Hard to believe that in less than a decade AFC Wimbledon is just one step from resuming the Dons place in the football league.
Unfortunate that some in the current team leadership are quite content to end the meteoric rise at the Conference. But here's hoping that AFC keeps going up. As a San Jose Earthquakes fan I empathize greatly with Wimbledon and understand what it's like to have a team ripped away. But luckily it appears both fans bases end up with happy endings. Well done Wimbledon.
To wimbledon, with Love. I'd love to see Wimbledon thrash the Dons someday. Having said that, we also had a similar situation in K-League where two teams relocated their location for profit. Anyang Cheetahs -> FC Seoul (Northern Immorals) and SK Bucheon -> Jeju United (Southern Immorals). In Korea we call them 'Paeryun' meaning immorals. On June 20th (round 13 of K-League) these two teams are going to play against each other, as I would like to title it, "El Paeryun Classico".
It may be prudent to spend a few seasons in the conference just to solidify the club before trying for promotion. I am not saying that the lads should throw matches, just that the club might provide enough resources to be competitive, but not throw so much at it that they go for the title. If somehow the club earns promotion take it, but do not make it the top priority for a couple of seasons anyway.
the step into League Two is not an easy one... it's almost easier to stay in the league than it is to get into it.
one of the biggest hurdles will be the handicap of staying part-time. Over a 46 game season, that's going to take a toll. Maybe the intention is to get a bit further down the road to getting their own ground, as one thing they would feel comfortable doing, as a club, is selling their current ground, as it would effectively kill off Kingstonian.
I found this great clip about AFC Wimbledon. Really good background story actually: http://partofthegame.tv/#/videos/6/823/ Enjoy..
For those interesting in club's rising from the ashes, Accrington has an interesting history as well, in numerous incarnations, first as founding members of English Professional football, then as founding members of the football league (and getting royally shafted), then in their current incarnation, which recently clawed their way back into league football. http://www.accringtonstanley.has.it/ Click on the various "history" links on the left.
Let's see how the Dons do this year. The people at Kingsmeadow say that they are in no rush to move up, and Terry's asking the faithful to "Please enjoy the journey."
as it happens, Accrington Stanley weren't founder members of the league. Accrington FC, a completely different club, were. Accrington Stanley formed a few years after the league started, while Accrington FC dropped out of the league and folded in the 1890s. Accrington Stanley got into the league in 1921.
That wont be a problem with over 2ooo+ season tickets holders, that a shit load more than several teams in that league will manage as their best home att of the season. So they will have the reddies to mix it with the big boys
It would be an awsome spectacle Wimbledon vs MKdons I would probably travel up just to see it. It's a shame we missed you guys on the way down, We meaning Lewes.
This is an awesome story. By the way, AFC Wimbledon sympathizers might also be interested to hear that Austria Salzburg has won promotion in its first three seasons in a row and is now playing in the fourth division in Austria.
similarly, Bohemians 1905 (previously Bohemian Praha) are back in the Czech top division next season after reforming as a fans-owned club a few years back, after they folded due to a corrupt owner (actually a succession of very poor owners) running them down, where one of their opponents will be....Bohemians Praha, who were formed by the owner of the club that went bust. Bohemians 1905 are the true spiritual replacement for the old club, and play in at the old stadium in front of fans that made them 4th best supported team in the country, while Bohemians Praha, after a legal battle, got rights to the name, but have no stadium to call their own, and precious few fans either. Bohemians v Bohemians should be an interesting fixture.
I was wondering the same thing. It might be interesting to have an international tournament between some of the "We've had our team moved/renamed history stolen/abandoned" teams since there are a few but not too many. Get teams like AFC Wimbledon, SV Austria Salzburg, Bohemian FC, Bucheon FC 1995, Yokohama FC, and the San Jose Earthquakes together and have a nice little round robin tournament or something. Call it the Resurrection Cup or something like that
They had a rather easier task, it has to be said. They were threatened with having to start in the 8th tier, as the club went bust mid-season and owed the Czech league around $50,000. Very quickly a fund was set up to create a new club and pay off this debt before a deadline, with everyone who paid the minimum $40(ish) stake being given a share in the club. They raised the money (including a donation from a certain part of Berkshire) and started the following season (2005/6) in Div 3. Only one team gets promoted from Div 3 though, and they didn't quite manage to win the league. However, and slightly less "fairytale" as far as the story goes, the Czech league allows clubs from the 2nd division who are financial trouble to sell their Div 2 licence, so Bohemians took the opportunity to get to Div 2 that way. Not ideal, but hey, so what? The following season, in front of the 2nd highest crowds in the country, they clinched promotion, properly this time, after a barnstorming finish to the season. Sadly, it was a bit early for them. The Czech league requires that all top division clubs have to play in all-seater stadiums, and only 3000 of the 9500 capacity at "The Dimple" (as their ground is known) was seated (and even the seats had to be replaced too, as they were bench seats). Miraculaously they converted the stadium, despite there only being a 5 week gap between one season ending and the next starting, but they weren't ready on the field, and dropped straight back down. 2008/9 was almost a procession to the title though, and they are back in the top division. The fully seated Dimple awaits...
They mugged Barrow the other week BAFC were winning 2-0 with about 20 mins remaining , it ended 2-2 and to the funny Wimbledon chants of (2 nil up and you fooked it up)
Great to see so much support on here for AFC Wimbledon! I have been a Dons fan for over twenty years, and it is incredible what the club and the fans have achieved. I now live in North Carolina, but manage to keep up with the team via internet radio. If anyone is interested you can catch most of their games live on the excellently biased Radio WDON at www.wdon.co.uk Regarding the issue of how far they want to go, I haven't heard anything about the leadership wanting to stop at BSP, I'd be interested to hear where that idea came from. As far as I am aware the goal is and always has been league football. Plans are underway and applications have been filed to bring Kingsmedow up to League Two standard. If the team is to progress beyond that point a new ground will probably be required, at which point my person hope is the Dons will hand Kingsmeadow back to Kingstonian for a very nominal fee, perhaps even just an agreement to play reserve team games there. Anyway, thanks again for all the possitive comments, Nick