Hi, saw a few of these posts and wanted to correct one or two inaccuracies if you don't mind.
I do not believe Kingstonian are being shafted. When we took over we allowed them to stay in Kingsmeadow (as we should have done), entirely rent free. They have kept all their gates, their bar takings, all income they have made they have kept. We have paid for the upkeep of the stadium, and it is our volunteers who turn up every summer to repaint the stadium in their colours.
They have also known for a long time that we have wanted to move back to Merton. During this time they have made no arrangements for once we left. They could have used the considerable financial advantage we have given them to start raising funds for the stadium. They chose not to: their board even stated that regardless of Chelsea coming in, Kingstonian would not be able to afford to keep playing at Kingsmeadow.
We are also giving them a sizeable fee to assist them. I am pretty sure we do not have to do this, but are doing so anyway.
As for the dog track: the Greyhound stadium is coming down either way. Their lease ends in June/July, and then they are out. It is no longer financially viable for them to remain there as they aren't getting in the gates and betting on greyhounds is way way down.
Therefore, it makes sense that Wimbledon has a football stadium for its club, whose fans largely reside in and around Wimbledon. It is quite disheartining to see some of the attitudes here about fans doing nothing when our predecessors were screwed over. Some people clearly have selective memories. Boycotts, publicity stunts like the ones you are currently doing with beach balls and coffins, protest magazines, and fan mobilisation all took place yet to no avail. To say that Wimbledon fans simply let their club go is the same as saying Charlton fans have done nothing to protest their current owners. We both know that neither of those things are true.
I wish you all the best in your efforts for Charlton to listen to it's fans and represent them, and I hope that after reading this you can lend your support also to our bid to return home. I know that the overwhelming majority of Wimbledon fans would happily lend support if Charlton had a similar predicament.
Us in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, it is true that not all that long ago Wimbledon were doing as our fans are now to try to save their club from being disbanded.
Hi, saw a few of these posts and wanted to correct one or two inaccuracies if you don't mind.
I do not believe Kingstonian are being shafted. When we took over we allowed them to stay in Kingsmeadow (as we should have done), entirely rent free. They have kept all their gates, their bar takings, all income they have made they have kept. We have paid for the upkeep of the stadium, and it is our volunteers who turn up every summer to repaint the stadium in their colours.
They have also known for a long time that we have wanted to move back to Merton. During this time they have made no arrangements for once we left. They could have used the considerable financial advantage we have given them to start raising funds for the stadium. They chose not to: their board even stated that regardless of Chelsea coming in, Kingstonian would not be able to afford to keep playing at Kingsmeadow.
We are also giving them a sizeable fee to assist them. I am pretty sure we do not have to do this, but are doing so anyway.
As for the dog track: the Greyhound stadium is coming down either way. Their lease ends in June/July, and then they are out. It is no longer financially viable for them to remain there as they aren't getting in the gates and betting on greyhounds is way way down.
Therefore, it makes sense that Wimbledon has a football stadium for its club, whose fans largely reside in and around Wimbledon. It is quite disheartining to see some of the attitudes here about fans doing nothing when our predecessors were screwed over. Some people clearly have selective memories. Boycotts, publicity stunts like the ones you are currently doing with beach balls and coffins, protest magazines, and fan mobilisation all took place yet to no avail. To say that Wimbledon fans simply let their club go is the same as saying Charlton fans have done nothing to protest their current owners. We both know that neither of those things are true.
I wish you all the best in your efforts for Charlton to listen to it's fans and represent them, and I hope that after reading this you can lend your support also to our bid to return home. I know that the overwhelming majority of Wimbledon fans would happily lend support if Charlton had a similar predicament.
Post of the year in my view. An early post in the tread slates afc Wimbledon and everyone believes it! Two sides to every story! I was best man at an afc Wimbledon supporters wedding and have been ro many games. Afc Wimbledon are a credit to footbal and what we are going through now isn't to dissimilar to what wimbledon went through. Some of the ignorant comments on her are just stupid. Our league 1 fate is sealed as is mk scums, hopefully next year we will Bevin the same league as mk dons and afc Wimbledon for two reasons. Justice and two real football supporters playing each other. Rant over
Plus they're hopefully shutting down a dog racing track, which is good because it's a disgusting spectacle in my humble opinion.
