Franchise FC

[Thorpe Groyney]

I think it shows a lack of respect for the heritage of football, and complete greed

I think that's something you could also level at the vast, vast majority of football club chairmen and directors too.

 

[Napster]

I think that's something you could also level at the vast, vast majority of football club chairmen and directors too.

and players...

 

[WickfordShrimper]

Why are people venting their hatred towards Pete Winkleman? He was the one that was actually open and upfront about it all. He's a Milton Keynes man and wanted to build a stadium that could hold concerts, and in working with the local council agreed that the core of it should be a professional football club.

He'd already approached other clubs, Luton was one, QPR another, and they turned him down. It was the then owners of Wimbledon who accepted the offer. Remember, though, he did not offer to buy the club at all, but to just host their games at the new stadium, and at the national hockey stadium until it was built. He only took ownership of MK Dons a year after they moved in, when they were in administration and looking like going out of business, which would have scuppered the stadium plans.

Winkleman is the easy target. Milton Keynes were always going to have a football club. It is the former Wimbledon owners' fault that Wimbledon were wiped off the Football League map and nobody else's.

I have to agree 100% here….. I would hate it if it ever happened to us.

But MK Dons have now even a bigger supported club than Southend United FC … Sadly the old Wimbledon even in the Premiership only could attract 4000 or so home support

Talking of Support I was looking on our online system we have sold loads of Tickets for Friday’s game and would not be surprised if we see Southend fans in the North Bank

 

[canveyshrimper]

**** 'em, that's what I say. **** 'em.

Family stuff will be keeping me away on Good Friday, so could someone please shout the following on my behalf?

"Hope you go bust you bunch of *****"
"**** off Winkleman you **** puncher"
"Just die. Go on. **** off and die"

Thanks in advance.

Will do my best James, I just hope the East Stand swear filter is not working.;)

 

[MK Shrimper]

I have to agree 100% here….. I would hate it if it ever happened to us.

But MK Dons have now even a bigger supported club than Southend United FC … Sadly the old Wimbledon even in the Premiership only could attract 4000 or so home support

Talking of Support I was looking on our online system we have sold loads of Tickets for Friday’s game and would not be surprised if we see Southend fans in the North Bank

Part timers who have MK Dons as 2nd team. I know we have a few, but I'm yet to meet any passionate MK Donkeys fans like us True Blue(s).

 

[Richard_Cadette]

I would say that one of the main perpitrator's of MK Don's creation would be Merton council. Correct me if I'm wrong, but did they not continually block efforts being made by Wimbledon to build a new stadium?

Wimnledon lost it's identity when it was forced to move out of Plough Lane, and because of the councils reluctance to allow them to build a new home, they were always going to be a target for someone.

I personally hate MK Don's and everything they stand for - they are NOT real football supporters, and one visit to there soulless, silent concrete mess of a stadium confirms that to me. Is it a good thing for their town? Of course it is, they are now on the map, attractinv larger attendances than us, and could well be in the second tier of professional football next season, but that does not detract from what happened.

That said, the owner, in fairness, wanted a club in his local town - he did it through the back door, which meant he did not need to build from the grass roots up, but let's be honest, if we were in his position, would we have done anything differently? I doubt it.

As much as it leaves a bad taste in the mouth, it's not going to change now - what's done is done, and AFC Wimbledon are rather rapidly climbing the echolons of non league football - almost certainties to be one league away from the Football League next season. I think it's time to move on for everyone's sake really - it is what it is, and everyone has to get on with it.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

He'd already approached other clubs, Luton was one, QPR another, and they turned him down. It was the then owners of Wimbledon who accepted the offer. Remember, though, he did not offer to buy the club at all, but to just host their games at the new stadium, and at the national hockey stadium until it was built. He only took ownership of MK Dons a year after they moved in, when they were in administration and looking like going out of business, which would have scuppered the stadium plans.

Winkleman is the easy target. Milton Keynes were always going to have a football club. It is the former Wimbledon owners' fault that Wimbledon were wiped off the Football League map and nobody else's.

At last a sensible answer. Sam Hamman's the man here responsible...

I would say that one of the main perpitrator's of MK Don's creation would be Merton council. Correct me if I'm wrong, but did they not continually block efforts being made by Wimbledon to build a new stadium?

