View source for Wimbledon F.C.

{{Short description|English football club (1889–2004)}}
{{About|the club that existed under this name until 2004|the club formed in 2002|AFC Wimbledon|the renamed club|Milton Keynes Dons F.C.}}
{{pp-pc1}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Wimbledon
| image = Wimbledon FC crest.svg
| image_size = 150px
| caption = 
| fullname = Wimbledon Football Club
| nickname = The Dons, [[The Wombles]], [[Crazy Gang (football)|The Crazy Gang]]
| founded = 1889 (as Wimbledon Old Centrals){{refn|The club's official name on its formation was "Wimbledon Old Central Football Club", but they were commonly called "Wimbledon Old Centrals".|group="n"|name="oldcentrals"}}
| dissolved = [[Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes|21 June 2004]]{{#tag:ref|In terms of its footballing assets and place in the [[English football league system|English football league structure]], Milton Keynes Dons F.C. is the continuation of [[Wimbledon F.C.]], which was formed in south London in 1889 and [[relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes|relocated]] to Milton Keynes in 2003. The club was brought out of [[administration (British football)|administration]] in 2004 as a new company, Milton Keynes Dons Ltd, which purchased the assets of The Wimbledon Football Club Ltd and received the team's place in [[Football League One]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Dons out of administration |date=1 July 2004 |url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/304402/dons-out-of-administration |publisher=[[ESPN]] |access-date=17 February 2015 |quote=A club statement read: 'InterMK are pleased to announce that the Football League have today issued their final approval of the voluntary arrangement (CVA) and confirmed the transfer of the Wimbledon FC League share to Milton Keynes Dons Ltd, bringing certainty to a future for the football club in Milton Keynes.' |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217123255/http://www.espnfc.com/story/304402/dons-out-of-administration |archive-date=17 February 2015
}}</ref> The Wimbledon Football Club Ltd legally endured until 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=WebCHeck |url=http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//companysearch?disp=1&frfsh=1424163830&#result |location=London |publisher=[[Companies House]] |access-date=17 February 2015 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229053844/http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/ |archive-date=29 December 2008}}</ref> Since 2006 Milton Keynes Dons has officially considered itself a new club, formed in 2004—it no longer claims any history before then, despite retaining Wimbledon F.C.'s "Dons" nickname.<ref name=fsf1>{{cite web|title=The Accord 2006|url=http://www.mkdsa.co.uk/documents/archive/2006The_Accord.pdf|publisher=[[Football Supporters' Federation]]|location=Sunderland|date=2 October 2006|access-date=17 February 2015}}; {{cite news|title=MK Dons agree to return Wimbledon trophies to Merton—and sanction amendments to football statistics|url=http://www.mkdsa.co.uk/documents/archive/2007FSF%20statement%20lifting%20boycott%20of%20MK%20Dons.pdf
|publisher=Football Supporters' Federation|location=Sunderland|date=29 June 2007|access-date=17 February 2015|quote=And, on behalf of both clubs, the FSF respectfully requests that, with immediate effect, our media colleagues now refer to MK Dons in relation ONLY to matches played since their first Football League fixture was fulfilled against Barnsley on August 7, 2004.}}</ref>|group="n"|name="founded"}}
| ground = [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]] (1912–1991)<br>[[Selhurst Park]] (1991–2003)<br>[[National Hockey Stadium (Milton Keynes)|National Hockey Stadium]] (2003–04)
| chairman = 
| manager = 
| season = [[2003–04 in English football|2003–04]]
| position = [[Football League First Division|First Division]], 24th of 24 (Relegated)
}}
<!-- Advice to editors: Wikipedia is not a fan site. The article must remain factual and maintain a neutral point of view -->
'''Wimbledon Football Club''' was an English [[Association football|football]] club formed in [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]], southwest [[London]], in 1889 and based at [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]]  from 1912 to 1991. Founded as Wimbledon Old Centrals,{{refn||group="n"|name="oldcentrals"}} the club were a [[Non-League football|non-League]] team for most of their history. Nicknamed "the Dons" and latterly also "[[the Wombles]]", they won eight [[Isthmian League]] titles, the [[FA Amateur Cup]] in 1963 and three successive [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] championships between 1975 and 1977, and were then elected to [[the Football League]]. The team rose quickly from obscurity during the 1980s and were [[Promotion and relegation|promoted]] to the then top-flight [[Football League First Division|First Division]] in 1986, just four seasons after being in the [[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]].

Wimbledon's "[[Crazy Gang (football)|Crazy Gang]]"—so-called because of the boisterous, eccentric behaviour of the players—won the [[FA Cup]] in [[FA Cup Final 1988|1988]], beating that season's League champions [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]], and thereby became one of only three clubs to have won both the FA Cup and its amateur counterpart.{{refn|The others are [[Old Carthusians F.C.|Old Carthusians]] and [[Royal Engineers A.F.C.|Royal Engineers]].|group="n"|name="others"}} In 1991, following the publication of the [[Taylor Report]] recommending all-seater grounds for top-flight clubs, Wimbledon left Plough Lane to [[groundshare]] with nearby [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] at [[Selhurst Park]]—an originally temporary arrangement that ended up lasting over a decade. The team remained in the First Division and its successor the [[FA Premier League]] until they were [[Promotion and relegation|relegated]] in 2000.
[[File:Wimbledon seasons.png|thumb|Wimbledon FC Seasons + MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon]]

In 2001, after rejecting a variety of possible local sites and others further afield, the club announced its intention to [[Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes|move]] {{convert|46|mi|km|0}} north to [[Milton Keynes]] in [[Buckinghamshire]]. The idea of Wimbledon leaving south London was deeply unpopular, both with the bulk of the club's established fanbase and with football supporters generally, but an independent commission appointed by [[the Football Association]] granted permission in May 2002. A group of supporters, appalled by the decision, responded by forming a new club, [[AFC Wimbledon]], to which the majority of Wimbledon FC fans switched allegiance. The move went ahead and Wimbledon FC played home games in Milton Keynes in the 2003-2004 season; [[Milton Keynes Dons F.C.]] would compete in the Football League from 2004 onwards.<ref name=womblesontheirway/><ref name=donsflowinfront/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24287468 |title=MK Dons: A decade of football in Milton Keynes |work=BBC Sport |date=27 December 2013 |access-date=12 November 2018 }}</ref>

==History==
{{For|a statistical breakdown by season|List of Wimbledon F.C. seasons}}

===Non-League beginnings===
[[File:WimbledonFC1896.png|thumb|The Wimbledon Old Centrals of [[1895–96 in English football|1895–96]]]]
Wimbledon Old Central Football Club formed in 1889, taking its name from the [[Old Central School]] on [[Wimbledon Common]] where players had been pupils. The club's first match was a 1{{nbnd}}0 victory over Westminster, and it took only seven years for success to come to Wimbledon as they won both the Clapham League and the Herald League in [[1895–96 in English football|1895{{nbnd}}96]]. Wimbledon won the Clapham League again in [[1900–01 in English football|1900{{nbnd}}01]], as well as two minor trophies. At a meeting convened on 1&nbsp;May 1905, the decision was taken to drop "Old Central" from the club's name, and under its new name Wimbledon Football Club won the South London Charity Cup the same year; however, excessive debts caused the club to fold in 1910. A year later, the club was restarted under the name Wimbledon Borough, though 'Borough' was dropped from the team's name after barely a year. They continued to play on Wimbledon Common and at various other locations in the Wimbledon area until 1912, when the side settled at [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]]. Wimbledon joined the [[Athenian League]] for [[1919–20 in English football|1919{{nbnd}}20]], and finished as runners-up in their second season in the new division.<ref name=fchd/> The club then joined the [[Isthmian League]] and began to prosper, winning four Isthmian League titles during the 1930s and reaching the [[FA Amateur Cup]] final in [[1934–35 in English football|1934{{nbnd}}35]]. The club reached another FA Amateur Cup final in [[1946–47 in English football|1946{{nbnd}}47]] and twice finished as runners-up in the league over the next few seasons.<ref name=fchd/>

