AFC Wimbledon
| AFC Wimbledon
|
| Full name
| Association Football Club Wimbledon
|
| Formed | 2002
|
| Ground | The Fans' Stadium - Kingsmeadow, London
|
| Manager | Dave Anderson
|
| Nickname | The Dons
|
AFC Wimbledon is a semi-professional English football team representing the area of Wimbledon and Merton in London, though they currently play their games in nearby Kingston upon Thames. They spent their first seasons in the Premier Division of the Seagrave Haulage Combined Counties League but have been promoted to the Isthmian League First Division for the 2004/2005 season after winning the CCL championship with seven games left to play with a 0-3 away victory at Walton Casuals on April 13, 2004. On April 30, 2004 they completed a "Double" by winning the CCL's Premier Challenge Cup; on May 8, they completed an undefeated season in league competition (42 wins and 4 draws).
The club was founded in 2002 when The Football Association allowed the owners of what was then Wimbledon FC to relocate to the town of Milton Keynes on the far side of Buckinghamshire. Although the old team was unable to move for more than a year, their traditional local support dried up almost immediately. The Wombles mascot and Wimbledon heraldic badge were denied to them. Finally, in 2004, Wimbledon FC renamed themselves Milton Keynes Dons, leaving AFC Wimbledon the sole bearer of the 'Wimbledon' name.
All organized supporters' groups that had followed the old club switched allegiance to AFC Wimbledon, and the club has consistently drawn greater attendances, playing in a small regional league, than the old club, playing much better-known and better-supported opposition in the First Division of the Football League. Supporters of other clubs around the country have generally united in a boycott of Wimbledon FC (often mocked as "Franchise FC") in a protest against the club's relocation which is perceived as a move totally alien to the traditions of the English game.
In their first competitive season AFC Wimbledon started slowly, but won their last 11 league games to finish the season in third place, narrowly missing promotion to the Ryman Isthmian League. In their second, they were unbeaten, winning 42 games and drawing four. They won their first 21 league games before a draw on 10 January 2004, giving them 32 consecutive wins in league games over two seasons. By this time, AFC Wimbledon was the only club in England at any level to maintain a perfect league record for the 2003-04 season, and all others not to have lost had drawn more times. A 2-2 draw with Leatherhead FC on September 14, 2004 was their 70th consecutive unbeaten league game over three seasons. Withdean 2000, 2002/2003 CCL champions, delivered AFC Wimbledon's last league defeat on Saturday 22 February 2003.
Controlled by the Dons Trust, a supporters' group, AFC Wimbledon launched a share issue in 2003 to finance the acquisition of the Kingsmeadow ground, which they intend to operate as "The Fans' Stadium". The club hopes to play there until they can obtain a ground in Wimbledon proper, where no "Wimbledon" team has played since the closure of Wimbledon F.C.'s Plough Lane ground in 1991.
In the 2003-04 season the Dons didn't drop any league points until January, by which stage they were already well clear of AFC Wallingford and odds-on for promotion and the Combined Counties League title.
By the end of the season, the biggest question was whether the players would manage to go through the entire season unbeaten. The answer was an emphatic yes as they finished with 42 games won and just four drawn, chalking up a record 130 points and a staggering goal difference of +148.
And, to complete a fantastic Combined Counties League double, the Dons also lifted the Premier Challenge Cup, coming from behind to beat North Greenford United 4-1 at a packed Kingfield stadium.
The summer of 2004 saw a Wimbledon side back in the Isthmian League for the first time since 1964. At the time of writing, the Dons are top of the Ryman First Division, having played eight games, winning seven and drawing the other. Also, the Dons, in their first appearance in the FA Cup since the creation of AFC Wimbledon, have advanced to the First Qualifying Round.
In naming the club, the founders sought a name as close to "Wimbledon FC" as possible, and their first choice, "FC Wimbledon", was rejected by the authorities. They gained approval for "AFC Wimbledon", the initials A.F.C. being common in club names and understood to officially stand for "Association Football Club". However, the alternate meaning "A Fan's Club" is promoted to memorialize the intent of the Wimbledon supporters who formed the club.
Their main sponsors are Sports Interactive, the creators of Championship Manager and now developers of Football Manager.
