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Wimbledon Football Club became famous in 1988 with a historic FA Cup triumph secured on the back of Dave Beasant’s penalty save against Liverpool – a performance that was recently ranked in the top 5 all time Cup Finals.
They had risen rapidly through the lower ranks of England’s professional football leagues on the back of long-ball tactics and ‘Crazy Gang’ antics.
The club, as it was then known, managed to maintain top-flight status and was a founding member of the Premier League.
However, it was relocated (with the permission of the Football Association) 100km away to Milton Keynes in 2002, wiping out the history and severing the club’s London links, renaming themselves the MK Dons as a result.
Incensed by the decision and still feeling a bond with their home, from the ashes was born a club founded by fans – AFC Wimbledon. Their remarkable journey started with player trials on Wimbledon Common ahead of their inaugural season in the Combined Counties League.
Initially managed by Terry Eames, he and his successor Dave Anderson oversaw four promotions in seven seasons, leading them to the Ryman League in 2007.
Terry Brown then took the helm and has been the manager ever since, guiding them to the Blue Square Premier League. AFC Wimbledon missed out on automatic promotion to runaway leaders (and moneybags) Crawley Town, and were forced to seek promotion through the play-offs, despite having finished six points clear of thirdplaced Luton.
Following the comprehensive 8-1 thrashing of Fleetwood Town in the semi-final, it was Luton Town that AFC Wimbledon played in the final at Eastlands in Manchester.
In a thrilling final, the score finished 0-0 with Luton coming closest to a win with an 89th minute header from Jason Walker rebounding off the inside of the post into the grateful arms of the Wimbledon keeper.
Fittingly, given the history of their spiritual forefathers, Wimbledon progressed thanks to two saves in the penalty shoot-out from goalkeeping hero, Seb Brown.
It has taken AFC Wimbledon just nine years since their formation in 2002 to reach the lowest of the English professional leagues, Division 2. A remarkable, sustained effort.
While technically the former Wimbledon history still belongs to the MK Dons, the spiritual base is with AFC Wimbledon. With only one league now separating the two sides, a first match-up may not be long in coming.
In another result for fan’s teams, Ebbsfleet United, a team that became famous when it sold shares online to fans around the world (allowing fans to vote on decisions and pick the team), recovered from a disastrous relegation last season to win promotion, also through the play-offs, back into the Blue Square Premier League.
Given the structure of the club they are more prone to financial swings of fortune than most.
However, it is great to see clubs with no money, such as the AFC Wimbledon’s and Ebbsfleets of this world, succeed on the back of players, management
