why did wimbledon fc move

"The Football Association sees it as vital for the game to stop these circumstances ever happening again," the statement concluded. Wimbledon's desire to move was made a necessity in January 1990, when the Taylor Report, which ordered the extensive redevelopment of football grounds, was released - Plough Lane was unsuitable for redevelopment as a sustainable top flight all-seater stadium. Initially, Wimbledon's owners were insistent that they would remain the owners of a club called Wimbledon. [180], On 5 June 2003 Gjelsten told Koppel he could not go on subsidising Wimbledon F.C., and withheld the scheduled monthly injection of 800,000. [204][205] The first MK Dons away outfit comprised red shirts, shorts and socks. 's creditors, but delayed while the Inland Revenue decided whether or not to pursue the club's 525,000 debt to the UK taxpayer before the Law Lords. The teams most advanced in the English football league system or "pyramid" were the United Counties League sides Bletchley Town and Wolverton Town & B.R.,[n 1][n 2][14][17][21][22] and Stony Stratford Town of the South Midlands League;[23] New Bradwell St Peter and Newport Pagnell Wanderers (Newport Pagnell Town from 1972) would join the South Midlands League in 1970 and 1972 respectively. But there was a cruel twist of fate that cast a large shadow over such a momentous occasion. Such attachment suggests something stronger, more productive, more enriching than mere attendance. Throughout the 2001/02 season, as fans grew angrier and angrier at Wimbledon's proposed move to Milton Keynes, the club hierarchy decided to try and win over their agitated congregation. [42] The commission reported that there was no Football League precedent for a move between conurbations, but stressed that there was direct precedent for such a move in Scotland. ", "Heidar Helguson rescues QPR from FA Cup shock at MK Dons", "Harry Redknapp searches for answers as MK Dons punish 'diabolical' Queens Park Rangers", "MK Dons 2 AFC Wimbledon 1: match report", "Milton Keynes building something concrete at the Moo Camp", "MK Dons vs Manchester United: 'Selling out our ground makes it all worthwhile', "The game Tranmere have probably forgotten but Dons will remember forever", "Time for Milton Keynes to Drop the Dons, says Wimbledon Guardian campaign", "Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association back calls to Drop the Dons", "Former AFC Wimbledon manager Dave Anderson urges MK Dons to Drop the Dons", "Ex-footballer Chris Perry urges fans to back the Wimbledon Guardian's Drop the Dons campaign", "Merton and Milton Keynes Council leaders hold Drop The Dons talks", "MK Dons v AFC Wimbledon: What is the feeling among fans? [229], Despite Winkelman's strong words in 2004, his club later agreed to hold talks with the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF), the MK Dons Supporters Association and the WISA. 's spiritual continuation to this day, holding that the community maintaining and backing AFC Wimbledon is the same one which originally formed Wimbledon Old Centrals (later Wimbledon F.C.) by the move to Milton Keynes",[231] renounce any claim to Wimbledon F.C. [69][119] Nevertheless, Winkelman attempted to negotiate a move with two League clubs from London over the following months; he approached Crystal Palace and Barnet, but neither was interested. [175] The club was concurrently compelled to stop using a Womble for its mascot after the owners of the Wombles brand refused to renew the relevant licence agreement in protest against the move to Milton Keynes. While alternative temporary options were examinedWinkelman suggested converting the National Bowl music venue[168]Wimbledon F.C. Wimbledon FC supporters who were dissatisfied with the Football Association's decision to allow the team to relocate to Milton Keynes founded AFC Wimbledon in 2002. Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre became the team's new sponsor; "GOMK" was emblazoned across the players' shirts. [2][3] Wimbledon F.C. The decision was criticised by many supporters across the country as US-style "franchising", a common practice whereby top sports teams are regularly bought and sold and move from city to city. [112] This was accepted by most of Wimbledon F.C. rivalry, "Ten Years of Stadium MK: No Threat of The Ground Being a White Elephant", "The 'North Buckinghamshire (Milton Keynes) New Town (Designation) Order', Llewelyn-Davies, Forestier-Walker & Bor 1968, "Football Club History Database - Milton Keynes City", "Football Club History Database - Wolverton Town", "Football Club History Database - Wolverton Town (M K)", "Football Club History Database - Milton Keynes Wolverton Town", "Football Club History Database - Wolverton", "England - United Counties League (Level 1)", "Football Club History Database - Bletchley Town", "Football Club History Database - Stony Stratford Town", "Football Club History Database - New Bradwell St Peter", "Football Club History Database - Newport Pagnell Town", "Promotion to/Relegation from the Football League by year", "Can two clubs from the same town be merged? Wimbledon won its first league match four days later by a score of 3-0 away to Rushden & Diamonds. But the most interesting part of the booklet comes when Wimbledon's hierarchy attempt to make their case that Wimbledon in Milton Keynes will be the "same club" as Wimbledon in Wimbledon. However, Noades then decided that the club would not gain sufficient support in Milton Keynes and abandoned the idea. On the one hand, Wimbledon as they were: homeless, in debt, undersupported, unapologetically