, have given their blessing for the tribute.

Why has it been renamed?

Supporter Adam Ankers passed away earlier this month, suffering a cardiac arrest while playing in a Wycombe Wanderers Foundation Under-19s fixture.

Adam was a season ticket holder and attended games with his dad, brother and sister, the club announcement continued.

It is the club’s way of remembering a fan who passed away in sad circumstances.

The club will remember Adam Ankers:

Wycombe also announced that players will wear t-shirts showing his name and squad number during their warm-ups. The Chairboy players will also wear black armbands during the game against the travelling Oxford.

Adam’s family and team-mates, from Henley College, will be in attendance for the afternoon.

The fixture between Wycombe and Oxford will not be a normal Saturday afternoon at the football for the fans at Adam’s Park; it will be an emotional affair. The subtext of sixth versus fifteenth in League One will take a backseat to the remembrance of a dedicated supporter.

What has Adam’s family said:

Adam’s family released a statement within the Wycombe announcement.

They said: “His loss to the family is both shocking and devastating; he was so very loved and we will never forget what a bright light he was to us. His passion and talent was for sport and especially football; he was absolutely living his dream and had so much more potential.”

Adding: “Adam was a Wycombe Wanderers season ticket holder and an avid supporter alongside his dad and younger brother Danny for many years, often travelling to away games; it was his local football league team to where his family lives in Princes Risborough.”

Should this be done more often?

Renaming the stadium for a one-off remembrance is a really fitting tribute from Wycombe Wanderers, and a nice touch in a sport that can sometimes forget the fans at its core.

The lower leagues, and non-league, are often gracious and touching in their tributes to fans, players and staff who have passed away.

The club confirmed they have been in close contact with Adam’s family after his passing, with this being a loving way to pay tribute for everyone close to him and the football club.