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AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon (2020) logo.svg
Full name AFC Wimbledon
Nickname(s) The Dons
The Wombles
Founded 2002; 23 years ago (2002)
Ground Plough Lane
Ground Capacity 9,215
Owner The Dons Trust
Manager Johnnie Jackson
League League One
2018–19 League One, 20th of 24
Third colours

AFC Wimbledon is a professional football club from Wimbledon, London. The team plays in League One, which is the third level of English football.

The club was started in 2002 by fans of the old Wimbledon F.C. This happened after the Football Association allowed the original club to move to Milton Keynes. Most fans did not want their team to move so far away. They felt the club would no longer represent Wimbledon. The old club moved in 2003 and changed its name to Milton Keynes Dons in 2004.

When AFC Wimbledon was formed, it joined the Combined Counties Football League, which was the ninth level of English football. The club has been promoted six times in 13 seasons. They went from the ninth level all the way to the third level (League One).

AFC Wimbledon holds a record for the longest unbeaten run in English senior football. They played 78 league games in a row without losing between February 2003 and December 2004. They are also the first club created in the 21st century to reach the Football League.

The club first played at Kingsmeadow. They shared this ground with another club, Kingstonian. In November 2020, AFC Wimbledon moved to Plough Lane. This new stadium is very close to where the original Wimbledon team used to play. The new stadium can hold 9,215 fans.

Club History

How AFC Wimbledon Started

The Football Association decided on May 28, 2002, to let Wimbledon move to Milton Keynes. This decision was very unpopular with the club's loyal fans. Many fans stopped going to games at their old stadium.

After this decision, a group of Wimbledon supporters met to decide what to do. They agreed that the only way forward was to start a new club from scratch. On May 30, 2002, the idea of creating a new community-based club called AFC Wimbledon was shared. Fans started raising money to make it happen.

On June 13, 2002, the new club announced its manager, team colours, and badge. To find players quickly, AFC Wimbledon held trials on June 29, 2002. Anyone who thought they were good enough could try out. About 230 players showed up, and the first team was chosen from them.

Club Badge

The club's badge has a double-headed eagle. This eagle comes from Wimbledon’s coat of arms. On one wing, there is a gold rose from King Edward I's badge. On the other wing, there is a gold fret, which is a pattern from the arms of Merton Priory. Wimbledon is located in the borough of Merton.

Playing in Non-League Football (2002–2011)

Combined Counties League (2002–2004)

In the 2002–03 season, AFC Wimbledon played in the Combined Counties League Premier Division. Their first game was a friendly match against Sutton United on July 10, 2002, which they lost 4–0. However, they finished third in the league in their first season. They almost won promotion, winning their last 11 league games.

Gray
Ryan Gray prepares to take a corner in a 2–1 win over AFC Wallingford on May 8, 2004, in AFC Wimbledon's final game in the Combined Counties League Premier Division.

In the 2003–04 season, AFC Wimbledon won their first 21 league games. They had an amazing run of 32 wins in a row over two seasons. The team finished as champions of the Combined Counties League without losing a single game. They won 42 games and drew four. AFC Wimbledon also won the league's Premier Challenge Cup, completing a double for the season.

Isthmian League (2004–2008)

Dave Anderson became the new manager in May 2004. Under him, AFC Wimbledon continued their winning streak in the 2004–05 season. They played in the Isthmian League First Division. They stayed at the top of the division all season and won the title easily. The Dons also won the Surrey Senior Cup, making it another double. During this season, AFC Wimbledon set a new record for the longest unbeaten league run in UK senior football. They went 78 league matches without a defeat between February 2003 and December 2004.

The 2005–06 season was tougher. After a good start, AFC Wimbledon struggled to stay in the play-off spots. They eventually reached the play-offs but lost 2–1 to Fisher Athletic. This meant they missed out on a third promotion in a row. They also reached the final of the Surrey Senior Cup again but lost to Kingstonian.

