Page 25 - RPV v AFC Wimbledon Res/U18s

We owned them That burning desire to get back to or of London Boris Johnson - until
But behind the triumphs were the Wimbledon never diminished. In permission was granted for AFC
disasters. We owned them as well. fact, it grew stronger and strong- Wimbledon to build a new ground
We lost our original Plough Lane er until, led by our former chief on the site of the town’s famous
stadium, callously sold behind our executive Erik Samuelson, an but then dilapidated greyhound
backs for redevelopment by our impossible dream began to take stadium.
former owner. Forced to ground- shape. There was a route back to Going home
share at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst We would be going home – barely
Park (where we spent all our Pre- 200 yards from where our original
mier League years) the cruellest ground had once stood.
moment of all was to follow when There was still one gigantic hurdle
we were sold and moved away, to overcome, however. Construc-
seemingly erased from the Wim- tion on a new £32million stadium
bledon landscape. couldn’t be completed unless we
Alive and kicking could prove we had the funds. And
But the heart and soul that existed there was a shortfall that was so
in the old club was alive and kick- serious it threatened to derail the
ing in the new one. Promotion fol- entire project.
lowed promotion as we rose up the Burning desire
football pyramid and within nine That’s when we witnessed one of Wimbledon played their first game
years we were back in the Football our proudest and most significant at our new Plough Lane home. The
League after dramatically beating moments. That’s when our fans last time we had played a League
favourites Luton Town on penal- proved they weren’t just support- game at Plough Lane was back in
ties in the 2011 play-off final. ers, they were owners motivated 1991 when we faced Crystal Palace
Beat Plymouth by one burning desire: to make our in the old First Division.
Five years later came another pro- impossible dream come true. Joe Pigott scored
motion when we beat Plymouth at Raised £2.5million November 3 should have been a
Wembley in the Division Two play- Digging deep into their own pock- night of unforgettable celebration,
off final. our spiritual home; better still, ets, they first raised £2.5million one that supporters would never
Greater force at work there was a way we could physical- via a crowdfunding campaign. forget. Out on the pitch, Joe Pigott
On its own, all the above was ly return to Plough Lane itself. Then they rallied again and in- scored first as we played out an
miracle enough. But there was a Labyrinth of planning vested a phenomenal £5.5m into entertaining 2-2 draw against Don-
greater force at work even beyond Erik was backed by an army of a Plough Lane Bond – the biggest caster Rovers.
climbing back into the Football loyal volunteers and devoted fund-raising venture of its kind Cruel twist of fate
League. From 2002 onwards, we staff. Together, they navigated us ever seen in the Football League. But there was a cruel twist of fate
had played in neighbouring King- through a labyrinth of planning New Plough Lane home that cast a large shadow over such
ston, unable to find a way back to regulations and meetings - and The fans got us over the line and a momentous occasion. Covid had
our true homeland. even the threat posed by then May- so, on November 3, 2020, AFC struck, the country was in the mid-

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