Wimnledon lost it's identity when it was forced to move out of Plough Lane, and because of the councils reluctance to allow them to build a new home, they were always going to be a target for someone.

Some interesting points. And I would have to agree that the main culprits behind the demise of Wimbledon were Sam Hamman & Merton Council. However, Winkleman didn't save a club, he found an ailing club (he must have known they would likely go bust) and took advantage of them in order to buy their league status.

 

[Skyblue]

suggested chant - wimbledon !!

Or 'Your not who you say you are'

Always wondered who rightfully owned the history of the club. It will be an increadible game when they eventually meet. I wonder if any of the orriginal support still travel up the M1 from south London to follow MK.

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

I hate it when people say that it's time to move on and forgive. It hasn't even quite been five years yet since Wimbledon's fans had their club stolen from underneath them. McDons are the case study for any other club owners thinking of doing something similar, and the last message we should send is that you need to weather a storm for as little as half a decade and then you're in the clear. If I'm alive 50 years from now then I sincerely hope that I would still never seriously consider going to an away game in Milton Keynes.

 

[Csboy]

What happened with MK Dons should never happen again, the Football League were a disgrace for allowing it to happen in the 1st place.
I think it is time to move on though, thankfully MK Dons did hand back the FA Cup replica from 1988 to Wimbledon which was something that really angered the fans of Wimbledon for them keeping it for so long. Plus it really showed just how devoted some Football fans are with the supporters of Wimbledon forming their own club and being prepared to watch them in the London Senior League a far cry from just 4 years before when they were in the Premier League. Now AFC Wimbledon are on their way up and likely to be a League team in 5 years.

Having said that lets stuff them on Friday and boost our play off bid.

 

[Bromley Blue]

Or 'Your not who you say you are'

Always wondered who rightfully owned the history of the club. It will be an increadible game when they eventually meet. I wonder if any of the orriginal support still travel up the M1 from south London to follow MK.

I've always wondered if anyone does as well? Any one know any Wimbledon/former Wimbledon fans?

 

[Uncle Leo]

Or 'Your not who you say you are'

Always wondered who rightfully owned the history of the club. It will be an increadible game when they eventually meet. I wonder if any of the orriginal support still travel up the M1 from south London to follow MK.

I saw one or two old Wimbledon shirts at the MK game over Christmas and I was astonished.

In terms of club history such as honours and suchlike, I believe they are all with AFC Wimbledon now.

 

[Sean 2]

The whole saga disgusts me.

I blame the FA, Merton Council, Winkleman, Hamman, all in equal measure.
Don't give me that poor crowd in the Premiership rubbish, how would we like it if we had to move from Roots Hall to the Community Stadium to play in the top flight? Fancy walking into a ground that has Colchester United stamped all over it? No not i.

The real problem began when Joe Kinnear had his heart attack.In fact the club's problems you could say began on a chiily Wed night in Sheffield.March 3rd 1999 to be exact.The night Wimbledon beat Sheff Wed 2-1 to go fifth in the Premier. You see, Joe and Sam (Hamman) had been a partnership at the Dons for 8yrs (imagine Tilson & Martin for 8yrs,still a way to go).
Sam put Mick Harford and David Kemp in temp charge but they hardly won again for the rest of the season and Sam and the recovering Kinnear were getting concerned. So Joe Kinnear told Sam he would be leaving Wimbledon for good, find another manager.

Sam found this hard to take.Joe was like a son to him. It was always "my" Joe that he spoke of. By then the Norwegians owned 80% of the club after shelling out 35million and if you think about it they were buying Joe and his team, not the sparse training facilities or Crystal Palace's ground.
So, worried about their investment they suggested Egil Olsen, a Norwegian to become manager. From then on, it all went downhill.
Olsen was out of his depth and the Crazy Gang nosedived out of the Premiership away at Southampton on the last day. Too many draws that season meant Wimbledon, who had defied critics for years,were relegated.

From there on in, it was all to do with money.
No more TV money and no stadium plans meant Wimbledon were going one way, after all they only drew 10k fans to the "other" club in South London in the Premiership and Sam Hamman always vowed never to sleep with a sword over his head and never wanted any debt, only selling to the Norwegians to compete with the big clubs.

A sad, sad situation compounded by the scum that is the FA by endorsing the last saleable item, the integrity of every die-hard Wimbledon fan.

Wimbledon FC. RIP.