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Wimbledon1963a.jpg|thumb|left|1963: [[Captain (association football)|Captain]] Roy Law (left) and all-time top goalscorer [[Eddie Reynolds]] hold the [[FA Amateur Cup]] aloft]] -->
Wimbledon won the Isthmian League for the fifth time in [[1958–59 in English football|1958{{nbnd}}59]] before starting a period of domination that saw three successive championships: [[1961–62 in English football|1961{{nbnd}}62]], [[1962–63 in English football|1962{{nbnd}}63]] and [[1963–64 in English football|1963{{nbnd}}64]]. Wimbledon also lifted the FA Amateur Cup in 1962{{nbnd}}63, beating [[Sutton United]] 4{{nbnd}}2; the club's all-time top goalscorer, [[Eddie Reynolds]], scored all four Wimbledon goals [[Header (association football)|with his head]], and in doing so became the only player to have headed in all four of his side's goals in a [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] match – as of 2025, still a unique feat.<ref name="cupfinal63">{{cite web
|url=http://www.thefa.com/Leagues/TheBarber/NewsAndFeatures/2010/TheBarber_181010
|title=Four with his head
|website=[[The Football Association|TheFA.com]]
|first=David
|last=Barber
|access-date=21 November 2010
|date=18 October 2010
|quote="What happened at Wembley in The FA Amateur Cup Final of 1963 between Wimbledon and Sutton that had never happened before and hasn’t happened since?" The answer given at half-time, as I suspected, was "Eddie Reynolds scored four goals for Wimbledon with his head."
|archive-date=1 December 2010
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201004204/http://www.thefa.com/Leagues/TheBarber/NewsAndFeatures/2010/TheBarber_181010
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> Following these successes, the decision was taken for the club to turn professional for the [[1964–65 in English football|1964{{nbnd}}65]] season and to enter the [[Southern Football League|Southern League]]. Wimbledon's success continued in their new league, and the team finished as runners-up at the first attempt. Wimbledon became nationally famous during an [[FA Cup]] run during the [[1974–75 in English football|1974{{nbnd}}75]] season; entering the competition at the first qualifying round, Wimbledon defeated [[Bracknell Town]], then [[Maidenhead United]], [[Wokingham Town]], [[Dorking F.C.|Guildford & Dorking United]], [[Bath City]] and [[Kettering Town]] to find themselves in the third round proper. They then became the first [[non-League]] team of the 20th century to beat a [[Football League First Division|First Division]] side away from home by defeating [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]] at [[Turf Moor]]. Their good form continued in the fourth round, as the team held the reigning First Division [[English football champions|champions]] [[Leeds United]] to a 0{{nbnd}}0 draw at [[Elland Road]]. [[Goalkeeper (association football)|Goalkeeper]] [[Dickie Guy]] saved a penalty from [[Peter Lorimer]] to earn a replay, which was narrowly lost 1{{nbnd}}0 by an [[own goal]] in front of over 40,000 spectators at [[Selhurst Park]]. After winning the Southern League three times running, from [[1974–75 in English football|1974{{nbnd}}75]] to [[1976–77 in English football|1976{{nbnd}}77]], Wimbledon were elected to [[the Football League]] in place of [[Workington F.C.|Workington]] for the [[1977–78 Football League|1977{{nbnd}}78]] season.<ref name="fchd">{{cite web
|url=http://fchd.info/WIMBLEDO.HTM
|title=Football Club History Database - Wimbledon
|first=Richard
|last=Rundle
|website=Football Club History Database
|access-date=6 June 2009
|archive-date=21 March 2019
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321101036/http://www.fchd.info/WIMBLEDO.HTM
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

===The Football League===
[[File:Plough Lane - The former home of Wimbledon FC - geograph.org.uk - 2102676.jpg|thumb|Wimbledon take on [[Oxford United]] at [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]] in a [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] match during [[1981–82 in English football|1981–82]]]]
The [[1977–78 in English football|1977–78]] season was a satisfactory Football League debut for Wimbledon, who finished 13th in the [[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]].<ref name=fchd/> [[Allen Batsford]] had resigned as manager on 2&nbsp;January 1978 to be succeeded by [[Dario Gradi]], who guided the club to promotion in [[1978–79 in English football|1978{{nbnd}}79]].<ref name=fchd/> Wimbledon's first stay in the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] was not a successful one. The team struggled, and were [[Promotion and relegation|relegated]] in bottom place, winning just 10 league games all season.<ref name=fchd/> Following relegation, [[Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes|relocation to Milton Keynes]] was considered – chairman [[Ron Noades]] entered talks with the [[Milton Keynes Development Corporation]] about the possibility of moving the club to the [[New towns in the United Kingdom|new town]], but the plan was never executed.<ref name="noadesradio">{{cite news
  | last = Noades
  | first = Ron
  | title = I looked at MK in the 70's
  | publisher = [[BBC]]
  | date = 1 April 2001
  | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1100000/audio/_1101075_noades_dons.ram
  | quote = I certainly looked for alternatives for rehousing Wimbledon, I mean, I could see the limitations in Plough Lane; but the big problem with Wimbledon was, in my view, was that Richmond Park was several square miles of parkland, where there weren't any houses, and it affected Wimbledon's gates compared to other clubs. Yes, we took an interest in Milton Keynes … we took a controlling interest in Milton Keynes, at the time they had financial problems, and I went up there, I was in the local press, I met the local authority, and they had a stadium site, right next to the big bus terminal there and the station, the main line route from Euston up to Manchester, and they were very keen to get a Football League club, effectively a franchise if you like, into Milton Keynes to take up that site. … I couldn't really see us getting any bigger gates than what Northampton Town were currently getting at that time, and, in fact, are still getting. I really couldn't see any future in it. I can't actually see that there is a means of drawing large attendances to Milton Keynes.
  | access-date = 30 May 2009
  | archive-date = 19 October 2014
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141019222018/http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1100000/audio/_1101075_noades_dons.ram
  | url-status = live
  }}</ref><ref name="crabtree">{{Cite book
  | title = The Dons in the League 1977–1982
  | first = Stephen
  | last = Crabtree
  |date=April 1996
  | publisher = Sporting and Leisure Press
  | location = Buckingham
  | isbn = 0-86023-558-0 }}</ref>

Still in [[south London]], [[1980–81 in English football|1980–81]] saw Wimbledon regain Third Division status at the first attempt, at the end of an eventful season which saw chairman Ron Noades walk out of the club to take over [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]], taking manager Dario Gradi to [[Selhurst Park]] with him.<ref name=fchd/> At [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]], assistant manager [[Dave Bassett]] was promoted to manager. Under Bassett, Wimbledon were relegated in 22nd place.<ref name=fchd/> Just before the survival battle was lost, injured defender [[Dave Clement]] committed [[suicide]].<ref name=eng>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersC/BioClementDT.html|title=Dave Clement|publisher=England Football Online|access-date=28 October 2012|archive-date=6 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606173432/http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersC/BioClementDT.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Wimbledon once again regained Third Division status at the first time of asking, triumphing as Fourth Division champions in [[1982–83 in English football|1982{{nbnd}}83]], and in [[1983–84 in English football|the next season]] the Wimbledon players continued to excel as they achieved a second promotion to the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] after finishing runners-up with 97 league goals.<ref name=fchd/>