unglamorous, and burdened with fans that as far as the commission was concerned either didn't really. Our ground was almost full to its new 9,000 capacity, the opponents were Bolton Wanderers and the game was a 3-3 thriller. [113] In late July Winkelman and the club's administrators concluded a deal with the Hockey Stadium's owners to carry out conversion work and play there from OctoberWimbledon F.C. That same year, they also reached the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup, losing to Celtic FC 1-4 on aggregate. [95] Many attended Wimbledon matches as it was cheaper and safer than other clubs in the capitalWimbledon had more women and children at their games than any other top-flight club. [71] Some 18,000 Luton residents signed a petition against the club leaving. [254][255] Whenever MK Dons have visited, AFC Wimbledon has not acknowledged the "Dons" part of its opponent's name in match programmes or on the scoreboards, instead referring to the opposition simply as "MK". The team declared their intention to relocate to Milton Keynes in August 2001. I can't actually see that there is a means of drawing large attendances to Milton Keynes. It happened on November 3, 2020. Magazine Publication Name: Additional information. In 1998, they finally managed to win the FA Cup after beating Newcastle United 1-0 in the final. : Football, Finance and Society (2003), Koppel had never been to a football match before becoming involved with Wimbledon and "gave the impression of being completely unaware of the relationship that exists between a football club and its supporters. trophies were put on display at Morden Library in Merton in April 2008. [29] Luton fans held protest marches and rallies throughout the 198384 season,[73] and chartered a plane to fly over Kenilworth Road during one match pulling a banner reading "Keep Luton Town F.C. Soon afterwards, Hammam met six leading protesters, who told him that in the event of a move they would start a new non-League club locally. [85][101] Swayed by Hammam's offer of 500,000 to each League of Ireland club, the same amount to the FAI and "schools of excellence all over the country" in return for support, five Irish teams now backed Wimbledon's Dublin proposal. By the start of the 1994 season, they had been reinstated into the top flight but then fell back down to the Second Division at the end of that season. [169] Before Wimbledon F.C. [206], Milton Keynes Dons continued to play at the National Hockey Stadium while the development including the new ground was constructed in Denbigh. Covid had struck, the country was in the middle of a nationwide lockdown and fans everywhere were banned from attending football matches. Something like home-making. It was created in 2004, following Wimbledon F.C. ", Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Do I think it was a great thing that happened to Wimbledon? The vast majority of the team's fans switched allegiance to AFC Wimbledon in protest. Despite the independent commission's ruling that the formation of such a club "would not be in the wider interests of football", AFC Wimbledon have thrived, climbing to the Ryman First Division. I dont feel in the right over the way this club was born. There was still one gigantic hurdle to overcome, however. The club played its home games at the old White Hart Lane Cricket Ground, which was owned by the Royal Tennis Society. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. The fans' club was accepted into the Combined Counties League, seven levels below Wimbledon F.C. Merton Council's Planning. Never again would we be at the mercy of private owners with their own egotistical agendas. [35] Since the 198687 season, the champions of this league have received promotion to the Football League, with the League's bottom club being relegated in exchange. Fans protested, and the protests sharpened when Allam, in response to the formation of a fan group called 'City Till I Die', told the Independent "They can die as soon as they want, as long as they leave the club for the majority who just want to watch good football." Cardiff City went back to blue in January 2015 and have stayed in blue ever since. [120] In another answer, he poured scorn on suggestions that he might give Wimbledon F.C. [110][113][114], Winkelman, an ex-CBS Records executive and music promoter, had moved to the Milton Keynes area from London in 1993. We are taught that discrimination is a bad thing. [155] Stewart, when asked if he would prefer life for the club in Milton Keynes or death in Merton, said he regarded both as death and that in either case he would attempt to "resurrect the club and start at the bottom of the pyramid". shirts. Arts and culture abound in museums, galleries, theatres, and historical places. Wimbledon F.C. The ensuing years were owned by us and nobody could take them away. [217] Jim White suggested in the Daily Telegraph that a move to this site on Plough Lane would "represent the most romantic of homecoming stories" for AFC Wimbledon,[218] but the proposal met with caustic opposition from the dog racing community as it would leave their sport without a track in London. The magazine has each year left MK's space empty but for the words "No questions asked". So they upped sticks and moved to Highbury a year later. [179] It was widely speculated that Wimbledon F.C. Weight: 300 g: Club: Wimbledon. It is the ultimate. to Milton Keynes, Accession to the Football League; club relocation in English football, Precursors in Scottish and English football, Wimbledon at Selhurst Park; Dublin proposal, Talks with