Thanks for a decent day out....

[BletchleyDons]

Strange start to the day, as the misses had her sister leaving Oldham to visit us in MK at 9.30am while we were boarding the coach to Oldham at the same time. Chance of a weekend away on the drink wasted. Never let women organise anything of worth. They never take the beer factor into account, do they?

 

Enjoyable day out even though the result went against us - Sat out in beautiful sunshine in the Clayton Green beer garden chatting to some very friendly local lads, enjoyable banter with fans inside the ground and a competitive match that just seemed to die off a little in the second half. Real, traditional atmosphere when both sets of fans were singing. Shame our turnout was poor again though.

 

Clever lob by Hughes after Stirling allowed him to escape inside for the first goal, although I thought we dominated the first half afterwards. Missed penalty, Wibraham clears the bar from two yards with Crossley bearing down, a disallowed goal that must have been very close and a one-on-one for Baldock denied by a lino that was as poor in the second-half for Oldham as he was for us.

 

Taking Wright off for the relatively unknown McDermott affected our balance, and Cummings died off after the break as well. Wilbraham seemed more interested in sampling the lush Oldham turf with his arse while Stirling seemed determined to give the hosts as many opportunities to score as possible. One world-class save from Gueret in the second and another great parry soon afterwards before our defence stood off of Allott long enough for him to rifle home a good second.

 

Five minutes of stoppage time professionally wasted in the way we were doing it all last season. Oldham will do reasonably well this year, but I wouldn't say I was neccessarily watching a title-winning side. Definite play-off chance though, and a reasonable bet for automatic if Leeds or Leicester fail to make an impact. Hughes is a bloody handful, while Gregan adds a certain steel to the side. But Oldham can mix rough-and-tumble style with some decent football. Our first-half performance was encouraging, but after losing our way I'm still not quite sure if we deserved anything from the game or not.

 

Cheers for the friendly hospitality afforded to our fans - No hassle inside or outside the stadium - Just a shame to see over-zealous stewarding in both home and away sections that seems to be the norm this season. Passion-killers, the bloody lot of 'em!

 

Best of luck for the remainder of the season.

[futchers briefs]

Strange start to the day, as the misses had her sister leaving Oldham to visit us in MK at 9.30am while we were boarding the coach to Oldham at the same time. Chance of a weekend away on the drink wasted. Never let women organise anything of worth. They never take the beer factor into account, do they?

 

Enjoyable day out even though the result went against us - Sat out in beautiful sunshine in the Clayton Green beer garden chatting to some very friendly local lads, enjoyable banter with fans inside the ground and a competitive match that just seemed to die off a little in the second half. Real, traditional atmosphere when both sets of fans were singing. Shame our turnout was poor again though.

 

Clever lob by Hughes after Stirling allowed him to escape inside for the first goal, although I thought we dominated the first half afterwards. Missed penalty, Wibraham clears the bar from two yards with Crossley bearing down, a disallowed goal that must have been very close and a one-on-one for Baldock denied by a lino that was as poor in the second-half for Oldham as he was for us.

 

Taking Wright off for the relatively unknown McDermott affected our balance, and Cummings died off after the break as well. Wilbraham seemed more interested in sampling the lush Oldham turf with his arse while Stirling seemed determined to give the hosts as many opportunities to score as possible. One world-class save from Gueret in the second and another great parry soon afterwards before our defence stood off of Allott long enough for him to rifle home a good second.

 

Five minutes of stoppage time professionally wasted in the way we were doing it all last season. Oldham will do reasonably well this year, but I wouldn't say I was neccessarily watching a title-winning side. Definite play-off chance though, and a reasonable bet for automatic if Leeds or Leicester fail to make an impact. Hughes is a bloody handful, while Gregan adds a certain steel to the side. But Oldham can mix rough-and-tumble style with some decent football. Our first-half performance was encouraging, but after losing our way I'm still not quite sure if we deserved anything from the game or not.

