Dons supporters call for MK to change name

[Joey Deacon's Disco Suit]

Bit pointless isn't it? MK Dons aren't going to change their name and there's nothing Wimbledon can do about it. They might as well ask Winkelman to change his name to Dave Hedgehog for all it's worth.

 

[Caveman]

Just replace the "D" from Dons with a "C" simples.... MK Con's

 

[16bha]

The Milton Keynes "Emptyseats" . The place to watch soccer, have a burger with plenty of space to lie down and have a sleep (during the game)!

Or The Fucks from Bucks!

 

[GT49er]

Surely they've been in concrete city long enough to be called Real Milton Keynes now?

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Will always be a noddy club till drop out the leagues.

 

[Whitterz]

FC Milton Keynes for me.

Shambolic how they claim existence. Its embarassing enough playing them.

 

[Man of Harveys]

I may be in a minority of one here but for those of us like me who have do a certain respect for what AFC Wimbledon have done, this doesn't do much to dispel my impression gleaned from some of their supporters that I've met that they really could do with maybe getting over the MK Dons thing just a little bit by now, maybe especially so in the light of their promotion. A friend of mine who supports them never went to Plough Lane - even I went there twice - and never saw them at Selhurst Park, which I also did, but rather fancied a cause to rally around/moan about and is utterly and completely OBSESSED - still - with hating and vilifying the admittedly very hateful and vilifiable MK Dons, far more so than supporting AFC Wimbledon.

I think I'd warm towards them and their achievements a fair bit more if I had a clearer idea that they aspired to be a normal, proper football club to replace the one that shouldn't have been taken away, rather than an ongoing lobby group about the horrendous crime committed by Winkleman et al. This request above seems more than a bit pointless, boring and sanctimonious, to me anyway.

 

[Albumen]

Football's bad MK?

 

[Brovion]

I may be in a minority of one here but for those of us like me who have do a certain respect for what AFC Wimbledon have done, this doesn't do much to dispel my impression gleaned from some of their supporters that I've met that they really could do with maybe getting over the MK Dons thing just a little bit by now, maybe especially so in the light of their promotion. A friend of mine who supports them never went to Plough Lane - even I went there twice - and never saw them at Selhurst Park, which I also did, but rather fancied a cause to rally around/moan about and is utterly and completely OBSESSED - still - with hating and vilifying the admittedly very hateful and vilifiable MK Dons, far more so than supporting AFC Wimbledon.

I think I'd warm towards them and their achievements a fair bit more if I had a clearer idea that they aspired to be a normal, proper football club to replace the one that shouldn't have been taken away, rather than an ongoing lobby group about the horrendous crime committed by Winkleman et al. This request above seems more than a bit pointless, boring and sanctimonious, to me anyway.

I have a large amount of sympathy with that view and have done since I realised AFC were being a bit precious at the thought of playing MK in the FA Cup. When the whole MK thing happened I railed against it the same as every football fan did: Franchise FC, shouldn't have been allowed, scum, etc etc etc. But now that the dust has settled I've recanted a bit and I think (and I know I'm in a minority) that actually everything has worked out for the best.

I said on another thread that the original Wimbledon had grown "too big for their roots"; they'd already left their home and their local council were showing no interest in helping them return to the borough - the exact opposite in fact. (And as an aside I think Milton Keynes Council should be applauded for allowing a 'big' club to build a new ground. Local councils are often the biggest obstacle to clubs building new grounds). I think I can only say the move was totally 'wrong' if there was a 100% fully approved, fully financed, cast-iron, rock-solid plan to build a modern stadium in Merton (or very near by) and Winkleman deliberately ignored it in favour of MK. What happened, in hindsight, looks quite logical: The big club moved to a city that could support it and a little club representing 'Wimbledon' took their place in an area that could only support a little club. If Wimbledon move up the leagues I hope Merton will be more accommodating when AFC need a bigger ground.

