Thursday, August 02, 2007

Wimbledon FC honours returned to Merton

Later on this morning Merton Council will be receiving the honours and history of Wimbledon FC from the MK Dons. The return will also involve an FA replica cup from 1988 which is was Wimbledon's greatest day in its history and one that many including myself will never forget.

Arrangements will be made for public viewing though some of it will no doubt be done through AFC Wimbledon who are the rightful successors to Wimbledon and hopefully in time will go on to enjoy some of the success Wimbledon FC. I am also pleased that MK Dons have now recognised they are a new football club and are nothing to do with the former Wimbledon FC, I wish them the best in the future and glad an amicable resolution has been made.

I enclose the press release from Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association and also the press release from the Merton Council.



Press Release - History and Honours of Wimbledon FC returned to Merton


The Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association (WISA) is delighted to announce that the transfer of ownership of the history and honours of Wimbledon FC, by Milton Keynes Dons FC to Merton Council, is being completed today.

This historic transfer, follows extensive negotiations between WISA, Milton Keynes Dons FC and the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association and was facilitated by the Football Supporters Federation.


Following the agreement, all of the trophies and honours won by Wimbledon FC will be housed in Merton and will be available for public viewing.


AFC Wimbledon will be able to obtain short-term loan of the items for use on specific occasions, giving supporters additional opportunities to reminisce over former achievements.



Simon Wheeler, WISA Chair, said:


“Today is a historic day for Wimbledon supporters. Whilst nothing can ever remove the pain caused by the FA Commissions decision to allow Wimbledon FC to relocate to Milton Keynes, Wimbledon supporters can be proud that the honours won by their Club no longer belong to another community.



WISA would like to thank all parties for their hard work in coming to an agreement so that this transfer could take place.”



Malcolm Clarke, FSF Chair, said:



“The Football Supporters Federation is delighted that the honours and records of the former Wimbledon FC are now back in the community where the were won and where they belong. We are delighted to have played a role in bringing this about and I would like to pay tribute to all the other parties to this agreement for being willing to sit down and hammer out a deal which gives something for everybody and enables us all to move on. We remain implaccably opposed to the concept of football franchising and hope that this situation never arises again."



WISA welcomes the announcement by Milton Keynes Dons FC that they deem themselves to be a new football club, formed in 2004 and respectively requests that the media and other football clubs only refer to events in their history that have occurred since their formation date.



WISA has today removed its call for all supporters to boycott games played by Milton Keynes Dons FC in Milton Keynes and have informed the Football Supporters Federation that it has removed its objection to the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association gaining membership.




Merton Council Press Release:


30 July 2007

"It's Coming Home, It's Coming Home"

The patrimony of the former Wimbledon Football Club will return to its spiritual home, the London Borough of Merton in an official ceremony on Thursday 2 August.

A collection of historical Wimbledon FC items including a replica FA Cup will be handed to Merton Council by MK Dons FC Chair, Pete Winkelman who will be travelling down with the patrimony, accompanied by Chair of Football Supporters Federation, Malcolm Clarke and Chair of MK Dons Supporters Association, John Brockwell. The patrimony will be leaving Milton Keynes Dons' new stadium:mk at 9.30 and is due to arrive at 11.30am in the Civic Centre, Morden.

The Mayor of Merton, Councillor John Dehaney, will formally accept the return of Wimbledon Football Club's patrimony on behalf of the borough, and invite Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association, Ross MacLagan to open the boxes of Wimbledon FC memorabilia on the council's behalf and to be the first Wimbledon supporter to see the patrimony since it left the borough five years ago.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now the Borough of Merton (who were responsible for selling the original WFC down the river in the first place)..take the cups back. I hope they hand them over to AFC ASAP.

1:19 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree. Where were the brain cells in the Merton Council Chambers when they allowed the covenant to be removed from Plough Lane? This would never have happened had we kept our old ground. And now they get to display the Cups? I don't know how they've got the gall to do it.

11:09 pm  

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