On Tuesday night, AFC Wimbledon came home – without its fans. Coronavirus restrictions prevented supporters from witnessing the football club’s long-awaited return to its original grounds at Plough Lane.

However, despite the new 9000-capacity stadium lying empty, the match against Doncaster Rovers was a milestone for the club which has spent almost three decades away from its original home in Merton.

The grand opening – behind closed doors

Whilst Tuesday night saw the first football at Plough Lane for almost 30 years, fans will have to wait even longer to experience it for themselves.

Due to Coronavirus restrictions, supporters tuned in to watch the match from home and were treated to a live show on YouTube before and after the game.

The club displayed life-size cardboard cutouts of fans and home-made banners in the stands.

Dons Chief Executive, Joe Palmer, appealed to supporters in advance of the game not to gather at the stadium.

“We know you want to be there. We all feel the same way, but it is imperative that fans respect not just the Covid-19 protocols set by the government, but the need for the club to show its council and community that it can host matches responsibly”, he said.

Glyn Hodges, AFC Wimbledon’s Manager, said that the team’s 2 – 2 draw with Doncaster Rovers was probably their “worst performance of the season”. However, he expressed his excitement for a celebration of the club’s return once the fans could join them.

 

The long road home

1991 was the last time Wimbledon FC played on its home patch of London. Since then, it has faced a series of challenges.

Plough Lane was sold to developers in 1991 and then, in 2003, an independent commission decided to relocate Wimbledon FC to Milton Keynes. Football club MK Dons was born.

In opposition to this move, a group of supporters formed AFC Wimbledon – a club they hoped would continue representing their area of London.

Whilst settling first in Kingston upon Thames, the democratic supporters’ organisation that owns the club, the Dons Trust, vowed to return to Wimbledon one day.

The Plough Lane campaign

Despite launching their bid to rebuild Plough Lane in 2012, the stadium has only just reached completion.

Wimbledon fans raised £5.4m during this year alone through the Plough Lane Bond scheme, which allowed the club to finish the construction.

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