[[1984–85 in English football|1984–85]] was Wimbledon's first season in the Second Division, and everyone at the club was prepared for long and hard struggle to preserve this status. A 12th-place finish was more than satisfactory for a club that was playing at this level for the first time.<ref name=fchd/> The next year started well for Wimbledon as [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]] were defeated 3{{nbnd}}0 on the opening day of the season – the team was soon looking like a contender for [[Promotion and relegation|promotion]]. Promotion in third place was sealed on the final day of the season with an away victory at [[Huddersfield Town]]. Thus, Wimbledon had reached the [[Football League First Division|First Division]], only four years after playing in the Fourth Division and nine years after being elected into The Football League.<ref name=fchd/>

===First Division football and an FA Cup triumph===
{{See also|1988 FA Cup final}}

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:WimbledonFACup1988.png|left|thumb|Wimbledon players celebrate after winning the [[1988 FA Cup Final]]]] -->
Many observers tipped Wimbledon to go straight back down in [[1986–87 in English football|1986{{nbnd}}87]], but after losing the first game of the season away at [[Manchester City]], Wimbledon won the next four games to perch atop the league table on 1&nbsp;September. Wimbledon eventually finished sixth, before Dave Bassett moved on to [[Watford F.C.|Watford]].<ref name=fchd/> His successor was [[Bristol Rovers]] manager [[Bobby Gould]]. Dubbed "[[Crazy Gang (football)|The Crazy Gang]]" because of the eccentric behaviour of its players, fans and chairman, [[Sam Hammam]], the club's greatest moment came in 1988 when, very much against expectation, the team won the [[FA Cup]], beating overwhelming favourites [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] [[1988 FA Cup final|1{{nbnd}}0]] with a goal from [[Lawrie Sanchez]]. 37,000 Wimbledon fans witnessed [[Captain (association football)|captain]] [[Dave Beasant]] becoming the first [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] to save a [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty]] in an FA Cup final, stopping [[John Aldridge]]'s shot.<ref name="cupfinal88">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFACup/History/HistoryOfTheFACup/1988WimbledonLiverpool.aspx|title=Classic Cup Finals: 1988|publisher=[[The Football Association]]|access-date=24 August 2009|quote=Outsiders at 33-1 before the third-round in January, Wimbledon turned the form book upside down to beat Liverpool, recently crowned League champions and one of the hottest favourites for years[.] … Beasant … was responsible for two FA Cup Final 'firsts' as he became the first goalkeeper to receive the Cup and the first to save a penalty kick at Wembley. … Dennis Wise's right-footer from the free kick curled in towards the near post, Lawrie Sanchez … scored with a simple glancing header into the far corner.|archive-date=10 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090810091048/http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFACup/History/HistoryOfTheFACup/1988WimbledonLiverpool.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> The only downside of this triumph was that the club would not be able to compete in the [[European Cup Winners' Cup]], as the ban on English teams from European competition following the [[Heysel Stadium Disaster]] was still in operation at this time. Wimbledon also finished seventh in the league this season.<ref name="Heysel">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,957533,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603115510/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,957533,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 June 2008|title=World Notes Britain|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=24 April 1989|access-date=8 May 2009 }}</ref>

[[File:Beasant.jpg|thumb|Cup-winning captain and goalkeeper [[Dave Beasant]], pictured in 2003]]
Just days after the FA Cup triumph, Wimbledon directors announced plans to build a new [[all-seater stadium]] in the club's home borough of [[London Borough of Merton|Merton]]. In the [[1988–89 in English football|season following the FA Cup triumph]], Gould steered Wimbledon to a secure 12th-place finish in the First Division, and in [[1989–90 in English football|1989{{nbnd}}90]] the side finished eighth.<ref name=fchd/> Despite these successes, Bobby Gould was replaced in the summer of 1990 by [[Ray Harford]], who in [[1988 Football League Cup Final|the same year as Wimbledon's FA Cup triumph]] had guided [[Luton Town]] to victory in the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]]. Under Harford's management, defender [[Warren Barton]] was purchased for £300,000 while Wimbledon had another strong season in [[1990–91 in English football|1990{{nbnd}}91]], finishing seventh.<ref name=fchd/>

Nothing came of the plans for a new ground and at the end of [[1990–91 in English football|1990{{nbnd}}91]] the club's board decided that [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]] was beyond redevelopment to meet with new legislation from the [[Taylor Report]], requiring all-seater stadiums.<ref name="taylorreport">{{cite news
|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/318497.stm
|title=A hard lesson to learn
|publisher=[[BBC]]
|date=15 April 1999
|access-date=4 June 2009
|archive-date=13 January 2016
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113022126/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/318497.stm
|url-status=live
}}</ref> Consequently, the club moved to [[Selhurst Park]] before the [[1991–92 in English football|1991{{nbnd}}92]] season, [[Groundshare|ground-sharing]] with [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]]. Harford suddenly resigned in October 1991, with the Dons in the top half of the table, to be replaced by [[Peter Withe]]. Withe lasted until just after the turn of the new year, winning just one league game in three months. [[Joe Kinnear]] was promoted from the role of youth team coach, initially taking over as interim manager and overseeing strong form which lifted the club out of the relegation. After guiding Wimbledon to 13th place in the First Division and booking a place in the inaugural [[FA Premier League]],<ref name="fchd"/> Kinnear got the manager's job on a permanent basis.

During Wimbledon’s first six seasons in the top flight, they had not only managed to survive among the elite and win the FA Cup, but had also managed to finish above the likes of Everton, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. 

=== The early Premier League seasons ===
[[1992–93 in English football|1992–93]] began as a struggle for Wimbledon – the club were third from bottom on [[Boxing Day]]. However, the team recovered well in the new year and finished 12th.<ref name=fchd/> [[1993–94 in English football|The next season]] was an even greater success as the side finished sixth in the FA Premier League - two places above Liverpool - and reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup.<ref name=fchd/> Wimbledon remained hard to beat in [[1994–95 in English football|1994{{nbnd}}95]], finishing ninth in the league.<ref name=fchd/> During the close season the Dons made their first and only appearance in a [[UEFA]] European competition, being required by the FA to enter the [[Intertoto Cup]]. However, after fielding an under-strength side containing reserves, youth team players and unsigned trialists in their group stage games, the club – along with [[Tottenham Hotspur]] – were banned from European competition for the following season.<ref name="independent">{{cite news
|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/premier-league-vetoes-the-intertoto-cup-1324474.html
|title=Premier League vetoes the Intertoto Cup
|newspaper=[[The Independent]]
|date=17 January 1996
|access-date=26 January 2010
|location=London
|archive-date=1 August 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801001130/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/premier-league-vetoes-the-intertoto-cup-1324474.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> Not that it mattered; after losing Barton to Newcastle, [[1995–96 in English football|1995{{nbnd}}96]] saw a drop to 14th.<ref name=fchd/> Wimbledon made a fine start to the [[1996–97 in English football|1996{{nbnd}}97]] campaign – after losing the first three fixtures, the players proceeded to win their next seven and reach second place in the FA Premier League a few weeks before Christmas. By February, it looked as though the Dons might be on the brink of another trophy win when they eliminated [[Manchester United]] from the FA Cup – Wimbledon reached both the [[FA Cup semi-finals]] and the semi-finals of the League Cup. Wimbledon's were still in contention for a European place even after their cup exits, but these hopes ended when they could only manage an eighth place finish.<ref name=fchd/>

