On 28 May 2002 Charles Koppel and the Norwegian owners of Wimbledon Football Club along with a non-entity called Pete Winkleman must have been the happiest people in the world. The FA Commission had been conned into giving them what they wanted most in the world - permission to move to that footballing backwater called Milton Keynes.
Then everything started to go wrong (shame!). The supporters voted with their feet and walked out on the club and after miraculous efforts on the part of many people formed their own club in Wimbledon by the name of AFC Wimbledon.
A groundshare arrangement at the National Hockey Stadium which was trumpeted by WFC as the beginning of a new life for WFC before the move to a brand spanking new shiny 28,000 seater stadium in Milton Keynes fell through (shame!). This means they are forced to remain at Selhurst Park for at least another season and maybe more. The supporters of Crystal Palace don't want them there and who is to say that that nice man Uncle Ron Noades will let them stay for much longer.
Players have been allowed to leave the club and they even sold their Captain Kenny Cunningham to Birmingham for a knock down price. No players (to my knowledge) have been signed and the squad have been reduced to 28 and it looks as if yet more players are about to leave.
Charles Koppell is so worried about season ticket sales he continually attempts to bribe people with such things as 'KIDS UNDER A QUID' something he has refused to do in the past and the constant reductions in season ticket prices. In fact with the recent introduction of 'Kids Under a Quid' a season ticket for under 16's now becomes more expensive than paying at the gate every home game (Ok, so that last bit isn't really true but why let the truth get in the way of a good story?)
Things don't look good for Charles Koppel and WFC, everyone is against them. No one wants them in Milton Keynes or South London, the chances of them going belly up becomes more realistic with every passing week. They are in deep trouble for not posting their accounts and have been fined already as a result. The fines are paltry at the moment but the ultimate punishment would be unthinkable to any right thinking businessman but with a man like Charles Koppel he would probably welcome it.
Why couldn't Charles Koppel be like the supporters of WFC? Since 28 May we have built a new club from scratch, got a groundshare arrangement with Kingstonian, got ourselves into a league, sorted the biggest sponsorship deal in non-league football, built a sqaud of players from nothing, got clubs queing up to play us in friendlies and things seem to be moving on the Plough Lane situation (more of that to follow over the next few months). If Charles Koppel had been as visionary as the supporters WFC would have been back in the Premiership instead of spending a 3rd season in the 1st Division of the Football League.
Things are looking very bad for WFC and very good for AFCW. Long may it continue.
UP THE DONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
