20 Questions: AFC Wimbledon

A Wednesday afternoon chat with a Womble

Aug 28, 2024

Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Wombles, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Wednesday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

With County playing Wimbledon four times in League Two over the last couple of seasons (three wins, one defeat), Ray Armfield has written a number of articles for us. Our paths won’t be crossing in the league this season, but I’ve always enjoyed reading Ray’s content, so I thought I’d chuck our ‘20 Questions’ stuff over to him by way of a catch-up.

Today’s edition is sponsored by Malbern Solar. My thanks to Wayne and Vicki. If you’d like to save money on your energy bills, make sure you book your FREE survey, worth £150. Full details below.

Bridge Computer Services are also on board for today’s edition. A big thank you to Mark. He’s usually open Monday to Friday, but he’s recently been trialling opening on Saturday mornings – the last one of each month. I’m sure many of our readers work Monday to Friday, but if you’ve been having issues with your PC or laptop, you can drop it in this Saturday (before County’s trip to Mansfield) for Mark to have a look at. Give him a call on 0161 408 3201 or email info@bridgecomputerservices.co.uk.

Thanks also to Ben from The Bark Group, who sponsor our AFC Wimbledon content on the website.

Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.

Total distance so far: 176.31 miles

Total steps so far: 284,130

Total raised so far: £1,981

Total completed streets so far: 399 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)

Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.

Des Junior

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Wimbledon currently play in League Two, which is the fourth tier of English football. What’s that like as a division?

It’s very early to tell this season, but there doesn't seem to be a Wrexham to hog the limelight. There's one or two teams who seem to have spent big – Port Vale being one – but everyone seems to have found a few pound coins down the back of the sofa so there doesn't seem any obvious whipping boys at the other end either.

Describe a typical matchday for yourself in Wimbledon.

Mine is a bit of a set routine. Arrive early. Do a shift in the club museum. Meet our special guest, a former player – as I've just taken over the Wimbledon Old Players Association (WOPA) – so a quick welcome, maybe an interview, then hand over to a colleague while I disappear for a pie and a pint. Catch up with a few people, see the game, then usually pop up to the hospitality lounge afterwards for the man of the match presentations.

Who are your club’s biggest rivals?

I guess the obvious answer is the club 14 junctions up the M1, but geographically it's Sutton United, who I don't mind and was sorry to see them drop last season. Possibly Bromley who have replaced them. There was bad blood between us in our non-league days and I'm a bitter bastard who bears grudges, but that was 15 years ago and I'm told they are a different club now.

What’s your best memory following Wimbledon?

There’s so many to choose from in nearly 53 years of watching Wimbledon, but nothing will really top winning the FA Cup in 1988.

What’s your worst memory following Wimbledon?

Standing outside the FA offices in Soho Square on 28 May 2002 and being told I didn't have a club to support anymore.

If Wimbledon was a TV show, which one would it be?

We've already had one! Football Hurts on the ill-fated Nuts TV channel. A 17-18 part fly-on-the-wall series in our Ryman League days which you can still find on YouTube. We all look so young then, but it was nearly 20 years ago…

What’s your ground called, and how would you describe it for someone who’s never visited before?

Officially it's The Cherry Red Records Stadium. But it’s Plough Lane, and it’s ours. And you can't move for a bit of history on the walls. Even the home dressing room toilets. I kid you not.

What’s your thoughts on Stockport County?

You've known your troubles, going down to Conference North, so I'm pleased to see you doing well. You seem to have risen again and not made many enemies which isn't always easy in the jealous world of football.

Have you ever visited the town of Stockport before?

I’ve been to Edgeley Park once, as a teenager in 1981. I think it was a Friday night and it was a 0-0 draw. There was only about 120 of us in the away end, although from memory I think we stood on a terrace on the side.

What colours do you play in, and what’s the best ever kit Wimbledon have had?

Blue and yellow. Any variation on that is fine with me. My favourite is probably the 1974-75 Bukta kit that was reprised for our first season as AFC Wimbledon in 2002. I liked the Boca Juniors style home shirt from last season with the yellow chest band. We've made friends with the UK Boca supporters club as a result.

If Wimbledon were playing in the next FA Cup final, who’d be at Wembley as your celebrity fan?

We have a few. I guess for topicality as I've just read that it's coming back for a fourth season, I'll go for Ted Lasso star Phil Dunster, who plays Jamie Tartt. He’s a proper Dons fan.

What’s the most interesting fact about Wimbledon we might not know?