Best of luck @Womble, don't really understand all the negativism around the club, the way your club is run, i.e. democratically, is something that I think we should all be rooting for to succeed.
Plus they're hopefully shutting down a dog racing track, which is good because it's a disgusting spectacle in my humble opinion.
Best of luck @Womble, don't really understand all the negativism around the club, the way your club is run, i.e. democratically, is something that I think we should all be rooting for to succeed.
Cheers. I share your views on dog racing but many don't and there are a few stronger arguments in my eyes.
I remember their protests and the shock that a team could relocate, change their name and still remain in the league. They did not need or particularly want the supporters to follow, they made the move to an area without a team to attract a new set of supporters. It would be like us moving to Snodland and calling ourselves Paramount Rovers (or whatever the proposed theme park is going to be called). Just imagine how you would feel. It happened to them. The setting up of a new Wimbledon I viewed as an honorable and heroic move by the supporters to keep their club alive and start again. They have my respect for that and I think they are deserving of our support now. Has anyone actually had any feed back from any Richmond fans on their take on all this? It would be good to know. If it was my club I would be looking to share, put down a 3g and build the club back up. I can't find anything which seems odd.
The weird thing about the relocation and name change to MK Dons is that just a few years earlier someone tried to do the same with Maidstone and move them to Newcastle and the FA wouldn't allow it.
You should be able to watch your team local to where you live.
The big issue with Wimbledon was the distance of the move.
Whether you can forgive Arsenal for moving in 1913 to a site over the river (I can't personally given they kept the name), Wimbledon for moving 100 miles away, man city for moving to a helpful place or West Ham doesn't detract from the loss of history generated by a move.
Before the end of the Second World War, moves were common. Now, any move is a big deal.
If the main core of fans can still get there, it's bad but not disastrous. If they can't, it's a fucking travesty.
You should be able to watch your team local to where you live.
The big issue with Wimbledon was the distance of the move.
Whether you can forgive Arsenal for moving in 1913 to a site over the river (I can't personally given they kept the name), Wimbledon for moving 100 miles away, man city for moving to a helpful place or West Ham doesn't detract from the loss of history generated by a move.
Before the end of the Second World War, moves were common. Now, any move is a big deal.
If the main core of fans can still get there, it's bad but not disastrous. If they can't, it's a fucking travesty.
Well they dropped the "Woolwich" half of their name... Of course if they hadn't moved, Charlton Athletic would have remained a minnow and we'd all probably be gooners!
You should be able to watch your team local to where you live.
The big issue with Wimbledon was the distance of the move.
Whether you can forgive Arsenal for moving in 1913 to a site over the river (I can't personally given they kept the name), Wimbledon for moving 100 miles away, man city for moving to a helpful place or West Ham doesn't detract from the loss of history generated by a move.
Before the end of the Second World War, moves were common. Now, any move is a big deal.
If the main core of fans can still get there, it's bad but not disastrous. If they can't, it's a fucking travesty.
Well they dropped the "Woolwich" half of their name... Of course if they hadn't moved, Charlton Athletic would have remained a minnow and we'd all probably be gooners!
So, to be clear, it's OK for a football club (Kingstonian) or a Greyhound venue to be kicked out and have to go elsewhere when the gates drop and they become financially stretched?
So, to be clear, it's OK for a football club (Kingstonian) or a Greyhound venue to be kicked out and have to go elsewhere when the gates drop and they become financially stretched?
I made my feelings about greyhound tracks known above, but putting that to one side you can't say that a track that's been around for ~15 years has the same social standing or punters' support as a football club.