Playoff final AfcWimbledon
AFC Wimbledon fans and players celebrating promotion to the Conference South after beating Staines Town 2–1 in the 2008 Isthmian League Premier Division Play-off Final.

The 2006–07 season had some challenges, including a points deduction. Despite this, AFC Wimbledon qualified for the play-offs again. However, they lost 1–0 to Bromley in the semi-final. Manager Dave Anderson left the club after this.

Terry Brown became the new manager in May 2007. In the 2007–08 season, he led the club to promotion to the Conference South. The Dons finished third in the league and won their play-off matches, beating Staines Town 2–1 in the final.

The Conference (2008–2011)

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The starting line-up for the Conference Premier play-off final win against Luton Town on May 21, 2011, which led to promotion to the Football League.

AFC Wimbledon spent most of the 2008–09 season at the top of the league. They became champions and were promoted to the Conference Premier. The match that secured their promotion had a record attendance of 4,722 fans at Kingsmeadow.

The 2009–10 season was their first in the Conference Premier. The Dons finished eighth, which was their first season not finishing in the top five.

In the 2010–11 season, AFC Wimbledon finished second in the Conference Premier, qualifying for the play-offs. They beat Fleetwood Town 8–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals. This was the biggest winning margin in the Conference Premier play-off history. In the final, at the City of Manchester Stadium, AFC Wimbledon beat Luton Town 4–3 in a penalty shoot-out after a 0–0 draw. This victory meant promotion to the Football League. It was their fifth promotion in nine years. AFC Wimbledon became the first club formed in the 21st century to reach the Football League.

Playing in the Football League (2011–Present)

The 2011–12 season was AFC Wimbledon's first in League Two. They started well but finished 16th, safely away from the relegation zone.

AFC Wimbledon League Performance
AFC Wimbledon's rapid rise through the English football league system between 2002 and 2024. It took the club just 14 years to progress from the 9th tier to the 3rd.

The 2012–13 season marked the club's tenth anniversary. After a difficult start, manager Terry Brown was replaced by former Wimbledon player Neal Ardley. On December 2, 2012, AFC Wimbledon played Milton Keynes Dons for the first time in the FA Cup, losing 2–1. The Dons secured their Football League status on the final day of the season by beating Fleetwood Town 2–1.

In the 2013–14 season, the club finished 20th again.

The 2014–15 season saw AFC Wimbledon play Milton Keynes Dons again. MK Dons won 3–1 in the League Cup. However, AFC Wimbledon got their first win against their rivals, beating them 3–2 in the Football League Trophy. The Dons also reached the FA Cup third round for the first time, losing to Liverpool. They finished the season in 15th place.

AFC Wimbledon League Two Play-off Final 2016
More than 20,000 AFC Wimbledon fans were at Wembley to see the club promoted to League One after a 2–0 win over Plymouth Argyle in the 2016 Football League Two play-off final.

The 2015–16 season was AFC Wimbledon's fifth in League Two. They finished strongly, reaching seventh place and qualifying for the play-offs. A record home crowd of 4,870 saw them beat Accrington Stanley 1–0 in the play-off semi-final. They won the tie 3–2 on aggregate and earned a spot in the play-off final at Wembley. On May 30, 2016, exactly 14 years after the club was founded, AFC Wimbledon won 2–0 against Plymouth Argyle in front of 57,956 fans. This meant promotion to League One!

The 2016–17 season was their first in League One. They played against Milton Keynes Dons in the same division for the first time at Kingsmeadow, winning 2–0. The club finished 15th in the league.

AFC Wimbledon had a slow start to the 2017–18 season. They had a great FA Cup match, beating Charlton Athletic 3–1. This led to a third-round match against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. In December 2017, the club received permission to start building a new stadium. This new ground is very close to the original Plough Lane (1912–98). The club stayed in League One, meaning they were now in a higher division than Milton Keynes Dons.