===Relegation and relocation===
{{multiple image
| align = left
| image1 = Hartson, John.jpg
| width1 = 147
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = Egil Drillo Olsen.JPG
| width2 = 120
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = [[John Hartson]] (left, pictured in 2007) and [[Egil Olsen]] (right, seen in 2010) joined the club as player and manager respectively in 1999 and were involved during the [[1999–2000 in English football|1999{{nbnd}}2000]] season, Wimbledon's last in the Premier League. Olsen left the side in May 2000,<ref name=burtonarrives/> just before relegation,<ref name=fchd/> while Hartson remained with the side until February 2001.<ref>{{cite news
|date=15 January 1999
|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/fa_carling_premiership/256117.stm
|title=Dons swoop for Hartson
|work=BBC Sport
|access-date=7 August 2008
|archive-date=13 January 2016
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113022127/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/fa_carling_premiership/256117.stm
|url-status=live
}}</ref>
}}

The [[1997–98 in English football|1997–98]] season looked highly promising for Wimbledon as late on as [[Christmas]], as the team were regularly in the top five. However, the side's form in the second half of the season was less impressive, and the club dipped to 15th place in the final table – the lowest finish yet for Wimbledon in the top flight.<ref name=fchd/> A similar pattern followed in [[1998–99 in English football|1998{{nbnd}}99]] – a good start followed by a slump. As late on as mid-March, the team were on the fringe of a [[UEFA Cup]] place. The club record signing of [[West Ham United]] striker [[John Hartson]] boosted hopes of success for Wimbledon, but a terrible run of form in the final weeks of the season saw the side dip to 16th in the final table.<ref name=fchd/> Wimbledon again reached the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]] semi-finals that season – losing to eventual winners [[Tottenham Hotspur]].<ref name=fchd/>

Joe Kinnear stepped down as manager in June 1999 due to ill health, and was succeeded by Norwegian coach [[Egil Olsen]]. Wimbledon reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup, but the team's league form slowly deteriorated during the second half of the season. Olsen left in early May with the club threatened by relegation. Long-serving coach [[Terry Burton]] took over,<ref name=burtonarrives/> but on 14&nbsp;May 2000, 12 years to the day after the FA Cup win, the side was [[Promotion and relegation|relegated]] from the top flight after 14 years after a 2{{nbnd}}0 defeat at [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] and a 1{{nbnd}}0 win for [[Bradford City]] over [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]].<ref name=fchd/> Burton remained manager of Wimbledon for two seasons in the second tier before he was sacked at the end of [[2001–02 in English football|2001{{nbnd}}02]] after the club had narrowly missed out on the promotion play-offs two seasons in a row.<ref name=fchd/>

===Relocation, renaming, and foundation of AFC Wimbledon===
{{Main|Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes|AFC Wimbledon|Milton Keynes Dons F.C.}}

In August 2001, the club announced its intent to relocate to [[Milton Keynes]].<ref name="itsmiltonkeynes2001">{{cite news
| title = League warns Dons over move
| url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/1483683.stm
| publisher = [[BBC]]
| date = 10 August 2008
| access-date = 31 August 2009
| archive-date = 9 July 2004
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040709120438/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/1483683.stm
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Despite opposition from Wimbledon fans,<ref name="movegetsgoahead">{{cite news
| title = Dons get Milton Keynes green light
| url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/2012312.stm
| publisher = [[BBC]]
| date = 28 May 2005
| access-date = 31 August 2009
| archive-date = 7 June 2004
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040607152445/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/2012312.stm
| url-status = live
}}</ref> [[The Football League]], and [[The Football Association]],<ref name=movegetsgoahead/> they were given permission to do so on 28&nbsp;May 2002 after a 2{{nbnd}}1 vote by the three-person, independent commission appointed by the F.A.<ref name=movegetsgoahead/><ref name="reportofindependentcommision">{{cite news
 |title       = Report of the Independent Commission on Wimbledon F.C.'s wish to relocate to Milton Keynes
 |url         = http://www.wisa.org.uk/cgi/l/files/20020530_fa.pdf
 |publisher   = [[The Football Association]]
 |access-date  = 5 June 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20041119013644/http://www.wisa.org.uk/cgi/l/files/20020530_fa.pdf
 |archive-date = 19 November 2004
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> The approval of the decision to move the club caused supporters who were against the move to found a new club, [[AFC Wimbledon]], to which most Wimbledon fans switched their allegiance;<ref name="womblesontheirway">{{cite news
| first = Ivor
| last = Heller
| title = Wombles are on their way
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/sep/01/sport.comment7
| work = [[The Guardian]]
| publisher = Guardian News and Media
| date = 1 September 2002
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| location = London
| archive-date = 6 March 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160306021845/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/sep/01/sport.comment7
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref name="donsflowinfront">{{cite news
| first = Robert
| last = Pryce
| title = The Dons flow in front of the few
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/aug/26/match.sport1
| work = [[The Guardian]]
| publisher = Guardian News and Media
| date = 26 August 2002
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| location = London
| archive-date = 14 March 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160314214030/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/aug/26/match.sport1
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref name="Pitchbattle">{{cite news
| title = Pitch battle
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/jan/11/clubsincrisis.sport
| work = [[The Guardian]]
| publisher = Guardian News and Media
| first = Jim
| last = White
| date = 11 January 2003
| access-date = 5 June 2009
| location = London
| archive-date = 10 May 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170510111132/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/jan/11/clubsincrisis.sport
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
gates at the new club were over 3,500, compared with 2,500 or less for the relocated club.<ref name="womblesontheirway"/>

Goalkeeping coach [[Stuart Murdoch (football manager)|Stuart Murdoch]] was promoted to manager,<ref name=murdocharrives/> and as attendances plummeted,<ref name="lowesteverdiv1crowd">{{cite news
| first = Alistair
| last = Moffitt
| title = Dons chief shrugs off lowest ever crowd
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/oct/31/newsstory.sport3
| work = [[The Guardian]]
| publisher = Guardian News and Media
| date = 31 October 2002
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| location = London
| archive-date = 5 March 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305210845/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/oct/31/newsstory.sport3
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Murdoch's team finished 10th in the league during the club's last full season at Selhurst Park.<ref name=fchd/> Wimbledon entered [[Administration (law)|administration]] in June 2003,<ref name="administration">{{cite news
| title = Wimbledon go into administration
| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2405494/Wimbledon-go-into-administration.html
| work = [[The Daily Telegraph]]
| date = 6 June 2003
| access-date = 5 June 2009
| location = London
| archive-date = 3 November 2019
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191103182949/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2405494/Wimbledon-go-into-administration.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref> and played their first match in [[Milton Keynes]] in September.<ref name="firstmatchatmk">{{cite news
| first = Robert
| last = Pryce
| title = Wimbledon's happy ending is pure Hollywood
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/sep/29/match.burnley
| work = [[The Guardian]]
| publisher = Guardian News and Media
| date = 29 September 2003
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| location = London
| archive-date = 4 December 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171204222853/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/sep/29/match.burnley
| url-status = live
}}</ref> The administrator in charge of the club's financial affairs sold any player who could command a transfer fee and Murdoch's team finished at the bottom of the league.<ref name=fchd/><ref name="relegated2004">{{cite news
| first = Adrian
| last = Milledge
| title = Wimbledon fall through trap-door
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/apr/07/match.sunderland
| work = [[The Guardian]]
| publisher = Guardian News and Media
| date = 7 April 2004
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| location = London
| archive-date = 5 March 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305104826/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/apr/07/match.sunderland
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

The club were brought out of administration at the end of the [[2003–04 Football League First Division|2003{{nbnd}}04 season]],<ref name="outofadmin">{{cite news
| title = Wimbledon to change name
| url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/3825865.stm
| publisher = [[BBC]]
| date = 21 June 2004
| access-date = 5 June 2009
| archive-date = 30 April 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090430165716/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/3825865.stm
| url-status = live
}}</ref> and "[[Milton Keynes Dons]]"<ref name="becomemkdons">{{cite news
| title = Wimbledon become MK Dons FC
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/jun/21/newsstory.mkdons
| newspaper = [[The Guardian]]
| date = 21 June 2004
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| archive-date = 2 February 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170202125748/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/jun/21/newsstory.mkdons
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref name=outofadmin/> was formed in the club's place.