Regarding Kingstonian, I'd encourage you to go back and read various posts on here, including the blog posts from a Kingstonian supporter. Given they don't own the ground, that it was sold by a previous chairman and they don't seem to have the money to recoup it, their fate is out of their hands.
No one wants to see football clubs removed from their historic grounds, but it seems the options are limited. AFC Wimbledon want to return to what they consider their spiritual/original home. I don't know that it would be fair to force them to stay in Kingston just so that they don't put Kingstonian at risk. AFC Wimbledon have offered them Kingstonian financial aid, which, from what I can tell they have no legal obligation to do but have done out of goodwill. To me it seems the best solution for all would be to put pressure on Chelsea to ground share. From what I've seen, women's and reserves' games rarely kick-off at 3pm on Saturdays, or on Saturdays in general, so to me it seems like an entirely plausible arrangement.
So, to be clear, it's OK for a football club (Kingstonian) or a Greyhound venue to be kicked out and have to go elsewhere when the gates drop and they become financially stretched?
I made my feelings about greyhound tracks known above, but putting that to one side you can't say that a track that's been around for ~15 years has the same social standing or punters' support as a football club.
Regarding Kingstonian, I'd encourage you to go back and read various posts on here, including the blog posts from a Kingstonian supporter. Given they don't own the ground, that it was sold by a previous chairman and they don't seem to have the money to recoup it, their fate is out of their hands.
No one wants to see football clubs removed from their historic grounds, but it seems the options are limited. AFC Wimbledon want to return to what they consider their spiritual/original home. I don't know that it would be fair to force them to stay in Kingston just so that they don't put Kingstonian at risk. AFC Wimbledon have offered them Kingstonian financial aid, which, from what I can tell they have no legal obligation to do but have done out of goodwill. To me it seems the best solution for all would be to put pressure on Chelsea to ground share. From what I've seen, women's and reserves' games rarely kick-off at 3pm on Saturdays, or on Saturdays in general, so to me it seems like an entirely plausible arrangement.
Well I think it's monstrously hypocritical of the fans of a football club to support an action that evicts sport from two other traditional venues so that they can go "back" to a stadium and borough in which they've never played home games.
"We want to play at *that* stadium, so tough luck to YOU and YOU".
AFC Wimbledon have acting morally very well with Kingstonian, unlike Chelsea. Who needs a stadium for their women and youth team?!
It would be a massive shame if there were no greyhound tracks in London, but there are reasons why they're closing, people aren't going as often as they used too. If you want to support that sport go to Crayford, Romford etc. more often. Financial it makes sense for a football club to play there which is a shame for niche sports, greyhound racing not being the first.
Hilarious criticism of Wimbledon fans, blaming them for the move to MK.
So, to be clear, it's OK for a football club (Kingstonian) or a Greyhound venue to be kicked out and have to go elsewhere when the gates drop and they become financially stretched?
Hang on, didn't Wimbledon get kicked out and you criticised them for letting it happen?!
So, to be clear, it's OK for a football club (Kingstonian) or a Greyhound venue to be kicked out and have to go elsewhere when the gates drop and they become financially stretched?
Hang on, didn't Wimbledon get kicked out and you criticised them for letting it happen?!
My point is that clubs shouldn't be kicked out. And when they are, the supportersales should do what they can to prevent, oppose and overturn such decisions.
Wimbledon fans should have done more. Charlton fans did.
What I think is abhorrent is AFC Wimbledon moving to a ground at the expense of other clubs.
Their fans - and board - seem to think it's perfectly fine to have other clubs kicked out. I don't.
I made my feelings about greyhound tracks known above, but putting that to one side you can't say that a track that's been around for ~15 years has the same social standing or punters' support as a football club.
The track's been there for a lot longer than 15 years
Dog racing has been at Wimbledon since 1928 ! Yes its popularity has declined massively It's heydays in the 1940 - 60,s. Scores of tracks have closed many of which I'm sure a lot of you didn't know existed.