Whilst I respect 100% what AFC Wimbledon have achieved some of their fans do seem to me now to be behaving like bitter ex-wives/husbands - still going on about how evil their ex was ten years after the divorce. The two clubs share a common ancestry, and regardless of what the MK team is called that's an historical fact that they will have to accept even if they don't like it.

 

[bhaexpress]

I have a large amount of sympathy with that view and have done since I realised AFC were being a bit precious at the thought of playing MK in the FA Cup. When the whole MK thing happened I railed against it the same as every football fan did: Franchise FC, shouldn't have been allowed, scum, etc etc etc. But now that the dust has settled I've recanted a bit and I think (and I know I'm in a minority) that actually everything has worked out for the best.

I said on another thread that the original Wimbledon had grown "too big for their roots"; they'd already left their home and their local council were showing no interest in helping them return to the borough - the exact opposite in fact. (And as an aside I think Milton Keynes Council should be applauded for allowing a 'big' club to build a new ground. Local councils are often the biggest obstacle to clubs building new grounds). I think I can only say the move was totally 'wrong' if there was a 100% fully approved, fully financed, cast-iron, rock-solid plan to build a modern stadium in Merton (or very near by) and Winkleman deliberately ignored it in favour of MK. What happened, in hindsight, looks quite logical: The big club moved to a city that could support it and a little club representing 'Wimbledon' took their place in an area that could only support a little club. If Wimbledon move up the leagues I hope Merton will be more accommodating when AFC need a bigger ground.

Whilst I respect 100% what AFC Wimbledon have achieved some of their fans do seem to me now to be behaving like bitter ex-wives/husbands - still going on about how evil their ex was ten years after the divorce. The two clubs share a common ancestry, and regardless of what the MK team is called that's an historical fact that they will have to accept even if they don't like it.

It should be remembered that Wimbledon FC were moved to Milton Keynes as they couldn't survive on the attendances they got at Selhurst Park. I lived nearby while they were still in the top flight and would often go to see them. It's fair to say that the vast majority of times the home fans were outnumbered by the travelling fans. I have met more than a few Wimbledon fans who lost interest in their club because whilst they didn't mind going to Plough Lane travelling to Selhurst was just too far. Selhurst is no further from Wimbledon than it is from Charlton but Charlton fans never had a problem with going there. It is time that AFC fans moved on, joking aside. AFC Wimbledon is not the same club as moved to Milton Keynes which in itself is not Wimbledon FC either.

At the end of the day I do look forward to an AFC Wimbledon MK Dons match, maybe it would be a good pre season 'friendly' ?

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Milton Keynes FC sounds way better anyway. Don't understand why they didn't just go with that in the first place.

Can see your point but MK did nothing to achieve that position,they never started in a lower league,did not work their way through the ranks,just offered a ground to a club who were playing football in a league,then took it over and put MK in front of the Dons A sell out of the highest order...Welcome back Wombles.

 

[bhaexpress]

Can see your point but MK did nothing to achieve that position,they never started in a lower league,did not work their way through the ranks,just offered a ground to a club who were playing football in a league,then took it over and put MK in front of the Dons A sell out of the highest order...Welcome back Wombles.

Forget the fact that they are now in Milton Keynes. In all probability had they not relocated they would have gone bust. We are all pleased to see that Wimbledon have a league team again but had they put as much effort into getting behind their old club it might still be living near Wimbledon.

 

[Icy Gull]

I am incredibly grateful for the strength and will of our fanbase that we didn't give up on the Albion and go and start a new club when we were relocated to Gillingham without having a clue whether we'd come back again. That journey, given the quality of our team, was as depressing as it gets but still around 2k people did it every other week, when it would have been far easier to just give up.

 

[readingstockport]

Forget the fact that they are now in Milton Keynes. In all probability had they not relocated they would have gone bust. We are all pleased to see that Wimbledon have a league team again but had they put as much effort into getting behind their old club it might still be living near Wimbledon.