The 2018–19 season started poorly. Manager Neal Ardley left the club in November 2018. A highlight was reaching the FA Cup 5th Round for the first time, beating West Ham United 4–2. Despite being at the bottom of the table for much of 2019, they had a strong finish, losing only one of their last 12 league games. They avoided relegation on the final day of the season.

Moving to Plough Lane

In November 2020, the club moved to Plough Lane, their new stadium. It is only 250 yards from the original Plough Lane, where Wimbledon played until 1991. The first match at the new stadium was on November 3, 2020, a 2–2 draw against Doncaster Rovers. The club avoided relegation from League One at the end of the 2020–21 season. However, at the end of the 2021–22 season, Wimbledon was relegated from League One. Johnnie Jackson was appointed as the new manager. They earned promotion back to League One at the end of the 2024–25 season, defeating Walsall 1–0 in the play-off final.

Club Crest and Colours

The club's crest is based on the coat of arms of the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon. It features a black double-headed eagle. This symbol comes from a local story that Julius Caesar once camped on Wimbledon Common.

The team colours are royal blue and yellow. These colours were chosen because they were used by the original Wimbledon team when they rose to the top of football. The first kit in 2002 was a royal blue shirt with white shorts and socks. Since then, the home kit has always been mostly royal blue with yellow details. The away kit is usually yellow with blue details.

To celebrate their first game in the Football League on August 6, 2011, the team wore a special white and blue kit. This kit looked like the one worn by the original Wimbledon team in 1977–78, when they first joined the Football League.

On May 14, 2020, the club released a slightly updated crest. This was to mark 32 years since Wimbledon won the FA Cup in 1988 and to celebrate the opening of the new stadium at Plough Lane.

Sponsorship and Kit Manufacturer

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2002 (pre season) Umbro Championship Manager
2002–2012 Tempest Sports Sports Interactive
2012–2014 Football Manager (Sports Interactive)
2014–2018 Admiral
2018–2022 Puma
2022–2023 Hummel
2023–2024 Umbro
2024–2025 War Child
2025– Lotto Football Manager (Sports Interactive) (Home)
War Child (Away)
Private Office Asset Management (Third)

AFC Wimbledon's shirts have been sponsored by the computer games company Sports Interactive since the club started in 2002.

The club's current kit is made by Lotto. In July 2024, Sports Interactive gave its shirt sponsorship to the charity War Child for all three kits. In April 2025, the club announced a new partnership with Lotto to make their kits from the 2025–26 season. In June 2025, it was announced that Sports Interactive's Football Manager logo would return to the home shirt. War Child would continue on the away shirt, and Private Office Asset Management would sponsor the third kit.

Club Mascot

Haydon-AFCWimbledon
"Haydon", the mascot of AFC Wimbledon.

In 2006, AFC Wimbledon introduced a new mascot named "Haydon". Haydon is a Womble, a furry creature from children's books. He is named after Haydons Road, which is the closest train station to both the original and current Plough Lane stadiums.

When the old club moved in 2003, they lost permission to use their Womble mascot, Wandle. The owners of the Wombles brand did not want to be linked with the relocated club anymore.

Club Rivalries

Milton Keynes Dons

AFC Wimbledon's main rival is Milton Keynes Dons. This club was formed after the original Wimbledon team moved to Milton Keynes in 2003. However, some AFC Wimbledon fans do not see them as a true rival. This is because they do not recognize the new club as the real Wimbledon.

Crawley Town

Crawley Town has also been one of AFC Wimbledon's rivals.

Sutton United

AFC Wimbledon and Sutton United have a friendly rivalry because they are geographically close. Sutton was the first team to play against the reformed Dons in a friendly match in 2002. They met in the FA Cup in 2017, with Sutton winning the replay.