Charlton, new cross, Clapton, Raleigh, Hendon, white city, Stamford bridge, Watford, harringay, slough, Oxford, Maidstone, Rochester, Canterbury, ramsgate Wembley hackney Milton Keynes and Walthamstow to name just a few.
Greyhound racing at Wimbledon can be profitable, and the opposing plans for the site to be redeveloped include the continuation of greyhound racing. The current demise of Wimbledon as a greyhound venue is due to the uncertainty of the development, and the basic fact that the place has been run into the ground by the GRA.
So, to be clear, it's OK for a football club (Kingstonian) or a Greyhound venue to be kicked out and have to go elsewhere when the gates drop and they become financially stretched?
I made my feelings about greyhound tracks known above, but putting that to one side you can't say that a track that's been around for ~15 years has the same social standing or punters' support as a football club.
15 years?!
Weren't you the guy who said on another thread that he would do a bit more research before spouting crap in future? How's that going for you?
Due to this being referred to the new London Mayor, it does now look like Galliard Homes have given greyhound racing a two year extension on the lease at Wimbledon. With a six month notice period for either party.
So, to be clear, it's OK for a football club (Kingstonian) or a Greyhound venue to be kicked out and have to go elsewhere when the gates drop and they become financially stretched?
I made my feelings about greyhound tracks known above, but putting that to one side you can't say that a track that's been around for ~15 years has the same social standing or punters' support as a football club.
15 years?!
Weren't you the guy who said on another thread that he would do a bit more research before spouting crap in future? How's that going for you?
Not well apparently!!!!!!
Apologies I thought that the dog track took over when Wimbledon moved out. I was wrong, again, my geography of niche London sporting grounds is poor.
So, to be clear, it's OK for a football club (Kingstonian) or a Greyhound venue to be kicked out and have to go elsewhere when the gates drop and they become financially stretched?
I made my feelings about greyhound tracks known above, but putting that to one side you can't say that a track that's been around for ~15 years has the same social standing or punters' support as a football club.
15 years?!
Weren't you the guy who said on another thread that he would do a bit more research before spouting crap in future? How's that going for you?
Not well apparently!!!!!!
Apologies I thought that the dog track took over when Wimbledon moved out. I was wrong, again, my geography of niche London sporting grounds is poor.
Fair play mate, that's a good response. The dog track is just down the road from where the football ground was - and the ground is long gone.
There aren't many tracks left in London now, in fact I think Wimbledon is the only one left with an actual London postcode. Only other two I can think of are Romford and Crayford.
I posted a 'Help get AFC Wimbledon home' petition on CL some 18 months ago. Some signed it and others moaned, as is the case now. Am looking forward to both AFC Wimbledon's return to Plough Lane and the demise of Greyhound racing there.
Comments
I do not believe Kingstonian are being shafted. When we took over we allowed them to stay in Kingsmeadow (as we should have done), entirely rent free. They have kept all their gates, their bar takings, all income they have made they have kept. We have paid for the upkeep of the stadium, and it is our volunteers who turn up every summer to repaint the stadium in their colours.
They have also known for a long time that we have wanted to move back to Merton. During this time they have made no arrangements for once we left. They could have used the considerable financial advantage we have given them to start raising funds for the stadium. They chose not to: their board even stated that regardless of Chelsea coming in, Kingstonian would not be able to afford to keep playing at Kingsmeadow.
We are also giving them a sizeable fee to assist them. I am pretty sure we do not have to do this, but are doing so anyway.
As for the dog track: the Greyhound stadium is coming down either way. Their lease ends in June/July, and then they are out. It is no longer financially viable for them to remain there as they aren't getting in the gates and betting on greyhounds is way way down.
Therefore, it makes sense that Wimbledon has a football stadium for its club, whose fans largely reside in and around Wimbledon. It is quite disheartining to see some of the attitudes here about fans doing nothing when our predecessors were screwed over. Some people clearly have selective memories. Boycotts, publicity stunts like the ones you are currently doing with beach balls and coffins, protest magazines, and fan mobilisation all took place yet to no avail. To say that Wimbledon fans simply let their club go is the same as saying Charlton fans have done nothing to protest their current owners. We both know that neither of those things are true.