And if BHA fans had got behind their club then your team would still be playing at the goldstone instead of spending several years as pikies at Gillingham then having to play at a running track before FINALLY managing to get a decent ground. But you didn't support your team properly then did you which is why you lost the goldstone.

 

[readingstockport]

I am incredibly grateful for the strength and will of our fanbase that we didn't give up on the Albion and go and start a new club when we were relocated to Gillingham without having a clue whether we'd come back again. That journey, given the quality of our team, was as depressing as it gets but still around 2k people did it every other week, when it would have been far easier to just give up.

The move to Gillingham was not permanent and irrevocable. Once again you display your complete ignorance of the situation.

 

[NMH]

When 'Wimbledon' went extinct and Milton Keynes suddenly got GIVEN an instant leafgue club - it wasn't 'Wimbledon' who got screwed, but a Conference club who should have come up into the league to make up the 92.

 

[NMH]

And if BHA fans had got behind their club then your team would still be playing at the goldstone instead of spending several years as pikies at Gillingham then having to play at a running track before FINALLY managing to get a decent ground. But you didn't support your team properly then did you which is why you lost the goldstone.

Was it in the hands of Brighton fans?
Personally I suspect there's an element of truth in your assertion - but only if we could have stumped up the what, 7 million quid to but the ground - and even then the bastards would probably have dodged it because of the dodgy retail park resale they did after that.

Someone is welcome to correct me if I'm wrong

 

[bhaexpress]

And if BHA fans had got behind their club then your team would still be playing at the goldstone instead of spending several years as pikies at Gillingham then having to play at a running track before FINALLY managing to get a decent ground. But you didn't support your team properly then did you which is why you lost the goldstone.

Quite wrong, we had the ground sold to pay debts. Wimbledon lost their fan base over a period of time hence their decline. There is no comparison as far too many of the original Wimbledon fans couldn't be bothered to go to Selhurst Park. It's fair to say that whilst Selhurst is not the greatest ground in the country Plough Lane made it look like Wembley.

 

[Simster]

It should be remembered that Wimbledon FC were moved to Milton Keynes as they couldn't survive on the attendances they got at Selhurst Park. I lived nearby while they were still in the top flight and would often go to see them. It's fair to say that the vast majority of times the home fans were outnumbered by the travelling fans. I have met more than a few Wimbledon fans who lost interest in their club because whilst they didn't mind going to Plough Lane travelling to Selhurst was just too far. Selhurst is no further from Wimbledon than it is from Charlton but Charlton fans never had a problem with going there. It is time that AFC fans moved on, joking aside. AFC Wimbledon is not the same club as moved to Milton Keynes which in itself is not Wimbledon FC either.

At the end of the day I do look forward to an AFC Wimbledon MK Dons match, maybe it would be a good pre season 'friendly' ?

Sorry but the whole premise of this post is flawed. In 1998/9, Wimbledon averaged 18,235 at Selhurst. That's considerably more than Wigan and Blackpool managed this season. Oh, and more than Palace.

 

[Simster]

Quite wrong, we had the ground sold to pay debts. Wimbledon lost their fan base over a period of time hence their decline. There is no comparison as far too many of the original Wimbledon fans couldn't be bothered to go to Selhurst Park. It's fair to say that whilst Selhurst is not the greatest ground in the country Plough Lane made it look like Wembley.

No they didn't. Their fan base was constantly increasing, until word got out that they wanted to relocate. Wimbledon were first promoted to the top flight on gates of under 6,000. Had they re-located to a 20,000 stadium in Merton, they'd have been just fine, not unlike some of the other smaller Premiership clubs.

The fact that the gates at Fulham (3 tube stops away) have topped 25,000 just as Wimbledon were moved to MK and AFCW only found a place to play in Kingston is not a coincidence either. I know of people (friends of friends) who are now STHs at Fulham who were STHs at Wimbledon in the Plough Lane and Selhurst days...