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Could we have been MK Athletic?

CallumcafcCallumcafc
in General Charlton
Was just reading about AFC Wimbledon’s new stadium and went down a rabbit hole reading about the desire to move a football league team to MK since the mid twentieth century.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relocation_of_Wimbledon_F.C._to_Milton_Keynes

Halfway down the article it says “Charlton Athletic briefly mooted a relocation in 1973, and in the 1980s the Milton Keynes Development Corporation offered a new ground to Luton Town, who almost became ‘MK Hatters’.” without a source to back up this claim.

First I’ve heard of it but I did read it on that reliable source that is Wikipedia... any experts on our history know anything about this or is it all fabricated nonsense?

Comments

  • SheffieldRedSheffieldRed
    True
  • Mrs. BrightsideMrs. Brightside
    Not heard about that, I do know that when MK were shopping around for a club one of their first choices was QPR. The chairman of the time, Peter Ellis, made the mistake of looking at the proposal's and the word got out to the supporters, one of whom took a shot at his office window. Nobody was hurt, police dug the bullet out of the wall behind his desk. Peter thought bugger this ect. resigned the chair and eventually sold his interest in the club to a "bunch of not very nice people"
  • charltonbobcharltonbob
    Callumcafc said:
    Was just reading about AFC Wimbledon’s new stadium and went down a rabbit hole reading about the desire to move a football league team to MK since the mid twentieth century.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relocation_of_Wimbledon_F.C._to_Milton_Keynes

    Halfway down the article it says “Charlton Athletic briefly mooted a relocation in 1973, and in the 1980s the Milton Keynes Development Corporation offered a new ground to Luton Town, who almost became ‘MK Hatters’.” without a source to back up this claim.

    First I’ve heard of it but I did read it on that reliable source that is Wikipedia... any experts on our history know anything about this or is it all fabricated nonsense?
    I don't know about Luton but that is correct about Charlton, I don't know how serious it was but there was certainly talk about possibly relocating to MK. Don't worry it didn't happen, whyever would we leave the Valley ? :o
  • Big WilliamBig William
    Gliksten and Rodney Stone era I think, 1973 would be about right. 
  • LenGloverLenGlover
    Yes, Michael Gliksten considered it at one stage. 1973 would fit as Milton Keynes was well underway then as a 'new town.'
  • SomervilleAddickSomervilleAddick
    LenGlover said:
    Yes, Michael Gliksten considered it at one stage. 1973 would fit as Milton Keynes was well underway then as a 'new town.'
    I’m not sure it was Gliksten, I was told it was a Rodney Stone plan, although I’m not sure it was ever serious. I thought it was a miserable attempt to frighten people into going to games. 
  • TELTEL
    It’s true, it actually made the news on ITV
  • The Red RobinThe Red Robin
    True and I’m sure Airman covers it in Battle for The Valley.
  • StrikerFirmaniStrikerFirmani
    Yes.  It was the sport page headline at the time.  Personally, I think M. Glikstein used it to stir up fans. He moaned about the small crowds at that time.  The glaring truth to that was the lack of investment and lack of ambition selling the best young players.   

    How serious he was of moving CAFC to Milton Keynes only he would know but it had substance according to the report.

    I've mentioned this before on the Wimbledon FC thread with no response assumed people didn't believe it. 
  • AppyAddickAppyAddick
    Just imagine, we could of been the MK Red Bulls
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  • bolloxbolderbolloxbolder
    StrikerFirmani said:
    Yes.  It was the sport page headline at the time.  Personally, I think M. Glikstein used it to stir up fans. He moaned about the small crowds at that time.  The glaring truth to that was the lack of investment and lack of ambition selling the best young players.   

    How serious he was of moving CAFC to Milton Keynes only he would know but it had substance according to the report.

    I've mentioned this before on the Wimbledon FC thread with no response assumed people didn't believe it. 
    This 
  • soapboxsamsoapboxsam
    edited September 2020
    Michael Gliksten sold any decent player we had from the mid 60's onwards from his tenure: Hinton, Bailey, Glover, Bonds, Kenning, Campbell etc and by the early 70's after the 68/69 team missed out on promotion by one place; instead of bringing in quality players to achieve the top tier of English football, Gliksten went to default mode and by 73 the team were a shambles and playing Rochdale, Port Vale in front of sweet FA in League 1. 

    Rodney Stone may of spoke to Jimmy Hill, who was the go to man in English football for innovation ? and who influenced the owners of Cafc to ground share Selhurst park in our wilderness years of the late 80's. 