Club Stadiums

Plough Lane

Plough Lane, 18 May 2021
Plough Lane's first match with spectators, May 18, 2021

Since it started in 2002, AFC Wimbledon wanted to play in Merton. They aimed for a new stadium near their "spiritual home" at the original Plough Lane (1912–98). This was where the old Wimbledon team played for over 80 years. The goal was to build a new stadium on the site of the Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, which is only about 250 yards from the old football stadium.

In 2013, AFC Wimbledon announced plans with Merton Council and a developer to build a new football stadium. The plans also included homes, shops, and community facilities.

Merton Council approved the stadium plans on December 10, 2015. Work began on the site in March 2018. The stadium was completed in October 2020. The new stadium can hold 9,215 people, with a future option to expand to 20,000.

Wimbledon played their first four home games of the 2020–21 season at Loftus Road while Plough Lane was being finished. The club played its first match at Plough Lane on November 3, 2020, which was a 2–2 draw against Doncaster Rovers.

Loftus Road

AFC Wimbledon started the 2020–21 season at Loftus Road. They had a temporary agreement to share the ground with Queens Park Rangers while their new stadium, Plough Lane, was being built. They played four league games and two cup matches there before moving to Plough Lane. Due to coronavirus rules, all these games were played without fans.

Kingsmeadow

AFCWvsRamsgate
Kingsmeadow on August 18, 2007, as AFC Wimbledon beat Ramsgate 2–0 in their first league game of the 2007–08 season in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

The club played at Kingsmeadow in Kingston upon Thames until May 2020. This stadium could hold 4,850 people. AFC Wimbledon shared the ground with Kingstonian from 2003.

Ground Purchase and Debt

When AFC Wimbledon was founded in 2002, they agreed to share Kingsmeadow with Kingstonian. After Kingstonian faced financial problems, AFC Wimbledon decided to buy part of the lease for Kingsmeadow. This was to make sure the ground would be safe for both clubs in the future. In June 2003, the agreement to buy the lease was made.

Stadium Expansion

At the end of the 2011–12 season, AFC Wimbledon started building a new stand at Kingsmeadow. This new stand could seat 1,000 people and was finished by October 2012. The work increased the stadium's capacity to about 4,850, with 2,265 seats.

Stadium Sale

In 2015, AFC Wimbledon agreed to sell Kingsmeadow to Chelsea. This sale helped fund their plans to move to a new stadium in Merton. Chelsea wanted to use the ground for their youth and women's teams. AFC Wimbledon left Kingsmeadow in May 2020.

Club Ownership

AFC Wimbledon is owned by The Dons Trust, a group of supporters. This group has promised to keep at least 75% control of the club. The Dons Trust is a special type of society registered as "Wimbledon Football Club Supporters' Society Limited."

The club's first chief executive was Erik Samuelson, a retired accountant. He worked full-time for a very small payment. Samuelson retired in 2019 and was replaced by Joe Palmer.

Community Work

The club believes it is important to be a social hub for the local community. They want to give everyone a chance to play football. Because of this, AFC Wimbledon started the Community Football Scheme (CFS) in 2004. In 2010, the CFS received the FA Charter Standard Community Club Award. This is the highest award for community football clubs. It recognized the club's excellent coaching in the local area. The club offers football courses for children aged 4–14, taught by qualified coaches. They work with local areas like Merton and Kingston to reach many children.

AFC Wimbledon also has a Schools Coaching Programme. They encourage healthy and active lifestyles for primary and secondary school children. These sessions focus on learning, development, and health in a fun way. In 2012, coaches from the CFS worked with the Football League to promote the FA's 'Respect' campaign in schools. They taught nearly 2,000 children about good behaviour in football. The goal is to stop bad behaviour like racism and violence in the next generation of players and fans.

On March 27, 2012, AFC Wimbledon became the first football club to receive the Prime Minister's Big Society Award. This award was for their great contributions to the local community. The club was recognized for its many community programs. These include 19 youth and women's teams, school health projects, and a stadium school. The stadium school helps children learn maths using football.