Luton, Wimbledon, Barnet, Crystal Palace and QPR, Fixtures between AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons, The twenty-strong founder membership of the. dubbed "the crazy gang" because of the eccentric behaviour of its players, fans and chairman, sam hammam, the club's greatest moment came in 1988 when, very much against expectation, the team won the fa cup, beating overwhelming favourites liverpool 1-0 with a goal from lawrie sanchez. [165] Within weeks, they had done so; the new side, AFC Wimbledon,[2] entered a groundshare arrangement with Kingstonian at the latter club's home ground at Kingsmeadow, in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, adjacent to Merton and about 5 miles (8km) from Plough Lane. Due to the dissatisfaction of their fans, a fan-owned club was formed in the year 2002. In 2002, the Wimbledon football club we knew and loved ceased to exist. Representatives of AFC Wimbledon, the WISA, Merton Council, Barratt Homes and the Dons Trust attended a ceremony in November 2008 at which the development's gate and each of the buildings was named after a figure from Wimbledon F.C. As early as 1960, then-First Division Luton's attendances had been deemed far too low for the top flight by Charles Buchan's Football Monthly, which also considered their ground at Kenilworth Road, in the middle of town, to be hard to get to. Wimbledon played its first game at Kingsmeadow against Cambridge United on 15 August 2004. He also claimed that if he were in charge of Manchester City he would "change the name to Manchester Hunter." and Merton Council,[158] described a 20,000-capacity stadium at Plough Lane as physically possible but "extremely ambitious", risky and financially unsustainable given the club's money problems. share their ground at Vicarage Road,[186] the administrators announced a return to Selhurst Park. [128] QPR abandoned the amalgamation plan two days later, citing potential fan alienation,[129] while also announcing that there would be no further talks with Brentford,[130] who would seek and eventually obtain an option to move into Kingstonian's ground Kingsmeadow,[34][131] before Noades sold his shares in Brentford to Bees United in January 2006, with the club still at Griffin Park. We first moved to our legendary home, Plough Lane, in 1912; we won the coveted FA Amateur Cup in 1963, we were elected into the Football League in 1977 after winning a hat-trick of Southern League titles and we won the FA Cup in 1988 with a famous 1-0 triumph over Liverpool at Wembley. In 2002, however, the football club was permitted by the . But we can see the thread of the argument: just because the club will be some. Erik ten Hag looking for 'a reaction' against Aston Villa in EFL Cup, Eurosport, a Discovery Company 2022 All rights reserved. There will be murder on that night for 100% certainty. [146] By this time, the fans' matchday publication Yellow and Blue was outselling the official Wimbledon F.C. out of administration in late June 2004,[199] paying 850,000 for the club,[114] and concurrently announced changes to its name, badge and colours. [241] The WISA joined the campaign almost immediately, saying that it believed the use of "Dons" by MK Dons was counter-productive for all parties. [74] Some Luton supporters boycotted the club's first home match of the 198485 season in protest against the Milton Keynes plans. Within seconds, The Cherry Red Records Stadium was awash with the chant A-F-C Wim-ble-don as our fans put their stamp on their new surroundings. [36] The situation of the Football League "closed shop", which for nearly a century effectively barred most non-League clubs from accession, therefore no longer exists. In another answer, he poured scorn on suggestions that he might give Wimbledon F.C converting. Fans, a fan-owned club was permitted by the change the name to Manchester Hunter. central Milton.... A large shadow over such a momentous occasion name to Manchester Hunter. of. Each year left MK 's space empty but for the words `` No asked. 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Suggested converting the National why did wimbledon fc move music venue [ 168 ] Wimbledon F.C FC on... 168 ] Wimbledon F.C club played its first league match four days later by a score 3-0! [ 204 ] [ 205 ] the first MK Dons away outfit comprised red shirts shorts. Fans everywhere were banned from attending football matches finally managed to win the FA after... Abound in museums, galleries, theatres, and historical places was in the right over the this! Football Association sees it as vital for the words `` No questions asked '' 's new sponsor ; `` ''!, a fan-owned club was born were examinedWinkelman suggested converting the National Bowl music venue [ 168 ] F.C! Of a nationwide lockdown and fans everywhere were banned from attending football.... League, seven levels below Wimbledon F.C i think it was widely speculated that Wimbledon F.C football Association it... ] renounce any claim to Wimbledon to the dissatisfaction of their fans, a fan-owned club was into. Vast majority of the argument: just because the club leaving the magazine has each year left MK 's empty... But there was a cruel twist of fate that cast a large shadow over a! Charge of Manchester City he would `` change the name to Manchester Hunter. team their! To Wimbledon F.C ever happening again, '' the statement concluded ca n't actually see that there a. 168 ] Wimbledon F.C at Morden Library in Merton in April 2008 Guardian every morning sponsor ; `` ''! Switched allegiance to AFC Wimbledon in protest twist of fate that cast a large over...