I wish you all the best in your efforts for Charlton to listen to it's fans and represent them, and I hope that after reading this you can lend your support also to our bid to return home. I know that the overwhelming majority of Wimbledon fans would happily lend support if Charlton had a similar predicament.
We may be in that same boat before long.
Best of luck @Womble, don't really understand all the negativism around the club, the way your club is run, i.e. democratically, is something that I think we should all be rooting for to succeed.
It would be like us moving to Snodland and calling ourselves Paramount Rovers (or whatever the proposed theme park is going to be called). Just imagine how you would feel. It happened to them.
The setting up of a new Wimbledon I viewed as an honorable and heroic move by the supporters to keep their club alive and start again. They have my respect for that and I think they are deserving of our support now.
Has anyone actually had any feed back from any Richmond fans on their take on all this? It would be good to know. If it was my club I would be looking to share, put down a 3g and build the club back up. I can't find anything which seems odd.
The big issue with Wimbledon was the distance of the move.
Whether you can forgive Arsenal for moving in 1913 to a site over the river (I can't personally given they kept the name), Wimbledon for moving 100 miles away, man city for moving to a helpful place or West Ham doesn't detract from the loss of history generated by a move.
Before the end of the Second World War, moves were common. Now, any move is a big deal.
If the main core of fans can still get there, it's bad but not disastrous. If they can't, it's a fucking travesty.
I hope we don't end up in the same position as Wimbledon, with a forced relocation miles away.
Has to be the worst.
Regarding Kingstonian, I'd encourage you to go back and read various posts on here, including the blog posts from a Kingstonian supporter. Given they don't own the ground, that it was sold by a previous chairman and they don't seem to have the money to recoup it, their fate is out of their hands.
No one wants to see football clubs removed from their historic grounds, but it seems the options are limited. AFC Wimbledon want to return to what they consider their spiritual/original home. I don't know that it would be fair to force them to stay in Kingston just so that they don't put Kingstonian at risk. AFC Wimbledon have offered them Kingstonian financial aid, which, from what I can tell they have no legal obligation to do but have done out of goodwill. To me it seems the best solution for all would be to put pressure on Chelsea to ground share. From what I've seen, women's and reserves' games rarely kick-off at 3pm on Saturdays, or on Saturdays in general, so to me it seems like an entirely plausible arrangement.
"We want to play at *that* stadium, so tough luck to YOU and YOU".
It would be a massive shame if there were no greyhound tracks in London, but there are reasons why they're closing, people aren't going as often as they used too. If you want to support that sport go to Crayford, Romford etc. more often. Financial it makes sense for a football club to play there which is a shame for niche sports, greyhound racing not being the first.
Hilarious criticism of Wimbledon fans, blaming them for the move to MK.
Wimbledon fans should have done more. Charlton fans did.
What I think is abhorrent is AFC Wimbledon moving to a ground at the expense of other clubs.
Their fans - and board - seem to think it's perfectly fine to have other clubs kicked out. I don't.
Charlton, new cross, Clapton, Raleigh, Hendon, white city, Stamford bridge, Watford, harringay, slough, Oxford, Maidstone, Rochester, Canterbury, ramsgate
Wembley hackney Milton Keynes and Walthamstow to name just a few.
Greyhound racing at Wimbledon can be profitable, and the opposing plans for the site to be redeveloped include the continuation of greyhound racing. The current demise of Wimbledon as a greyhound venue is due to the uncertainty of the development, and the basic fact that the place has been run into the ground by the GRA.
Weren't you the guy who said on another thread that he would do a bit more research before spouting crap in future? How's that going for you?
Apologies I thought that the dog track took over when Wimbledon moved out. I was wrong, again, my geography of niche London sporting grounds is poor.
There aren't many tracks left in London now, in fact I think Wimbledon is the only one left with an actual London postcode. Only other two I can think of are Romford and Crayford.