What would it take?

[RHB]

MK Dons were formed in 2004 so I presume that by now there must be a younger breed of fan, born in MK or surrounding area that wasn't born at the time of the sell out and therefore only knows MK dons. There will also be MK residents that were just happy to have a Football league club in their town and thus a sort of loyalty may have been formed. All a bit tenuous but you never know.

As to the pain they should suffer before they are accepted, I'm with Firestorm, down to the National League and then work their way back into FL2, that would probably do it for me.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Not for me, what they did is a disgrace. They would never have done it to Millwall but bullied Wimbledon. If someone ever did that to us I would declare a Jihad towards the new owners and fans.

I did vow never to visit their stadium but went this season. Only because I called in a few favours as it was a night game and got 6 complimentary tickets. I never spent a single penny in their ground and made sure some well deserving Shrimpers got in for free.

Yes. I can understand that. But what I am asking (for the purposes of discussion) is what would it take before you would say "bygones are bygones" .......... when is it time to move on?

MK Dons were formed in 2004 so I presume that by now there must be a younger breed of fan, born in MK or surrounding area that wasn't born at the time of the sell out and therefore only knows MK dons. There will also be MK residents that were just happy to have a Football league club in their town and thus a sort of loyalty may have been formed. All a bit tenuous but you never know.

As to the pain they should suffer before they are accepted, I'm with Firestorm, down to the National League and then work their way back into FL2, that would probably do it for me.

Indeed - 15 years or so have passed. There will be fans who have always supported M.K. Dons since their youngest days and it is difficult to blame them for the previous actions.


If M.K. Dons are relegated and Wimbledon stay up then one option would be for M.K. Dons to drop the "Dons" part over the summer and for the two clubs to agree to "shake hands" and put the past to bed/start afresh .... although I can see that M.K. dropping into the conference has a sense of rightfulness.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Rushden and Diamonds? not far from there.

Nope Firestorms answered it earlier it was simply Milton Keynes City they obviously made it nowhere near the Conference/National League set ups.

 

[Blue Yonder]

The minute you forgive and forget the MK Dons thing you open the doors to someone doing it to another club. Not forgiven.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

never as far as I'm concerned. It is a matter of principle. If they'd put all their money and whatever that has gone to the Franchise had gone in to MK City then all power to them. But moving a league club from one place to another and keeping their league place is franchising and it has no place in the English game, end of.
If Wimbledon were now playing non-league fine, and maybe the franchise move is the best thing that ever happened to Wimbledon but none of that makes it alright.
No franchises in English football, ever. End of, etc

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Times and football finance were different when MK Dons happened. In part I think the FA allowed the franchise experiment to happen as a possible blueprint for other franchises and re-distributing league football around England to large towns/areas with no league club. For example, Cornwall does not have a league side, biggest non league is Truro, nearest is Plymouth.
It hasn't happened and now is unlikely to be repeated.

 

[buffalowolf]

Agree they should drop the Dons part of their name,call themselves MK Franchise .And i still have a major dislike of Birmingham ,Fry and all those involved back then .:angry:

 

[MK Shrimper]

I wonder if there are any supporters of the "old" Wimbledon who still support the Franchise?

Yes, I worked with one - and that did surprise me TBH.

 

[LBBlue]

Times and football finance were different when MK Dons happened. In part I think the FA allowed the franchise experiment to happen as a possible blueprint for other franchises and re-distributing league football around England to large towns/areas with no league club. For example, Cornwall does not have a league side, biggest non league is Truro, nearest is Plymouth.
It hasn't happened and now is unlikely to be repeated.

I think it was entirely a unique situation. There is not another place like Milton Keynes - it didn't exist 50 years ago and now has a population of approaching 250,000. The vision always included the plan to have a league football club in a proper stadium. The 90s was a weird time for football in terms of success and failure of clubs -Wimbledon's on the field success was bizarre and if Fry hadn't gone to Birmingham we may have had a season there along with Oldham and Swindon.

Of course they outgrew their facilities and their owner's (Ron Noades) ambition. The people developing Milton Keynes offered the opportunity to several clubs to relocate.( Barnet, Luton ,QPR) and eventually the choice for Wimbledon who had got relegated and where bankrupt was move or die. As it is, they did both. The administrator disposed of all their assets -all their better players.

It shouldn't have happened it would never happen again, however 15 years on MK Dons is now a community based club run soundly. I worked in Milton Keynes for 10 years before I retired three years ago. The only time I went to watch them was when we played there. There are youngsters who I worked with who go to every game home and away.

Who is to blame for it happening? The people who agreed it? Ron Noades for selling out- itinerant football club owner. Not necessarily the people in MK.

There are far worse things that have happened that what they achieved for MK: Steve Evans, The Venkys at Blackburn, Hull City Tigers, Rushden and Diamonds.

Wimbledon would have gone out of business and a new club formed -which is what happened. However do I want clubs in the League like Wimbledon with a ground holding under 5000, Barnet, Forest Green Rovers all with tiny grounds when the likes of Orient, Tranmere, Wrexham and next year Chesterfield will be non league - not really.