Then Prime Minister David Cameron praised AFC Wimbledon. He said the team had "united a community" and made a "huge difference" to many lives. He called them a "great example of the Big Society". Erik Samuelson, the club's chief executive, said the award showed that a club owned by its fans can have high standards, focus on the community, be financially stable, and still succeed on the pitch.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a group of fans called the Dons Local Action Group helped the community. They made sure people had enough food and that students had technology for online classes.

Club Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player
4 England MF Jake Reeves (captain)
6 Northern Ireland DF Ryan Johnson
8 England MF Callum Maycock
9 Lebanon FW Omar Bugiel
10 England FW Josh Kelly
12 England MF Alistair Smith
14 England FW Matty Stevens
18 England MF Marcus Browne
19 England FW Osman Foyo
21 Grenada MF Myles Hippolyte
23 England DF Leo Young
24 England DF Harry Sidwell
No. Position Player
25 England DF Ethan Sutcliffe
26 England DF Riley Harbottle
29 Norway MF Aron Sasu
31 Wales DF Joe Lewis
32 England MF Kai Jennings
33 England DF Isaac Ogundere
41 England MF Sam Hutchinson
England GK Nathan Bishop
Jamaica MF Delano McCoy-Splatt
England GK Joe McDonnell
England DF Steve Seddon

For youth teams see AFC Wimbledon Development Squad and Academy.

Player Awards and Records

This table shows players who have been club captain, won the Player of the Year award, or were the top league goal scorer each season:

Season Club captain Player of the year Top scorer Goals
2002–03 England Joe Sheerin England Kevin Cooper England Kevin Cooper 37
2003–04 England Joe Sheerin England Matt Everard England Kevin Cooper 53
2004–05 England Steve Butler England Richard Butler England Richard Butler 24
2005–06 England Steve Butler England Andy Little New Zealand Shane Smeltz 19
2006–07 England Chris Gell England Antony Howard England Roscoe Dsane 17
2007–08 England Jason Goodliffe England Jason Goodliffe Scotland Steven Ferguson 10
2008–09 England Jason Goodliffe England Ben Judge England Jon Main 33
2009–10 England Paul Lorraine England Danny Kedwell England Danny Kedwell 21
2010–11 England Danny Kedwell England Sam Hatton England Danny Kedwell 23
2011–12 England Jamie Stuart England Sammy Moore England Jack Midson 18
2012–13 England Mat Mitchel-King England Jack Midson England Jack Midson 13
2013–14 Republic of Ireland Alan Bennett England Barry Fuller England Michael Smith 9
2014–15 England Barry Fuller England Adebayo Akinfenwa England Adebayo Akinfenwa 13
2015–16 England Barry Fuller England Paul Robinson Montserrat Lyle Taylor 23
2016–17 England Barry Fuller England Tom Elliott Montserrat Lyle Taylor 14
2017–18 England Barry Fuller England Deji Oshilaja Montserrat Lyle Taylor 18
2018–19 England Deji Oshilaja England Will Nightingale England Joe Pigott 15
2019–20 England Will Nightingale England Terell Thomas Finland Marcus Forss 11
2020–21 England Alex Woodyard England Joe Pigott England Joe Pigott 22
2021–22 England Alex Woodyard England Jack Rudoni England Jack Rudoni 12
2022–23 England Alex Woodyard Iraq Ali Al-Hamadi South Africa Ethan Chislett 11
2023–24 England Jake Reeves England Jack Currie Iraq Ali Al-Hamadi 17

Wimbledon Old Players Association

The Wimbledon Old Players Association (WOPA) was formed in 2005. It includes former players and managers from both the original Wimbledon and AFC Wimbledon. Among the first members were Glenn Mulcaire, who scored AFC Wimbledon's first goal, and Kevin Cooper, the club's all-time top scorer. Many legends from the old Wimbledon also joined.