 

Cheers for the friendly hospitality afforded to our fans - No hassle inside or outside the stadium - Just a shame to see over-zealous stewarding in both home and away sections that seems to be the norm this season. Passion-killers, the bloody lot of 'em!

 

Best of luck for the remainder of the season.

pretty spot on....good report!! glad u enjoyed the lovely little hamlet that is known as oldham!!!

[daznathe]

this coherant report has changed my views on mk dons by 0.0000000000000001%. a situation not even comprehendable previously, you have done much for your plastic club in my eyes. its this kind of unbiased, friendly banter coupled with wimbledon fatique and blind eye turning. which may serve to rid yourselves of the comptempt in which you are held. singing millwall songs about no one liking you is very funny though, great path to follow that one, even if it is the most half hearted of attempts.

[BletchleyDons]

this coherant report has changed my views on mk dons by 0.0000000000000001%. a situation not even comprehendable previously, you have done much for your plastic club in my eyes. its this kind of unbiased, friendly banter coupled with wimbledon fatique and blind eye turning. which may serve to rid yourselves of the comptempt in which you are held. singing millwall songs about no one liking you is very funny though, great path to follow that one, even if it is the most half hearted of attempts.

 

We are what we are, but at least our plasticity matched the seats in the away end!

 

You'll enjoy our the seating at our place though - Comfy and padded for all those years we spent sat in our armchairs idolising teams that we'd never have dreamt of following for real!

 

How did that nice bunch of boys from Manchester get on yesterday anyway? And did that nice Lou Macari chap score at all?

[kellys_discopants]

Not a bad summary of the game mate. Glad you had a decent day out, see you later in the season.

[daznathe]

lol and im a hypocrite too because ill give your club money when we play you. if i was rich i would send a donation of greater value to afc wimbledon, kind of like those buggers who give money to greenpeace whilst buying new wood furniture for their mansions and bathing in palm oil

[BletchleyDons]

lol and im a hypocrite too because ill give your club money when we play you. if i was rich i would send a donation of greater value to afc wimbledon, kind of like those buggers who give money to greenpeace whilst buying new wood furniture for their mansions and bathing in palm oil

 

Strange as it may seem, I'm pleased with how AFCW are forming their own unique history. Without going through the whole thing again (in much the same way you lot must be sick to death of going over the Lee Hughes thing all the time), I'll simply add that ALL Wimbledon fans had a choice to make. Some started afresh. Some came to Milton Keynes. The majority did neither, and are probably cosied up to Chelsea or Fulham instead!

 

My view, for what it's worth, is that none of those supporters were wrong in their choice. Just glad it wasn't a choice I had to make myself as I'd walked away from my money-grabbing, ignorant side a year or two before. The whole relocation thing was a right royal unsavoury mess, but we're short on moral fibre down this neck of the woods at the best of times. It was only a matter of time before the businessmen that created this situation 'hoiked' us in! Yup! We're in the dirtiest keepnet of them all!

[Rick]

lol and im a hypocrite too because ill give your club money when we play you. if i was rich i would send a donation of greater value to afc wimbledon, kind of like those buggers who give money to greenpeace whilst buying new wood furniture for their mansions and bathing in palm oil

 

Well it certainly seems that the education system is more successful in Milton Keynes than it is in Oldham.

[kellys_discopants]

lol and im a hypocrite too because ill give your club money when we play you. if i was rich i would send a donation of greater value to afc wimbledon, kind of like those buggers who give money to greenpeace whilst buying new wood furniture for their mansions and bathing in palm oil

 

Its hardly his fault that it all happened ... all hes doing is supporting his football club.

[daznathe]

Its hardly his fault that it all happened ... all hes doing is supporting his football club.

 

not true. hes supporting a club that put another out of existence in order to bypass the structure of the league. if no one supported them then they would fail as they deserve. acts like this set a precedent, and could be repeated. just because is didnt/ probably wont happen to us doesnt make it right.

rick, can you check my spelling for me seeing as you are following me spoiling for an arguement? or are you too busy shouting at the postman for leaving you the wrong milk?

