On 28 May 2002 football in this country as we know it changed for ever. A so called independent 3 man FA commission voted 2-1 to allow Wimbledon Football Club (WFC) to move from South London to Milton Keynes 60 miles away. The supporters and other interested groups have battled the club for 10 months to prevent the move and lost but we haven't given up the fight.
The commission report states that this is a one off and will never happen again but already Farnborough Town of the GM Vauxhall Conference are trying to relocate to somewhere that they think will bring in bigger crowds. They have already been turned down for moves to Woking and Kingstonian but they think 'if Wimbledon can do it why can't we?'
A 113 year connection with Wimbledon starting with the Wimbledon Old centrals on Wimbledon Common has been severed just like that all because people who are already rich want to make even more money out of football.
As far as anyone is concerned Wimbledon is the first football franchise in this country and is now Milton Keynes FC in all but name, they have transplanted themselves to a town that doesn't want them (except the council) and bought themselves a position in the first division of the football league rather than start at the bottom of the pyramid like everyone else.
The club has stated many times that the name will not change however it has come to light that two website domain names (mkdons.co.uk is one) have been registered for the last two years by Mr Pete Winkleman of the Milton Keynes Stadium Consortium (Winkleman is to get a place on the WFC Board)
Money talks in football and despite the overwhelming majority being against Wimbledon's proposed move a very small minority of very rich people got their way. Whilst giving evidence to the Commission Club Chairman Charles Koppel stated that the club was in dire straits financially and that the Norwegian billionaire owners of the club were no longer prepared to finance the club out of their own very deep pockets. Two days after the decision was announced the club owners put up £40 million towards a new stadium in Milton Keynes. The supporters have been shafted and the commission allowed themselves to be hoodwinked. The FA are against the move but do nothing to prevent it.
On Thursday 30 May 2002 the Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association (WISA) formally decided to form a new club under the name of AFC Wimbledon (AFCW). The meeting was attended by almost 1000 supporters and there was much debate about forming a new club. There were a number of doubting Thomas's when the debate started but there were many convincing arguments and the motion was passed with a very large majority.
The club will be owned 100% by the Dons Trust, each member of the trust will have one share and one vote.
The Wimbledon supporters are taking football back from the rich businessmen who know nothing about football and care even less for the fans or the history of the club. The supporters of Chesterfield have a majority shareholding in their club and now we have set up one of our own and one day we hope to be competing with the big boys again. We know it won't be easy but it will be fun trying.
In the meantime WISA will continue to fight the planned move to Milton Keynes of WFC with the aim of returning to Wimbledon and Plough Lane. CLICK HERE