In June 2010, Vinnie Jones, another former player of the original Wimbledon, gave his 1988 FA Cup winners medal to the fans of AFC Wimbledon. The medal is now on display at the Wimbledon in Sporting History's Museum at Plough Lane.

Club Management

Managerial History

These statistics include results from league matches (including play-offs) and all major cup competitions.

Name From Until Managed Won Drawn Lost Win % Honours
England Terry Eames June 13, 2002 February 13, 2004 82 69 4 9 84.15
Nicky English February 13, 2004 May 11, 2004 21 19 2 0 90.48 2003–04 Combined Counties League Premier Division Champions
2003–04 Combined Counties League Premier Challenge Cup winners
Northern Ireland Dave Anderson May 11, 2004 May 2, 2007 167 98 40 29 58.68 2004–05 Isthmian League First Division Champions
England Terry Brown May 15, 2007 September 19, 2012 270 133 54 83 49.26 2007–08 Isthmian League Premier Division play-off winners
2008–09 Conference South Champions
2010–11 Conference National play-off winners
England Simon Bassey (caretaker) September 19, 2012 October 10, 2012 4 2 0 2 50.00
England Neal Ardley October 10, 2012 November 12, 2018 326 108 91 127 33.13 2015–16 Football League Two play-off winners
England Simon Bassey (caretaker) November 12, 2018 December 4, 2018 5 2 0 3 40.00
England Wally Downes December 4, 2018 September 25, 2019 41 11 12 18 26.82
Wales Glyn Hodges September 25, 2019 January 30, 2021 62 18 18 26 29.00
England Mark Robinson January 30, 2021 March 28, 2022 70 18 23 29 25.71
Wales Mark Bowen (caretaker) March 30, 2022 May 7, 2022 7 0 4 3 00.00
England Johnnie Jackson May 16, 2022 101 35 27 39 34.65 2024–25 EFL League Two play-off winners

Specialist Coaches

In spring 2021, AFC Wimbledon hired Andy Parslow as a restarts coach. This made them the first English Football League club to have a specialist coach for set pieces. In summer 2021, they also hired Sammy Landers as a substitution coach, another first for an English Football League club.

AFC Wimbledon Women

AFC Wimbledon Women is the women's football team. They joined AFC Wimbledon after the 2002–03 season.

Kevin Foster is the manager, and the team plays in the FA Women's National League South.

A former player for Wimbledon Women, Sophie Hosking, won an Olympic gold medal for Team GB in rowing at the London 2012 games. Sophie is still a big fan of AFC Wimbledon. She even painted her fingernails in the club's blue and yellow colours for her Olympic final!

Club Records

AFC Wimbledon's club records include:

  • Best FA Cup performance: 5th round, 2018–19
  • Best EFL Cup performance: 3rd round, 2021–22, 2024–25
  • Best EFL Trophy performance: Quarter-finals, 2020–21, 2023–24
  • Best FA Trophy performance: 3rd round, 2007–08, 2009–10
  • Best FA Vase performance: 4th round, 2003–04

Club Honours

AFC Wimbledon has won the following titles:

League

  • League Two (level 4)
    • Play-off winners: 2016, 2025
  • Conference (level 5)
    • Play-off winners: 2011
  • Conference South (level 6)
    • Champions: 2008–09
  • Isthmian League
    • Play-off winners: 2008
  • Isthmian League Division One
    • Champions: 2004–05
  • Combined Counties League
    • Champions: 2003–04

Cup

  • Combined Counties League Premier Challenge Cup
    • Winners: 2003–04
  • Isle of Man Tournament
    • Winners: 2009–10
  • Lanes Cup
    • Winners: 2007–08 2011–12
  • London Senior Cup
    • Winners: 2013–14
  • Surrey Senior Cup
    • Winners: 2004–05

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Association Football Club Wimbledon para niños

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