==Club identity==

{{Football kit box |
  align      = left |
  pattern_la=|pattern_b=_yellowshoulders|pattern_ra=|
  pattern_sh  = _yellowsides|
  pattern_so = |
  leftarm    = 0000ff |
  body       = 0000ff |
  rightarm   = 0000ff |
  shorts     = 0000ff |
  socks      = 0000ff |
  title      = The kit worn in the [[1988 FA Cup Final]]
}}
The club's nickname was the Dons, though the club were also often referred to in the media as [[the Wombles]] from the mid-1970s onwards. Following the [[FA Cup]] victory in 1988, the term [[Crazy Gang (football)|Crazy Gang]] also started to be applied; originally to the players, though over time to the club as a whole.<ref name = HFK/> The club introduced a character mascot in 2000, a Womble named Wandle the Womble. However, following the relocation of the club in 2003, the owners of the Wombles brand refused to renew the licensing agreement in protest at the move. Three years later, a deal was agreed that saw a similar character named Haydon the Womble appear at [[AFC Wimbledon]].<ref name = "tidybag">{{cite web
| title = Wombles football mascots
| url = http://www.tidybag.co.uk/memorabilia/wombles-football-mascots/
| first = Tara
| last = Stockford
| publisher = Tidy Bag – The Online Wombles Museum
| access-date = 3 June 2009
| archive-date = 5 May 2010
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100505235114/http://www.tidybag.co.uk/memorabilia/wombles-football-mascots/
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

The colours most associated with the club were blue and yellow.<ref name = HFK/> The club's first colours were navy blue and white,<ref name = HFK/> though the kit changed several times soon after the club's foundation, between combinations of: brown and blue striped shirts with navy blue shorts; green and white striped shirts with navy blue shorts; green shirts and black shorts; white shirts with navy blue shorts, and finally green and black striped shirts with black shorts.<ref name = HFK/> Royal blue shirts with navy blue shorts and socks were finally settled upon in 1918, initially bearing a "W" (for Wimbledon) in the centre of the chest.<ref name = HFK/> Wimbledon players then regularly wore royal blue shirts with black shorts and socks until a shift in the 1950s saw the shorts change from black to white.<ref name = HFK/> A combination of blue shirts, blue shorts and white socks was introduced in 1966,<ref name = HFK/> before being abandoned a year later in favour of an all-blue outfit.<ref name = HFK/> The white socks returned in 1970.<ref name = HFK/> A blue and yellow combination was first used in 1975,<ref name = HFK/> but was replaced after a year with an all-white outfit trimmed with blue,<ref name = HFK/> and this was the kit in which the club played its first season in the Football League. In 1978, Yellow shirts, blue shorts and yellow socks were adopted,<ref name = HFK/> before the club made the change to an all-blue strip with yellow markings in 1981.<ref name = HFK/> The kit underwent only minor changes until 1993,<ref name = HFK/> when a darker, deep navy blue replaced the royal blue shade that had been used for the previous twelve years.<ref name = HFK/> Wimbledon wore these colours for the remainder of their history. As for [[Kit (association football)|change colours]], a red kit, with black trim, was a frequent choice in the 1990s. The club had a green away kit for the [[2000–01 in English football|2000{{nbnd}}01]] season.<ref name = "HFK">{{cite web
| title = Historical Kits Wimbledon
| url = http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Wimbledon/Wimbledon.htm
| first = Dave
| last = Moor
| publisher = Historical Kits
| access-date = 3 June 2009
| archive-date = 23 July 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090723071050/http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Wimbledon/Wimbledon.htm
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

[[File:Wimbledon FC logo (2003).png|thumb|upright|Wimbledon's final proposed logo, adopted before the [[2003–04 in English football|2003–04]] season but not used on playing kit<ref name=2003newbadge/>]]
The first crest the club wore was the emblem of the [[Municipal Borough of Wimbledon]]. This emblem appeared on Wimbledon shirts from the late 1920s until the mid-1950s, when no badge was worn.<ref name = HFK/> The [[coat of arms]] returned in the early 1970s,<ref name = HFK/> before the club adopted its own badge on election to The Football League in 1977.<ref name = HFK/> The crest was very similar to the badge most commonly associated with the club – the difference being the inclusion of white rather than yellow. Yellow replaced white in 1981, and this logo was used until 2003.<ref name = HFK/> After the club's [[Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes|relocation to Milton Keynes]] was confirmed in May 2002, the [[College of Arms]] informed the club in August 2002 that its continued use of the Borough arms was illegal. A replacement, given the go-ahead on 12&nbsp;April 2003, featured a stylised eagle's head – an element from the Wimbledon arms – drawn in navy blue and yellow outline, the yellow forming a stylised rendering of the letters "MK" (for Milton Keynes).<ref name="2003newbadge">{{cite news|title=New Wimbledon Football Club Logo|url=http://www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~371730,00.html|publisher=Wimbledon F.C. (transferred to mkdons.com)|date=15 April 2003<!-- true date given here, date in article incorrect http://www.mkdons.com/page/BreakingNewsArchive/0,,10420~1737,00.html -->|access-date=7 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401133833/http://www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~371730,00.html|archive-date=1 April 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite being officially adopted in April 2003, the logo's use was inconsistent: the club officially announced that it would be used "on all club kit, merchandise and literature from the start of [the 2003{{nbnd}}04] season",<ref name=2003newbadge/> including on a new white away kit and on an amended version of the previous season's home outfit,<ref>{{cite news|title=New Second Strip|url=http://www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~387227,00.html|publisher=Wimbledon F.C. (transferred to mkdons.com)|date=29 May 2003|access-date=8 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401133907/http://www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~387227,00.html|archive-date=1 April 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> but this never occurred; both the home and away colours from 2002 to 2003 were retained for the following year with the municipal arms still present. Moreover, the old crest continued to appear on official club statements and literature towards the end of the 2003{{nbnd}}04 season, making the status of the new badge ambiguous at best.<ref>{{cite news|title=Club Statement|url=http://www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~528974,00.html|publisher=Wimbledon F.C. (transferred to mkdons.com)|date=27 May 2004|access-date=8 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401133934/http://www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~528974,00.html|archive-date=1 April 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Official Statement|url=http://www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~533750,00.html|publisher=Wimbledon F.C. (transferred to mkdons.com)|date=21 June 2004|access-date=8 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401133943/http://www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~533750,00.html|archive-date=1 April 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

== Mascot ==
From 2000 to June 2003, the original Wimbledon F.C. had used a [[Womble]] mascot named ''"Wandle"'', named after the local [[River Wandle]], as a club mascot. However, in light of the controversy over the moving of the club to Milton Keynes, the legal licence to use the character was withdrawn by the Wombles' creator, [[Elisabeth Beresford]], in protest at the nature of the club's relocation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Even the Wombles refuse to follow Wimbledon to Milton Keynes|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=13 May 2003|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/may/13/newsstory.sport|access-date=14 August 2011|location=London|first=David|last=Plummer|archive-date=14 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514222826/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/may/13/newsstory.sport|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Stadium==
{{Main|Plough Lane (1912–98)|Selhurst Park|National Hockey Stadium (Milton Keynes)}}

[[File:PloughLane.jpg|left|thumb|[[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]]'s South Stand, pictured in 2000]]
Wimbledon originally played on [[Wimbledon Common]], using the Fox and Grapes [[public house]] in Camp Road as the team's headquarters and changing room. The club moved to [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]] in September 1912. During the 1930s and 1940s, crowds of between 7,000 and 10,000 were not uncommon at the ground. Wimbledon's highest attendance at the ground came on 2&nbsp;March 1935, when 18,080 people were attracted to an [[FA Amateur Cup]] tie against [[HMS Victory]]. [[Floodlights (sport)|Floodlights]] were first used on 3&nbsp;October 1960 in a [[London Charity Cup]] match against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]].

