802. The Cherry Red Records Stadium Plough Lane
AFC Wimbledon 0-2 Wigan Athletic
League One
Saturday 23rd October 2021
Wimbledon is a district and town, 7 miles south-west of central London. Wimbledon had its own borough while still in the county of Surrey, before it was absorbed into the London Borough of Merton as part of the creation of Greater London in 1965. (population: over 68,000)
It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas of common land in London and made famous by The Wombles. The area is split into two sections known as the "village" and the "town", with the High Street being the rebuilding of the original medieval village, and the "town" developed following the opening of the railway station in 1838.
Wimbledon has been inhabited since at least the Iron Age when the hill fort on Wimbledon Common is thought to have been constructed. In the 1086 Domesday Book, Wimbledon was part of the manor of Mortlake. The ownership of the manor of Wimbledon changed between various wealthy families many times during its history, and the area attracted more wealth, which produced large houses such as Eagle House, Wimbledon Manor House and Warren House.
I blogged a comprehensive history of the club when I visited Kingsmeadow in 2010, which you can read > here.
The primary objective of the newly formed AFC Wimbledon in 2002 was to return to Merton, with a new stadium close to their original home of 80 years. This plan formed the basis to create a new purpose-built stadium on the Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium site, located approximately 200 yards from the original Plough Lane. In 2013 the club announced that discussions were underway with Merton Council over a joint bid for the greyhound stadium and the surrounding land, in cooperation with developer Galliard Homes. The plans included a new football stadium, 600 residential homes and a range of community facilities.
The plans were approved unanimously by Merton Council in December 2015, with work commencing the following March. The opening of the stadium was delayed from the initial plan of summer 2019, until the 3rd November 2020, with a 2-2 draw against Doncaster Rovers, with Joe Pigott having the honour of scoring the first stadium goal for The Dons.
The Cherry Red Records Stadium
Plough Lane
London
SW17 0NR
Capacity 9,215
Current Premier/EFL Grounds visited 91/92
AFC Wimbledon(14th) 0
Wigan Athletic(4th) 2(Kalambayi OG 50 McClean 54)
League One Matchday 14v13
Att.8,047
Admission £20
Coffee £1.90 (snails-pace service)
Wigan clinched victory with a two goal burst early in the second half. They went ahead when a cross shot from Callum Lang deflected in off Paul Kalambayi, then just after having an effort cleared off the line, McClean curled a clean strike low to the ‘keeper’s right from the edge of the box, to set up a fifth straight away win for the Latics.
#Heedhopper
306 miles door-to-door
0630 LNR train Newcastle to London Kings Cross arr.0938
My day started with a journey down to New Malden for the Wimbledon Academy fixture at King's College. I tubed it down to Vauxhall and caught my overground connection to Berrylands, plus the 10 minute walk saw me arrive at the ground in good time, however the match kicked off half an hour earlier, so I watched the early stages through the perimeter fence as I walked around to the entrance.
801.King’s College London New Malden Sports Ground
AFC Wimbledon U-18 3-2 Luton Town U-18
Youth Alliance - South East Division
Table toppers Wimbledon maintained their 100% record in an entertaining encounter with Luton Town. After the hosts took an early lead, Luton responded well and equalised from the penalty spot in the 37th minute. On the stroke of half time the young Dons regained the lead when a cross from the byline was met at the far post by #67. Following a missed penalty the hosts went 3-1 up when a curling shot from #58 found the roof of the net. The young Hatters reduced the arrears when #17 fired home in the 64th minute, but Wimbledon were never in danger of dropping points. (awaiting confirmation of goalscorers)
King's College London New Malden Sports Ground
Windsor Avenue
New Malden
KT3 5HA
The ground has the cricket pavilion building at the entrance, which looks onto two parallel football pitches. The U-18 ground is the furthest away from the building, with a pair of team dugouts. The U-16 side accessed the other pitch and were also in action this morning against Luton Town.
AFCWU-18(1st) 3( #7 5 #67 45+2 #58 59)
LTFCU-18(3rd) 2( #11 37pen #17 64)
YA SE Division matchday 7v8
10.30am ko
Att.53hc
...#Heedhopper continued
After the game I walked along to Tooting Broadway for the Northern Line tube back to King's Cross, but not before a quick "Spoons tick in the JJ Moon across the road. I rounded off my day in London with a few ales in the Barrel Vault , where I chatted with some of the Toon Army coming back from Crystal Palace and chewed the fat over another match without a win.
1900 LNER train home - back in the Toon at 10.