[The Chaplain]

Thank you for you intelligent and fair match report. A good read!

 

I'm glad you had a good day despite the result. We look forward to receiving your hospitality later in the season.

 

The standard of your analysis and writing rather shames us on this messageboard which is increasingly ill-tempered and ignorant in places.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BletchleyDons]

Thank you for you intelligent and fair match report. A good read!

 

I'm glad you had a good day despite the result. We look forward to receiving your hospitality later in the season.

 

The standard of your analysis and writing rather shames us on this messageboard which is increasingly ill-tempered and ignorant in places.

 

Jeez! you should see some of the numpties we get on our forum! Why they arm 14 year olds with keyboards is beyond me, and if anybody ever managed to open a virtual packet of sweets on our fans site, there'd be a bloomin' bloodbath!

 

Look forward to you coming down later in the season. Will pop back on nearer the time to give you some healthy tips on free parking, pubs and swedish furniture shopping!

[daznathe]

Thank you for you intelligent and fair match report. A good read!

 

I'm glad you had a good day despite the result. We look forward to receiving your hospitality later in the season.

 

The standard of your analysis and writing rather shames us on this messageboard which is increasingly ill-tempered and ignorant in places.

 

thats what i tried to tell him whilst retaining an overt show of disdain for his club. i feel he got me, even if others didnt.

[Matt]

Look forward to you coming down later in the season. Will pop back on nearer the time to give you some healthy tips on free parking, pubs and swedish furniture shopping!

You are more than welcome BletchleyDons, all the best for the rest of the season.

 

Take care.

[Barry Bosnian]

not true. hes supporting a club that put another out of existence in order to bypass the structure of the league. if no one supported them then they would fail as they deserve.

Fool. If Wimbledon hadn't re-located the club would have gone out of existence anyway.

[BletchleyDons]

Fool. If Wimbledon hadn't re-located the club would have gone out of existence anyway.

 

Appreciate the viewpoint and have seen both sides of the argument so many times over the past 5 years that they're pretty much etched into my mind and re-callable at will!

 

From the stuff I've amassed in terms of speaking to former Wimbledon fans who came to Milton Keynes, and quite a few who chose to build a new community club by starting AFC Wimbledon (Some of us, surprisingly, get on fairly well even though there will never be any agreement with what happened from their perspective and I fully understand why they feel that way), there was never any significant proof that Wimbledon would have folded without the relocation taking place.

 

I believe it's important that when figures were produced for consideration by the appointed independent FA Commission, a sizable amount of incoming finance from completed transfers out of the club were omitted in what I believe to be a deliberate ploy to sway the Commission into allowing the move and thus giving the Norwegian owners the opportunity to offload their dead duck.

 

Admittedly, things weren't looking good for Wimbledon. No home ground for 13 years. Relegation. Loss of top-flight revenue. Falling crowds. Disparaged by their own council. Sold down the river by Hamman. Survival would have been unlikely, but not impossible.

 

What has always been key here is the fact that Wimbledon were woefully short of survival options. Moves to Dublin and Cardiff were raised without any significant backing, and the genuine option that Winkelman provided finally saw approval granted.

 

Yes! Definitely a pre-meditated method of buying a league place without coming through the pyramid in the traditional manner, but more realistically I'd call it the absorbtion of an existing club to facilitate a property deal for a chancer of a businessman who saw his opportunity with Wimbledon after trying to court several other struggling clubs into the area previously. The whole thing was, in hindsight, ethically and morally questionable in footballing terms, but entirely legal in every other sense.

 

Hope this offers a viewpoint from this side of the debate, and sorry to clog up your own forum with our baggage. Just thought it might give some of those with an interest in the issue a little bit of insight.