The Plough Lane ground remained comparatively basic, and by the time the club had risen to the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] the stadium had not changed greatly from Wimbledon's recent non-league days.  At the time of the club's acceptance into [[the Football League]] in 1977, applicants had only to meet minimal stadium criteria, and once in the League these same criteria sufficed regardless of whether the club subsequently found itself in the [[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth]] or First Division. However, following the [[Hillsborough disaster]] and the subsequent [[Taylor Report]], the football authorities introduced far stricter safety rules, which gave top-flight clubs specific deadlines by which to redevelop terraced grounds or to build new [[all-seater stadium]]s. The board of the club decided that Plough Lane could not be made to comply with these new requirements economically and, in 1990, they announced plans to temporarily [[groundshare]] with [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] at their [[Selhurst Park]] stadium.

Given the location of the Plough Lane ground, at the junction of two major roads and beside the [[River Wandle]], major redevelopment of the site as a modern all-seater stadium might have been difficult, though not impossible. The club's board of directors maintained that it had "searched exhaustively with Merton Council" for a site in or around [[London Borough of Merton|Merton]] on which to build a new stadium, looking at "14 different sites over a period of five years", in addition to commissioning feasibility studies for redeveloping both Plough Lane and the neighbouring site at [[Wimbledon Stadium]]. Despite this, nothing ever became of the board's continual promises to redevelop the site or to build a new ground within the borough, and the club remained as tenants at Selhurst Park for twelve years.<ref name="financinganewstadium">{{cite news
 |title        = Financing a New Stadium
 |url          = http://www.mkweb.co.uk/mkdons/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=12192
 |publisher    = Wimbledon F.C.
 |year         = 2003
 |access-date   = 5 June 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080223122730/http://www.mkweb.co.uk/mkdons/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=12192
 |archive-date = 23 February 2008
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref>

Wimbledon's first match at the [[National Hockey Stadium (Milton Keynes)|National Hockey Stadium]] in [[Milton Keynes]] was played on 27&nbsp;September 2003.<ref name=firstmatchatmk/> The club remained there for the rest of [[2003–04 in English football|its final season]], and the ground became the first home of [[Milton Keynes Dons]].

{| class="wikitable"
! Period
! Stadium
! Borough/Town
|-
| 1889–1912
| [[Wimbledon Common]]
| [[London Borough of Merton|Merton]]
|-
| 1912–1991
| [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]]
| [[London Borough of Merton|Merton]]
|-
| 1991–2003
| [[Selhurst Park]]
| [[London Borough of Croydon|Croydon]]
|-
| 2003–2004
| [[National Hockey Stadium (Milton Keynes)|National Hockey Stadium]]
| [[Milton Keynes]]
|}

==Supporters==

[[File:WimbledonFCleagueattendances.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Average home league attendances from joining [[the Football League]] in 1977 to 2004. The three vertical lines on the graph (from left to right) represent:<br />''(1991) – Move to [[Selhurst Park]]<br />(2002) – Confirmation of [[Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes|move to Milton Keynes]]<br />(2003) – Move to Milton Keynes'']]
Due to [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]]'s modest capacity and Wimbledon's unprecedented rise from [[non-League football]] to the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] in under ten years, the club had a much lower level of support than its top-flight rivals. During Wimbledon's [[1977–78 in English football|first season]] in [[the Football League]], Wimbledon's average attendance was only 3,135 – however, by the club's appearance in the top flight [[1986–87 in English football|nine years later]] the average attendance had risen by 149% to 7,811. Attendances did not immediately change much following the move to [[Selhurst Park]] in 1991 – however, the larger capacity gradually started to be used. Average crowds peaked at 18,235 in [[1998–99 in English football|1998{{nbnd}}99]], and during the next season, the team's final year in the [[FA Premier League]], home crowds averaged 17,157. With [[Promotion and relegation|relegation]], attendances dropped to an average of only 7,897 during [[2000–01 in English football|2000{{nbnd}}01]] as organized supporter boycotts of matches in protest at the proposed relocation took effect. Wimbledon averaged 6,961 during the [[2001–02 in English football|final season before]] the club's [[Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes|relocation to Milton Keynes]] was confirmed.<ref name="attendances">{{cite web
 |title        = Milton Keynes Dons/AFC Wimbledon
 |url          = http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/wimb.htm
 |publisher    = European Football Statistics
 |access-date   = 4 June 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090227154121/http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/wimb.htm
 |archive-date = 27 February 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref>

Following the sanctioning of the move, most of the team's support left in specific protest at the club's relocation, to follow [[AFC Wimbledon]],<ref name=womblesontheirway/><ref name=donsflowinfront/> the new club founded by Wimbledon supporters.<ref name=womblesontheirway/><ref name=donsflowinfront/> During the [[2002–03 in English football|2002{{nbnd}}03]] season, AFC Wimbledon's first and Wimbledon's last full season in south London, average crowds at the new club were actually higher than those at the original club.<ref name=attendances/> Attendances during the [[2003–04 in English football|2003{{nbnd}}04]] season, Wimbledon's last, were higher than those at AFC Wimbledon: Wimbledon averaged 4,751 at the National Hockey Stadium, compared to AFC Wimbledon's 2,606.<ref name=attendances/>

The club had two main supporters organisations– the long established official Wimbledon F.C. Supporters Club, which was tied to the club, and the more radical Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association (WISA) which was founded in 1995.<ref name=wisahistory/> The WISA was instrumental in the organisation of the supporter boycotts at Selhurst Park, and in the formation of [[The Dons Trust]] in March 2002.<ref name=wisahistory/> This trust, created in part to oppose the relocation to Milton Keynes,<ref name=donstrust/> helped the WISA to found AFC Wimbledon months after its own establishment.<ref name=wisahistory/><ref name=donstrust/> Both the WISA and The Dons Trust from this point became affiliated to AFC Wimbledon, while the official Wimbledon F.C Supporters Club became defunct following the relocation.<ref name="wisahistory">{{cite web
 |title      = WISA - A Brief History
 |url        = http://www.wisa.org.uk/history/index.html
 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20121224140821/http://www.wisa.org.uk/history/index.html
 |url-status   = dead
 |archive-date = 24 December 2012
 |publisher  = Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association
 |access-date = 23 August 2009
}}</ref><ref name="donstrust">{{cite web
 |title        = About the Trust
 |url          = http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/aboutthetrust.php?Psection_id=10
 |publisher    = [[AFC Wimbledon]]
 |access-date   = 23 August 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090925140100/http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/aboutthetrust.php?Psection_id=10
 |archive-date = 25 September 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref>

==Rivalries==
{{Main|South London derby}}

During much of Wimbledon's amateur and later [[semi-professional]] history, a strong local rivalry existed with neighbouring [[Tooting & Mitcham United F.C.]]

