Football Crazy Football Mad

The original Wimbledon FC's success against Liverpool in the FA Cup final was  on the 14th May 1988.  Local friends who like myself decided to take sons and daughters to the final, hired a coach for the trip to Wembley.  Maytrees max accompanied me age 11 

A fairly subdued journey to the ground ensued added to which the coach driver made plain that beer was not permitted to be drunk on the journey. 

The quality of football at Wembley  was not brilliant and as one might have expected there were rather more Liverpool FC fans than  fans for Wimbledon but to the surprise of all, Wimbledon scored the goal which won the match. 

The return journey by the same coach was of course far livelier than the outward travel had been, especially as the driver made plain that though beer was banned there was no restriction on Champagne.

Subsequently Wimbledon FC became AFC Wimbledon which club was founded with the assistance of  two or three people who had been on our 1988 coach trip to the FA cup final. AFC Wimbledon had to restart its playing fortunes at the foot of the Southern league. 

Also ran were MK Dons, which after a couple of years conceded that the FA cup should be displayed at the AFC Wimbledon ground rather than that of MK Dons as that club had by then moved to Milton Keynes.

In the years which followed, AFC Wimbledon were promoted up the football divisions until they reached Division 1, though MK Dons passed them on the way down to Division 2. 

In the season just ended,  AFC Wimbledon, which had been languishing at the foot of the Division 1 table, managed to escape relegation by drawing their last match of the season. Their 0-0 draw, resulted in the club having  the same number of points but a better goal difference by 3 goals after 46 matches, than the team immediately below them, Plymouth Argyle,  which therefore was relegated.  AFC Wimbledon remained - just - in Division 1. 

Meanwhile MK Dons again during their final match, was promoted from Division 2 also to Division 1,  so football during the 2019/2020 season, could be interesting.