[carrabanana]

I was texting a mate who was sat in the away end during the match and he's told me quite a few times he enjoys coming up to Boundary Park when we play the Dons. He wasn't too happy with me though cos he rung me up at half time hoping to have an intelligent discussion about the match but me and the guy I was with decided to keep shouting 1-0 down the phone instead :P needless to say he hung up on me

[BletchleyDons]

I was texting a mate who was sat in the away end during the match and he's told me quite a few times he enjoys coming up to Boundary Park when we play the Dons. He wasn't too happy with me though cos he rung me up at half time hoping to have an intelligent discussion about the match but me and the guy I was with decided to keep shouting 1-0 down the phone instead :P needless to say he hung up on me

 

Technology must be really advanced up your way! When we text, you can't hear anybody shouting anything at all!

 

Must admit that I like all the trips up to your neck of the woods. Bury, Rochdale, Stockport and Oldham are all wonderfully traditional footballing hotbeds that offer a great day out in safe and hospitable surroundings. Some of our lot enjoy the banter inside the grounds, but we don't have any bad eggs in our travelling support and we rarely get too much by way of intimidation even when our history (or lack of it!) is taken into consideration.

[leeslover]

Technology must be really advanced up your way! When we text, you can't hear anybody shouting anything at all!

 

Must admit that I like all the trips up to your neck of the woods. Bury, Rochdale, Stockport and Oldham are all wonderfully traditional footballing hotbeds that offer a great day out in safe and hospitable surroundings. Some of our lot enjoy the banter inside the grounds, but we don't have any bad eggs in our travelling support and we rarely get too much by way of intimidation even when our history (or lack of it!) is taken into consideration.

The group I was with left the Clayton when you all turned up (curiously finding the most plastic pub in the vacinity of BP) rather than be submitted to attempts to speak to us as if you were supporters of a real football club. You are an intelligent and articulate poster, however, your knowledge of precisely how evil your unjust League position is makes it worse, rather than better that you still support them. None of us blame 12 year old kids who grew up in MK and know no better, but I don't think that covers you. Which club did you stop supporting to follow MK?

[BletchleyDons]

The group I was with left the Clayton when you all turned up (curiously finding the most plastic pub in the vacinity of BP) rather than be submitted to attempts to speak to us as if you were supporters of a real football club. You are an intelligent and articulate poster, however, your knowledge of precisely how evil your unjust League position is makes it worse, rather than better that you still support them. None of us blame 12 year old kids who grew up in MK and know no better, but I don't think that covers you. Which club did you stop supporting to follow MK?

 

Happy to answer, as I have been many times before.

 

I actively followed Chelsea (in terms of attending games) from 1976 through to the end of the 00/01 season. For most of that period, I paid my money, both home and away, to watch some of the worst football imaginable. I've been at Stamford Bridge to see sub-6000 crowds watch dire performances against the likes of Cambridge and Cardiff, and attended places like Rotherham to see them lose 6-0. I've always felt I've given Chelsea not just the best support I possibly could, but also the best years of my life as I travelled relentlessly through the country oblivious to the neglect I afforded my family, friends and, eventually, my children.

 

As I'm sure you're aware, things can change very quickly in football and I found myself in a position where I wasn't simply being priced out of attending matches, but essentially being told that my type or class of support wasn't particularly wanted. After giving most of my life to Chelsea, I chose to walk away from the machine it was becoming and ultimately missed the recent glory years that I probably earned the right to be part of over the years.

 

Devoid of football, I followed my local non-league side (Aylesbury United) home and away for several seasons. Enjoyable, but without the passion I held for my former club. Eventually, I moved to Milton Keynes and made the decision to see what was happening there for myself before actually jumping on the anti-franchise bandwagon. The fact I knew Wimbledon fans following football in Milton Keynes made that choice a little more easy to make.

 

By the time I became fully aware of the facts behind the move, I was already travelling home and away every week to follow the side. I know my viewpoint can't be easy for most to take, but the moral stance offered by many supporters on this issue is normally tempered by the fact they're already watching regular football within their own community. I choose to do the same, and don't feel obligated to assume responsibility for the whims of businessmen or music promotion people with bad haircuts. Indeed, had Wimbledon moved to any other area without a league footballing option, I'd pretty much guarantee that they'd have made a successful and well-supported transition into whichever area they may have landed in.