From the mid 1980s, the club's main rivals were considered by fans to be fellow [[south London]] club [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] (who were their landlord from 1991 to 2003) and west London-based [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]; however, neither of these rivalries was seriously reciprocated. Wimbledon were in the same division as Palace for a total of 11 seasons between 1984 and 2004, and in the same division as Chelsea for all but one season between 1986 and 2000.<ref name="FFCensus">{{cite web |url=http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf |title=Rivalry uncovered |date=December 2003 |publisher=Football Fans Census |access-date=3 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910061502/http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Records and statistics==
[[File:WimbledonFCleaguepositions.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Wimbledon's progress through the [[English football league system]] from 1920 to 2004.<br />''Horizontal black lines represent (from top){{what?|date=November 2024}}:<br />1 (post-1992) – [[Premier League]]<br />2–4 (1–4 pre-1992) – [[The Football League]]<br />4–6 – [[Southern Football League]]<br />6 – [[Athenian League]]; [[Isthmian League]]'']]

The record for most appearances for Wimbledon was held by [[Roy Law]], who turned out for the club 644 times between 1958 and 1972;<ref name="roylaw">{{cite web
 |url          = http://afcw.foto.co.uk/players?ID=Roy%20Law&uid=0
 |title        = Roy Law
 |first        = Marc
 |last         = Jones
 |publisher    = FOTO
 |access-date   = 8 October 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723000459/http://afcw.foto.co.uk/players?ID=Roy%20Law&uid=0
 |archive-date = 23 July 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> Law's 433 league appearances was also a record.<ref name=roylaw/> Wimbledon's all-time top goalscorer was [[Eddie Reynolds]], who scored 340 goals in 329 matches between 1957 and 1966.<ref name="eddiereynolds">{{cite web
 |url          = http://afcw.foto.co.uk/players?ID=Eddie%20Reynolds&uid=0
 |title        = Eddie Reynolds
 |first        = Marc
 |last         = Jones
 |publisher    = FOTO
 |access-date   = 8 October 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723000523/http://afcw.foto.co.uk/players?ID=Eddie%20Reynolds&uid=0
 |archive-date = 23 July 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> The closest to Reynolds's record was [[Ian Cooke (footballer)|Ian Cooke]], who notched 297 between 1964 and 1977;<ref name=iancooke/> Cooke also made the second highest total number of appearances for the team, having appeared 615 times in a Wimbledon shirt.<ref name="iancooke">{{cite web
 |url          = http://afcw.foto.co.uk/players?ID=Ian%20Cooke&uid=0
 |title        = Ian Cooke
 |first        = Marc
 |last         = Jones
 |publisher    = FOTO
 |access-date   = 8 October 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723000410/http://afcw.foto.co.uk/players?ID=Ian%20Cooke&uid=0
 |archive-date = 23 July 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref>

The records for most appearances and goals for Wimbledon in [[the Football League]] were both held by [[Alan Cork]]. Cork scored 145 league goals for the club in 430 matches.<ref name=alancork/> Cork also held the record for most Football League goals in a season, with 29 during [[1983–84 in English football|1983{{nbnd}}84]].<ref name="alancork">{{cite web
| url = http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=16869
| title = Alan Cork
| publisher = Sporting Heroes
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| archive-date = 1 September 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210901091337/https://www.sporting-heroes.net/common/not-found.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/scriptresource.axd
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Wimbledon's most capped player was [[Kenny Cunningham]], who was capped 16 times for the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] during his time at the club.<ref name=soccerbaserecords/> Wimbledon's most expensive signing was [[John Hartson]], for whom the club paid [[West Ham United]] £7.5&nbsp;million on 15&nbsp;January 1999.<ref name=soccerbaserecords/><ref name="Hartsonsigns">{{cite news
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/jan/15/newsstory.sport9
|title=Hartson joins Wimbledon for £7.5m
|work=[[The Guardian]]
|publisher=Guardian News and Media
|date=15 January 1999
|access-date=4 June 2009
|location=London
|archive-date=8 March 2016
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308225812/http://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/jan/15/newsstory.sport9
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The highest fee that the club received was the £7&nbsp;million [[Newcastle United]] parted with to sign [[Carl Cort]] on 6&nbsp;July 2000.<ref name="soccerbaserecords">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.soccerbase.com/team_records.sd?teamid=2812
 |title        = MK Dons (formerly Wimbledon) all time records
 |work         = [[Soccerbase]]
 |publisher    = Centurycomm
 |access-date   = 4 June 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090803211427/http://www.soccerbase.com/team_records.sd?teamid=2812
 |archive-date = 3 August 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name="Cortleaves">{{cite news
|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/newcastle-beat-tottenham-to-sign-pound7m-cort-709397.html
|first=Alan
|last=Nixon
|title=Newcastle beat Tottenham to sign £7m Cort
|work=[[The Independent]]
|publisher=Independent News & Media
|date=6 July 2000
|access-date=4 June 2009
|location=Merton, Greater London
}}{{Dead link|date=September 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Wimbledon's best win was a 6–0 league victory over [[Newport County A.F.C.|Newport County]] on 3&nbsp;September 1983,<ref name=soccerbaserecords/> while the worst defeat was an 8{{nbnd}}0 [[EFL Cup|League Cup]] defeat at [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] on 29&nbsp;August 1978.<ref name=soccerbaserecords/> Wimbledon's longest unbeaten league run was 22 matches between 15&nbsp;January and 14&nbsp;May 1984;<ref name=stattorecords/> the longest league run without a win, 14, was set between 19&nbsp;March and 28&nbsp;August 2000.<ref name=stattorecords/> Wimbledon's longest run of league wins was seven, set between 9&nbsp;April and 7&nbsp;May 1983 and matched from 4&nbsp;September to 19&nbsp;October 1996.<ref name=stattorecords/> Wimbledon's longest run of league defeats was the eleven matches lost in a row from 10&nbsp;January to 27&nbsp;March 2004.<ref name="stattorecords">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/wimbledon/records
 |title        = Wimbledon : Records
 |publisher    = Statto
 |access-date   = 4 June 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110116101629/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/wimbledon/records
 |archive-date = 16 January 2011
 |url-status     = live
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref>

Wimbledon's highest attendance, 30,115, was set on 9&nbsp;May 1993 for the [[FA Premier League]] match against [[Manchester United]] at [[Selhurst Park]] but their official home attendance record is 18,080 vs HMS Victory in an FA Amateur Cup tie on 9&nbsp;March 1935 at [[Plough Lane (1912–1998)|Plough Lane]] due to Selhurst Park being borrowed from Crystal Palace FC.<ref name=soccerbaserecords/>

===European record===
{{See also|1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup}}

{| class="wikitable"
! Season
! Competition
! Round
! Club
! Home
! Away
|-
| rowspan="4" valign="left"|[[1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup|1995]]
| rowspan="4" valign="left"|[[Intertoto Cup]]
| rowspan="4" valign="left"|Group Stage
|{{flagicon|TUR}} [[Bursaspor]]
|0–4<sup>1</sup>
|
|-
|{{flagicon|SVK}} [[MFK Košice|Košice]]
|
|1–1
|-
|{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Beitar Jerusalem]]
|0–0<sup>1</sup>
|
|-
|{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Royal Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi]]
|
|0–3
|-
|}
<sup>1</sup>Both home matches in this competition were played at [[Brighton and Hove Albion]]{{'s}} [[Goldstone Ground]], as Selhurst Park was unavailable.<ref name="goldstone">{{cite news
|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/no-picnic-for-english-clubs-by-the-sea-1588438.html
|title=No picnic for English clubs by the sea
|work=The Independent
|publisher=Independent News and Media
|date=26 June 1995
|access-date=26 January 2010
|location=London
|first=Phil
|last=Shaw
|archive-date=22 November 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122205124/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/no-picnic-for-english-clubs-by-the-sea-1588438.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