We hold the British record for consecutive league games without defeat (78) spanning three of our early seasons between 2003 and 2005. We won 70 and drew 8. So forget all the nonsense about the Arsenal Invincibles. In 2003-04 our record was P46 W42 D4 L0 and we had a goal difference of 148.

Who’s your all time Wimbledon hero?

Dickie Guy. Goalkeeper extraordinaire and now club president. He's been my hero for 50 years and is possibly the nicest man in the world.

What sort of attendances do you get, and how would you describe Wimbledon’s fanbase?

We averaged very close to 8,000 last season. A 74% rise on our previous ground, despite some lean seasons on the pitch. Our fanbase can be a funny lot and appear to squabble amongst ourselves sometimes, but if you come for us collectively you'd better not miss as we are battle-hardened against anyone who tries to do us down.

What’s your manager like?

He's quite long-serving in the impatient and cut-throat world of football management. Johnnie Jackson is no Pep, but we could do a lot worse and I think there's a lot of mutual respect between him and the club now as there were times we could have sacked him… but we didn't.

What’s your owner like?

Our owners are us. All of us. We've just made all our season ticket holders Trust members, so that's pushed us up to over 6,000. Our chairman is a bit of a figurehead and trying to step down, so effectively we are run on a day-to-day basis by a new managing director, who seems pretty good so far.

What’s it like for a night out in Wimbledon?

There's a few nice pubs in the town centre and up the hill in Wimbledon Village, but beyond that I wouldn't know as I'm 62 and my clubbing days are long gone!

What’s the best thing about being a Wimbledon fan?

Having a unique back story. My son is 35 and has seen us play in each of the top nine divisions of English football. I've seen us play in twelve. No other club has had a rollercoaster ride like that.

What’s the worst thing about being a Wimbledon fan?

Wishing we had a bit more money to play with rather than continually having our pockets rinsed to fund the club. But it goes with the territory.

What are your hopes for this season?

Like last season, not to have to worry about looking down the table. We're capable of the play-offs – but so are half of the division! And hopefully not to have any nasty surprises in the January transfer window, when we traditionally get our squad raided by those further up the food chain.

Enjoyed today’s article? Click here for all of the other ‘20 Questions’ features we’ve published.

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Give Mark a call if your laptop needs a new screen

If your laptop needs a new screen give Mark a call at Bridge Computer Services. One of Mark’s clients had a broken screen recently. The following day the laptop was fitted with a new screen and delivered back to the client.

Based in Romiley, the business also provides computer workshop and callout services to residential and business customers across Stockport. Their callout and workshop engineers are trained to fix computers, laptops and servers on site (where possible) as well as setting up new computers and wireless networks, plus maintaining existing networks and removing viruses.

Visit bridgecomputerservices.co.uk for further details.

Photo of the day

Plough Lane, Wimbledon

Having fought back from a goal down at half-time, County celebrate their winner at Plough Lane last season, scored by Will Collar.

The Bark Group

Today’s sponsor The Bark Group helped AFC Wimbledon with the opening of their brand new stadium back in 2020.

As a local business they jumped at the chance to offer their advice and alongside other local area partners they helped to produce, install, manage and oversee various projects for the club, including: health and safety step painting, stand signage, shop vinyl displays, window decals, seat row numbering, pitchside graphics and a number of poster sites.

Visit thebarkgroup.co.uk for further details.

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) this evening. It Ends With Us (15) at 5.45pm. Click here for tickets.

🍺 Food and drink

Bitter £2.30 a pint all day at The Cross Keys (SK8). Plus, discounts on certain lagers between 12pm and 6pm.

If you’re simply in the mood for a couple of pints today, pop along to one of our featured venues such as AMP (SK1), Bask (SK1), The Nelson Tavern (SK1), The Crown (SK2), The Dog & Partridge (SK2), The Steelworks (SK6), The Shady Oak (SK7) or The Three Tunnes (SK7).

🎤 Open mic night

The Armoury (SK3). 7pm.

🤔 Quiz night

Get ready for a night of brain-teasing fun at Reddish Working Men’s Club (SK5) with various rounds and cash prizes for the winners! 8pm. Free entry. Maximum of six in a team.

100 random grounds that County have played at

#95 – Plough Lane, Wimbledon (the old one)

Last visit: Wimbledon were champions of Division Four in 1982-83 and that’s the last time County visited the old Plough Lane. Micky Quinn equalised for Eric Webster’s men in the second half but the Dons scored a late winner.