 

Evil? Probably not. I save the strength of such descriptions for those who truly deserve it and there are many more people in this world who deserve the tag more than MK Dons supporters. But I'm not looking for approval. I'm really not. I've made my choice and accept all the derision that comes my way because of it. It's part of the package. But my money, over the years, has gone into the coffers of around two-hundred clubs in this country at all levels. I'm as much of a 'real' fan as the next guy, and like so many thousands of others, I'll be up bright and early next Saturday to leave the family stranded at home while I spend money I don't really have to follow my side.

 

Sorry I can't offer you an explanation to please your inquisitive streak. Your points are valid, accepted and reasonable. I like to think that, irrespective of agreement, that mine might be a little understandable as well.

[leeslover]

The fact I knew Wimbledon fans following football in Milton Keynes made that choice a little more easy to make..

 

Sorry I can't offer you an explanation to please your inquisitive streak. Your points are valid, accepted and reasonable. I like to think that, irrespective of agreement, that mine might be a little understandable as well.

I seek nothing more than a reasonable debate. So, as you raise the point about Wimbledon fans following this new team, would you care to put a number to them? Speaking as someone who saw a "home" crowd of less than 100 playing at Selhurst, and that including some that were bussed in from MK in anticipation of the new club being formed, I doubt that it amounts to more than a handful.

 

As regards your Chelsea roots, I'm glad that you continue to see your team getting spanked by Oldham. But we'll happily spank Northampton the next chance we get if that's how you get your buzz.

[BletchleyDons]

I seek nothing more than a reasonable debate. So, as you raise the point about Wimbledon fans following this new team, would you care to put a number to them? Speaking as someone who saw a "home" crowd of less than 100 playing at Selhurst, and that including some that were bussed in from MK in anticipation of the new club being formed, I doubt that it amounts to more than a handful.

 

As regards your Chelsea roots, I'm glad that you continue to see your team getting spanked by Oldham. But we'll happily spank Northampton the next chance we get if that's how you get your buzz.

 

I'm afraid our lack of longevity means that rivalries, even with local clubs like Northampton, are pretty much non-existent. Some of our lot try really hard to hate other sides, but it's half-hearted at best.

 

As far as numbers who attend games in Milton Keynes go, I'd put the number of former wimbledon FC fans attending (either regularly or occasionally) at around the 2-300 mark. Personally, I feel their choice is significantly different to those who adopted the side after the relocation took place. I've said earlier that, for the sake of simplicity, former WFC fans essentially fall into three categories: Those who accepted the move and followed their side to MK, those that opposed the move and saw the birth of AFC Wimbledon as a direct continuation of their former side and those who opposed the move and saw neither as a viable option. With AFC Wimbledon averaging around 2,700 over the past three seasons and 300 former Wimbledon fans attending games in Milton Keynes, it translates that the majority that followed Wimbledon chose neither option.

 

I genuinely feel that irrespective of the choice ANY of those individuals made, none of them is wrong. I wasn't there, and wouldn't want to second-guess how people were feeling at the time. I do feel it's safe to assume, however, that most had a genuine reason for making their choice and that choice should be respected by everybody. I'm happy to accept that those that jumped onto the Milton Keynes Dons bandwagon without any former affinity to Wimbledon will continue to be looked down upon. But it's equally unfair to label those who had to make such a difficult choice as being 'plastic' fans.

 

One of my favourite posts from another forum came from a chap from Godalming, who said he chose to accept the relocation simply because it broke his heart to imagine Wimbledon running out at Selhurst to an empty stadium. Very simple, but it managed to tell me a whole host of things about how people were feeling at the time.