 

[Napster]

I wonder if there are any supporters of the "old" Wimbledon who still support the Franchise?

Yes there are. I met one when I was in MK a few years back.

 

[Napster]

ps Vic attempted to move us to Dublin and Milton Keynes. (might have been a bluff, but). If we did move, what would we have done?

 

[MK Shrimper]

ps Vic attempted to move us to Dublin and Milton Keynes. (might have been a bluff, but). If we did move, what would we have done?

MK Shrimpers. Has a familiar ring to it. :winking:

 

[RHB]

ps Vic attempted to move us to Dublin and Milton Keynes. (might have been a bluff, but). If we did move, what would we have done?

Don't remember those two, but I do remember running onto the pitch once shouting we're never going to Basildon. Not an easy chant that one!

 

[MK Shrimper]

Don't remember those two, but I do remember running onto the pitch once shouting we're never going to Basildon. Not an easy chant that one!

That's a lesson for life regardless of football. :stunned:

 

[GDM]

The minute you forgive and forget the MK Dons thing you open the doors to someone doing it to another club. Not forgiven.

This! In fact I'm gonna tell my kids about them and make sure they never forgive either...:smile:

 

[RHB]

That's a lesson for life regardless of football. :stunned:

Cheaper parking than Southend though.

 

[DCC]

I think it was entirely a unique situation. There is not another place like Milton Keynes - it didn't exist 50 years ago and now has a population of approaching 250,000. The vision always included the plan to have a league football club in a proper stadium. The 90s was a weird time for football in terms of success and failure of clubs -Wimbledon's on the field success was bizarre and if Fry hadn't gone to Birmingham we may have had a season there along with Oldham and Swindon.

Of course they outgrew their facilities and their owner's (Ron Noades) ambition. The people developing Milton Keynes offered the opportunity to several clubs to relocate.( Barnet, Luton ,QPR) and eventually the choice for Wimbledon who had got relegated and where bankrupt was move or die. As it is, they did both. The administrator disposed of all their assets -all their better players.

It shouldn't have happened it would never happen again, however 15 years on MK Dons is now a community based club run soundly. I worked in Milton Keynes for 10 years before I retired three years ago. The only time I went to watch them was when we played there. There are youngsters who I worked with who go to every game home and away.

Who is to blame for it happening? The people who agreed it? Ron Noades for selling out- itinerant football club owner. Not necessarily the people in MK.

There are far worse things that have happened that what they achieved for MK: Steve Evans, The Venkys at Blackburn, Hull City Tigers, Rushden and Diamonds.

Wimbledon would have gone out of business and a new club formed -which is what happened. However do I want clubs in the League like Wimbledon with a ground holding under 5000, Barnet, Forest Green Rovers all with tiny grounds when the likes of Orient, Tranmere, Wrexham and next year Chesterfield will be non league - not really.

That's a bit harsh isn't it? Part of the joy of league football is when you get little clubs punching above their weight and fallen giants having to slum it one or two leagues below where they're accustomed to. Would you rather the Football League be a closed shop with no promotion/relegation like US sports or rugby league??

Largely agree with the rest of what you say btw, and would certainly add the Oystons at Blackpool onto your list - oh, and how can I forget by far the most serious issue of the day, the Accrington owner buying his team Big Macs - isn't it a relief we have a tough FL which isn't afraid to really bare its teeth when it counts?! :smile:

 

[LBBlue]

That's a bit harsh isn't it? Part of the joy of league football is when you get little clubs punching above their weight and fallen giants having to slum it one or two leagues below where they're accustomed to. Would you rather the Football League be a closed shop with no promotion/relegation like US sports or rugby league??

Largely agree with the rest of what you say btw, and would certainly add the Oystons at Blackpool onto your list - oh, and how can I forget by far the most serious issue of the day, the Accrington owner buying his team Big Macs - isn't it a relief we have a tough FL which isn't afraid to really bare its teeth when it counts?! :smile:

I agree it is a bit harsh, but we have had some mickey mouse clubs promoted to the League over the years and they have fallen by the wayside. I don't go for the short term splash the cash merchants like R and D and Fleetwood and Maidstone before them. Maybe we should have stricter criteria in terms of ground capacity. Its not right that a League 2 (Division 4) club have to limit the number of away supporters because of capacity issues.

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

Don't remember those two, but I do remember running onto the pitch once shouting we're never going to Basildon. Not an easy chant that one!

During the Basildon protests I got on the pitch during the Ipswich home game with a "Jobson Out" banner. The effect was slightly lost as I held it up back to front and "tuO nosboJ" didn't seem to have the desired effect. There endeth my days of direct action.

 

[RHB]

During the Basildon protests I got on the pitch during the Ipswich home game with a "Jobson Out" banner. The effect was slightly lost as I held it up back to front and "tuO nosboJ" didn't seem to have the desired effect. There endeth my days of direct action.

But you have mastered electronic back to front writing. Definitely worth a 'Like'.:thumbsup: