FC Wimbledon

[JacksonJazz#9]

can someone tell me if there is some upstart team in Wimbledon since their main team moved out of town... what league are they playing in? and are they professional players, or part timers?

[Peakite]

AFC Wimbledon, playing in the Combined Counties League (level 8). Part time, but they do have a £250k sponsorship deal over three years with SI (makers of CM), and more season ticket holders than the divisions record attendance. Currently playing at Kingstonians ground, but looking to move to Merton. Expect them to start going up quite quickly for a few years.

[PZ]

AFC Wimbledon (http://www.afcwimbledon.com/)

Good luck to the new Wombles.

[profiled]

Level 8 huh?

So they need to jump to level 5 to be conference, then onto the nationwide league after that?

They should also be turning quite a profit with all those season tickets, the sponsorship deal, as well as people who will pick up a kit just because of the SI name.

I love SI.

Phillip

[PZ]

I'm wondering how many of the Womble supporters even want them back in the league. It wasn't until quite recently (15 years?) that they even got in the league. My guess is they get up to the Conference and enjoy things there.

[DominicFromCanada]

Originally posted by JacksonJazz#9
...since their main team moved out of town...

Is it done? If not, is it sure that they will move? Is there a little chance for them to be saved and stay in Wimbledon?

[QPR Kevin H]

Originally posted by DominicFromCanada
Is it done? If not, is it sure that they will move? Is there a little chance for them to be saved and stay in Wimbledon?
They are planning on two more years at Selhurst Park - then the move to Milton Keynes. Who knows if it will actually go down like that. One things for sure - the attendance at Selhurst for Wimbledon matches will be comicly bad (even more so that the past)

[sydtheeagle]

Originally posted by QPR Kevin H

They are planning on two more years at Selhurst Park - then the move to Milton Keynes. Who knows if it will actually go down like that. One things for sure - the attendance at Selhurst for Wimbledon matches will be comicly bad (even more so that the past)

The attendance may very well be zero. Wimbledon supporters are not only boycotting the games but will be demonstrating outside Selhurst Park to deter would be attendees, and they have asked away supporters to join them in not attending. The majority of visiting teams supporters have already indicated that will stand outside in solidarity with Dons fans for the greater good of the game. My understanding is that Wimbledon have sold around 100 season tickets, and they may in fact have crowds smaller than 500 if the above holds true.

What will happen? I don't think the Dons' fight is lost just yet. The club will effectively go under (whether or not the owners can afford to underwrite the enormous losses they are about to incur is not the point. They will choose not to endure them for two years because shrewd businessmen do not make money using only their egos) and my guess is that sometime in the New Year, if we all stick together with Wimbledon fans, the team will be put up for sale and, ultimately, will find its way back to Merton. Another reason for this is that the decision to allow the move to relocate to MK is not at all popular with many influential figures in the game who believe, simply, that the panel was wrong.

Wimbledon may be dead, but they are NOT buried. Don't stop fighting yet.

[stanleyt]

Check out this month's FourFourTwo(Season Preview). There's an article on Wimbledon & AFC Wimbledon. Apparently AFC Wimbledon's getting close to 5K in attendance for their home matches. That runs counter to Koppel & Co.'s statement that there aren't enough supporters in Merton to sustain Wimbledon FC.

It's a shame 'cause Wimbledon FC are a strong favorite to contend for a playoff position this coming season. It'll be sad to see the squad play in an essentially empty stadium but this is all management's doing.

Looks like I'll be swaping my WFC scarf for an AFC kit this year.

[profiled]

Originally posted by stanleyt
Check out this month's FourFourTwo(Season Preview). There's an article on Wimbledon & AFC Wimbledon. Apparently AFC Wimbledon's getting close to 5K in attendance for their home matches. That runs counter to Koppel & Co.'s statement that there aren't enough supporters in Merton to sustain Wimbledon FC.

It's a shame 'cause Wimbledon FC are a strong favorite to contend for a playoff position this coming season. It'll be sad to see the squad play in an essentially empty stadium but this is all management's doing.

Looks like I'll be swaping my WFC scarf for an AFC kit this year.

If only AFC could win a match!

5k for an 8th division match, thats pretty insane.

[PZ]

Originally posted by profiled


If only AFC could win a match!

5k for an 8th division match, thats pretty insane.

Well...the season doesn't start for another week...I'm sure the new Wombles will be fine.