 

From my own viewpoint, I don't see either MK Dons or AFC Wimbledon as a direct continuation of Wimbledon FC. I feel Milton Keynes will always be tied to the history of Wimbledon purely by origin, and the fact that the club will always continue to be the legal identity of the side. But it's also fair to say that although they're a completely new club, AFC Wimbledon probably epitomise the spiritual side of Wimbledon FC on the basis that they still represent the community that Wimbledon FC left behind even tough it's unlikely they'll ever breach the borders of Merton at all.

 

There will never be a satisfactory agreement on the relocation issue but it's encouraging that both sides of the story are still being listened to, and commented on, so long after the move took place.

[daznathe]

id have to disagree and say that wimbledon probably only had around 5000 real fans, however many went to wembley. so if AFC average crowds which are over half of that number, then that translates to be as the majority chose the AFC option.

with regards to direct continuations, the fact that AFC have the name, the badge and the silverware tells me that they are the direct continuation. they have not just the fans but the fans folklore ie the old gimmers with the tale of yesteryear.

the fact that your team feels the need to cling to 'dons' as part of the club name hides nothing. its a pretence which only serves to highlight, in my eyes, that you are imposters. and like i said earlier, however nice and polite your fans may be, it is important that this is routinely highlighted.

one thing i will say is that i find your change of loyalty from a premier league club heartening. i wanted to say that you moved from a greedy league club to a real club, but you didnt.

[Stitch_KTF]

Happy to answer, as I have been many times before.

 

I actively followed Chelsea (in terms of attending games) from 1976 through to the end of the 00/01 season. For most of that period, I paid my money, both home and away, to watch some of the worst football imaginable. I've been at Stamford Bridge to see sub-6000 crowds watch dire performances against the likes of Cambridge and Cardiff, and attended places like Rotherham to see them lose 6-0. I've always felt I've given Chelsea not just the best support I possibly could, but also the best years of my life as I travelled relentlessly through the country oblivious to the neglect I afforded my family, friends and, eventually, my children.

 

As I'm sure you're aware, things can change very quickly in football and I found myself in a position where I wasn't simply being priced out of attending matches, but essentially being told that my type or class of support wasn't particularly wanted. After giving most of my life to Chelsea, I chose to walk away from the machine it was becoming and ultimately missed the recent glory years that I probably earned the right to be part of over the years.

 

Devoid of football, I followed my local non-league side (Aylesbury United) home and away for several seasons. Enjoyable, but without the passion I held for my former club. Eventually, I moved to Milton Keynes and made the decision to see what was happening there for myself before actually jumping on the anti-franchise bandwagon. The fact I knew Wimbledon fans following football in Milton Keynes made that choice a little more easy to make.

 

By the time I became fully aware of the facts behind the move, I was already travelling home and away every week to follow the side. I know my viewpoint can't be easy for most to take, but the moral stance offered by many supporters on this issue is normally tempered by the fact they're already watching regular football within their own community. I choose to do the same, and don't feel obligated to assume responsibility for the whims of businessmen or music promotion people with bad haircuts. Indeed, had Wimbledon moved to any other area without a league footballing option, I'd pretty much guarantee that they'd have made a successful and well-supported transition into whichever area they may have landed in.

 

Evil? Probably not. I save the strength of such descriptions for those who truly deserve it and there are many more people in this world who deserve the tag more than MK Dons supporters. But I'm not looking for approval. I'm really not. I've made my choice and accept all the derision that comes my way because of it. It's part of the package. But my money, over the years, has gone into the coffers of around two-hundred clubs in this country at all levels. I'm as much of a 'real' fan as the next guy, and like so many thousands of others, I'll be up bright and early next Saturday to leave the family stranded at home while I spend money I don't really have to follow my side.

 

Sorry I can't offer you an explanation to please your inquisitive streak. Your points are valid, accepted and reasonable. I like to think that, irrespective of agreement, that mine might be a little understandable as well.

 

Well, you can't really argue with that! Hope you enjoy your football this season BletchleyDons. Don't neglect the missus though, you may find yourself unwanted and turning to a plastic alternative.

[dfOAFC]

Real, traditional atmosphere

 

how the hell would you know?