    Milton Keynes was a possibility for Cafc but the 49 miles would have killed the club where the 9 miles to Selhurst Park just put us in intensive care for 7 years (including Upton Park for a short stay) 


  • MametzMametz
    I can remember the mooted move to Milton Keynes. One of the (then two ) London evening papers had a very large article about it. I’m not sure how serious the suggestion was because the whole idea seemed to vanish in double quick time.
  • MametzMametz
    soapboxsam said:
    Michael Gliksten sold any decent player we had from the mid 60's onwards from his tenure: Hinton, Bailey, Glover, Bonds, Kenning, Campbell etc and by the early 70's after the 68/69 team missed out on promotion by one place; instead of bringing in quality players to achieve the top tier of English football, Gliksten went to default mode and by 73 the team were a shambles and playing Rochdale, Port Vale in front of sweet FA in League 1. 

    Rodney Stone may of spoke to Jimmy Hill, who was the go to man in English football for innovation ? and who influenced the owners of Cafc to ground share Selhurst park in our wilderness years of the late 80's. 

    Milton Keynes was a possibility for Cafc but the 49 miles would have killed the club where the 9 miles to Selhurst Park just put us in intensive care for 7 years (including Upton Park for a short stay) 


    49 miles!!!

    You might have a helicopter but most of us would have to use ground based transport.
  • killerandflashkillerandflash
    It does seem unfortunate that Luton have been trying to build a new ground for 30 years, but are still stuck in their too small hovel, whereas MK Dons rattle around in a very nice stadium that is far far too big for them...they need a stadium swap...

  • SporadicAddickSporadicAddick
    edited September 2020
    If you had a helicopter, it's about 49 miles. The rest of us would have had a longer trip...



  • soapboxsamsoapboxsam
    edited September 2020
    Sorry guys I forgot you didn't have helicopters and would have to drive or go by your favourite form of travel, Train.
    I was slightly economical with the truth but stadium to stadium was 49 miles 

    Charlton to Selhurst is listed at just under 9 miles but the trip was a shocker for most.
    I had a flat in Penge, at the time, so I used to walk.
  • shine166shine166
    killerandflash said:
    It does seem unfortunate that Luton have been trying to build a new ground for 30 years, but are still stuck in their too small hovel, whereas MK Dons rattle around in a very nice stadium that is far far too big for them...they need a stadium swap...

    Luton nearly moved to MK, but even they didn't want it 
  • RodneyCharltonTrottaRodneyCharltonTrotta
    We wouldn't have all been friends if it had happened.  Mind blowing.
  • PeterGagePeterGage
    edited September 2020
    shine166 said:
    killerandflash said:
    It does seem unfortunate that Luton have been trying to build a new ground for 30 years, but are still stuck in their too small hovel, whereas MK Dons rattle around in a very nice stadium that is far far too big for them...they need a stadium swap...

    Luton nearly moved to MK, but even they didn't want it 
    Not stuck in a hovel for long. Planning permission for a new "home" near the motorway has been granted (so my Luton friend tells me)
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  • shine166shine166
    PeterGage said:
    shine166 said:
    killerandflash said:
    It does seem unfortunate that Luton have been trying to build a new ground for 30 years, but are still stuck in their too small hovel, whereas MK Dons rattle around in a very nice stadium that is far far too big for them...they need a stadium swap...

    Luton nearly moved to MK, but even they didn't want it 
    Not stuck in a hovel for long. Planning permission for a new "home" near the motorway has been granted (so my Luton friend tells me)
    Yeah they've been back and forward with this for years, pretty sure there are new issues with it. 
  • SoundAsa£SoundAsa£
    edited September 2020
    soapboxsam said:
    Sorry guys I forgot you didn't have helicopters and would have to drive or go by your favourite form of travel, Train.
    I was slightly economical with the truth but stadium to stadium was 49 miles 

    Charlton to Selhurst is listed at just under 9 miles but the trip was a shocker for most.
    I had a flat in Penge, at the time, so I used to walk.
    A flat in Penge..............FUCKING PERGATORY!!
  • RaplhMilneRaplhMilne
    This was mentioned previously on A.F.C. Wimbledon thread. And I posted the following. 
  • RaplhMilneRaplhMilne

  • SoundAsa£SoundAsa£

    Someone has said that the idea disappeared very quickly.....well not quite that quickly as I remember it.
    It floated around for a good few months and there was a real fear that a disgruntled Glikstein was seriously considering it.
    The club never ever came out at any time and said they were no longer considering the move, so the unsettling story hung around for quite a while, though yes, as time passed it quietly slipped off the agenda.
    I can remember being scared shitless.
    As for the possibility of being a Rodney Stone idea that’s the first I’ve heard of it, so I’m going to have to disregard that suggestion.
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