5K is nuts for a team at that level.

[stanleyt]

I was watching Sky Sports News on Wednesday. Wimbledon FC Chairman Charles Koppel stated that the club planned to build a 12k temp stadium @ the Milton Keynes Bowl. The construction is said to begin immediately with the intent for the club to begin playing there by Christmas.

I believe this in reaction to non-existent season ticket sales and a comming boycott from home and away supporters. Wimbledon's season begins this weekend with their home opener against Gillingham. The coach and players are hoping the fans'll come out but are facing the possibility that virtually NO ONE'll be in the stands come Saturday.

Meanwhile, AFC Wimbledon's drawing 5K in pre-season.

Methinks, it's the fans that make the club and not vise-versa.

[Maczebus]

Garth Crooks on BBC just said that the official attendance figures were 2,400 something.
But take away the 1,800 visiting fans, the season tickets (approx 100-200) and a few freebies, and there can only be maybe 300 in there.
How long can WFC keep that up for?

[PZ]

Guess where the visiting supporters were sitting.
http://media.rivals.net/media/jpg/2002081000190934.jpg

http://media.rivals.net/media/jpg/2002081000180934.jpg

[Maczebus]

Oh dear not good .. not good at all..

Must be weird playing to 'no-one'.
This means they effectively never have a home game. But I guess they've been getting used to that over the years :)

[QPR Kevin H]

Originally posted by maczebus
Garth Crooks on BBC just said that the official attendance figures were 2,400 something.
I think it was Crooks that went on to say - "if that # was 2400, he's just seen pigs fly"

[Peakite]

And that patch of Gillingham fans reportedly makes up 75% of the crowd.

In terms of season tickets AFC are outselling FC by a shade over 2:1.

[sydtheeagle]

Originally posted by QPR Kevin H

I think it was Crooks that went on to say - "if that # was 2400, he's just seen pigs fly"

Apparently there were 1,800 Gillingham supporters there, which leaves 600 "others". My guess is that over half of these were "directors and their guests" etc., in other words not really paid attendees, leaving in the region of 200 paying Wimbledon supporters at the match.

All I can say is that the 1,800 Gillingham who showed up want shooting, and are a pathetic excuse for football supporters. Surely, much as you may love your own team, Wimbledon matches give you an opportunity to show you care about football even more? I for one won't be showing up when Palace play them, because I'm not going to watch any team be murdered by the authorities, and that is what happening here. Supporting a team that very nearly went to the wall, I'm well aware that when the going gets tough, it helps when football supporters close ranks and look out for each other. There but for the grace of God...

However, if Gillingham ever find themselves in serious trouble -- and it's by no means beyond the bounds of possibility -- you can be damn sure I won't be lifting a finger to help them, now we know how much their supporters actually care about the game. W A N K E R S.

[BrianCappellieri]

The Guardian (http://www.football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,778999,00.html)FA oppose Wimbledon move

Wimbledon fans opposed to the proposed relocation of their club to Milton Keynes were today given renewed hope when Football Association chief executive Adam Crozier described the move as "appalling."

[Blue Army]

What a load of Crap. If Gillingham supporters want to support their team then good on them. You see all their "supporters" complaining about Wimbledon FC and then shouting abuse at the real supporters of Wimbledon who went to see their team play at home. Lets remember where wimbledon were 18 years ago and since their journey into their premiership more supporters kept turning up. I bet you none of the supporters who watch AFC Wimbledon were there in the dark days when they struggled in the lower divisions. And the people who were there will be going to MK.
They complained about the fact they didnt have a ground well once it looks like they are getting one they leave the club. I tell you what the real supporters will be watching their team play at MK. Wimbledon didnt deserve a new stadium when you can only get 8,000 supporters for a Premiership game it is pointless. The real Wimbledon will move to MK, the Wimbledon who survived against all the odds, the Wimbledon who played in the Premiership and the real Wimbledon supporters will travel up to MK every other week to watch their team.
AFC Wimbledon are a joke, how can those people go from one club to another like that, because it certainly isnt the same club. I know I couldnt switch on my emotions like they can. AFC Wimbledon supporters are not real supporters. once all the hype has died down they will be stuck in the lower divisions playing in front of a few hundred people like every other team in that division. Ill tell you what nothing would please me more than that happening whilst the real Wimbledon in MK play in the Premiership in a nice new stadium.