==Players==

===First team squad===
:''The squad given here is made up of the players registered to the club on the date of Wimbledon F.C.'s final league match (Wimbledon 1{{nbnd}}0 [[Derby County]], 9{{nbsp}}May 2004). Updated 9{{nbsp}}May 2004.''<ref name="squad9504">{{cite web
|url=http://www.wimbledon-fc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Home/0,,10420,00.html
|title=Wimbledon Official Site
|publisher=Wimbledon F.C.
|date=5 April 2004
|access-date=25 August 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040412000945/http://www.wimbledon-fc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Home/0,,10420,00.html
|archive-date=12 April 2004}}</ref>
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player |no=2| nat=ENG | pos=DF | name= [[Warren Barton]]}}
{{Fs player |no=3| nat=ENG | pos=DF | name= [[Peter Hawkins (footballer)|Peter Hawkins]]}}
{{Fs player |no=4| nat=ENG | pos=MF | name= [[Nick McKoy]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=5| nat=NIR | pos=DF | name= [[Mark Williams (footballer, born 1970)|Mark Williams]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=6| nat=ENG | pos=DF | name= [[Darren Holloway]] | other=on loan to [[Scunthorpe United]]}}
{{Fs player |no=7| nat=FRA | pos=DF | name= [[Harry Ntimban-Zeh]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=8| nat=ENG | pos=MF | name= [[Wade Small]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=10| nat=ENG | pos=FW | name= [[Dean Holdsworth]]}}
{{Fs player |no=12| nat=ENG | pos=GK | name= [[David Martin (footballer, born 1986)|David Martin]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=13| nat=ENG | pos=GK | name= [[Paul Heald]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=14| nat=ENG | pos=FW | name= [[Lionel Morgan (footballer)|Lionel Morgan]]}}
{{Fs player |no=15| nat=SLE| pos=FW | name= [[Albert Jarrett]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=16| nat=SCO | pos=FW | name= [[Jamie Mackie]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=17| nat=NGA | pos=DF | name= [[Shola Oyedele]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player |no=18| nat=ENG | pos=FW | name= [[Wayne Gray (footballer)|Wayne Gray]]}}
{{Fs player |no=19| nat=ENG | pos=DF | name= [[Ben Chorley]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=20| nat=ENG | pos=MF | name= [[Gary Smith (footballer, born 1984)|Gary Smith]] | other=on loan from [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=21| nat=GER | pos=DF | name= [[Nico Herzig]]}}
{{Fs player |no=22| nat=PHI | pos=MF | name= [[Rob Gier]]}}
{{Fs player |no=23| nat=ENG | pos=MF | name= [[Alex Tapp]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=24| nat=ENG | pos=DF | name= [[Jermaine Darlington]]}}{{Ref label|afcalso|b|}}
{{Fs player |no=25| nat=ENG | pos=DF | name= [[Dean Lewington]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=26| nat=ENG | pos=MF | name= [[Jason Puncheon]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=27| nat=ENG | pos=MF | name= [[Michael Gordon (footballer)|Michael Gordon]]}}{{Ref label|afcalso|b|}}
{{Fs player |no=28| nat=SLE | pos=DF | name= [[Malvin Kamara]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=29| nat=ENG | pos=MF | name= [[Ben Harding]]}}{{Ref label|mkalso|a|}}
{{Fs player |no=30| nat=WAL | pos=GK | name= [[Lee Worgan]]}}
{{Fs end}}
{{Refbegin}}
:a {{note|mkalso}} Denotes players who stayed on to play for [[Milton Keynes Dons]]{{Ref label|ref|c|}}
:b {{note|afcalso}} Denotes players who later played for [[AFC Wimbledon]]{{Ref label|ref|c|}}
:c {{note|ref}} Sourced to [https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2812 Soccerbase] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802192652/http://www.soccerbase.com/teams2.sd?teamid=2812 |date=2 August 2009}}.
{{Refend}}

===Notable former players===
{{For|a list of all former Wimbledon players with a Wikipedia article|Category:Wimbledon F.C. players}}

==Managers==

[[File:Joe Kinnear Hull City v. Newcastle United 1.png|thumb|130px|[[Joe Kinnear]] managed the club from 1992 to 1999.]]
Prior to the appointment of H. R. Watts as first team manager in 1930, a committee would deal with first team affairs, such as choosing the team on a matchday.<ref name="hd30s">{{Cite web
 |url         = http://historicaldons.com/1930.htm
 |title       = 1930 to 1939
 |first       = Dave
 |last        = Hambly
 |work        = Historical Dons
 |access-date  = 4 June 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080921103440/http://historicaldons.com/1930.htm
 |archive-date = 21 September 2008
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> Doc Dowden was appointed manager in 1946,<ref name=hd40s/> and stayed in the position until leaving at the end of the [[1954–55 in English football|1954{{nbnd}}55]] season.<ref name=hd50s/> [[Les Henley]] arrived in his place as first team coach,<ref name=hd50s/> and stayed at the club for sixteen years in which the club progressed immensely, winning the [[FA Amateur Cup]] as well as three [[Isthmian League]] championships before turning professional and moving to the [[Southern Football League|Southern League]].<ref name="hd60s">{{Cite web
 |url         = http://historicaldons.com/1960.htm
 |title       = 1960 to 1969
 |first       = Dave
 |last        = Hambly
 |work        = Historical Dons
 |access-date  = 4 June 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080311210052/http://historicaldons.com/1960.htm
 |archive-date = 11 March 2008
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name=hd70s/> However, in 1971 Henley was replaced by [[Mike Everitt (footballer)|Mike Everitt]], who arrived as [[player-manager]]. After two seasons, Everitt left to manage [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] and [[Dick Graham]] arrived as a replacement. Graham remained until March 1974, and a replacement was not appointed until July of that year, when [[Allen Batsford]] was made manager. Batsford led Wimbledon to [[the Football League]], but resigned only halfway through the first League season.<ref name=hd70s/> [[Dario Gradi]] was made manager three days later,<ref name=hd70s/> but after three seasons he too resigned.<ref name="hd80s">{{Cite web
 |url         = http://historicaldons.com/1980.htm
 |title       = 1980 to 1989
 |first       = Dave
 |last        = Hambly
 |work        = Historical Dons
 |access-date  = 4 June 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110930110421/http://historicaldons.com/1980.htm
 |archive-date = 30 September 2011
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> His replacement was [[Dave Bassett]], who took Wimbledon to sixth in the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] before moving to [[Watford F.C.|Watford]].<ref name=hd80s/> [[Bobby Gould]] spent three years as manager before being replaced by [[Ray Harford]], who spent just over a season with Wimbledon. After Harford, [[Peter Withe]] had a spell as manager lasting only three months. [[Joe Kinnear]] was brought in during January 1992, and managed the club until leaving in 1999 due to ill health. A season was spent under [[Egil Olsen]] in which the team was [[Promotion and relegation|relegated]] from the [[FA Premier League]] before [[Terry Burton]] was made manager.<ref name=burtonarrives/> Burton's Wimbledon narrowly missed the play-offs twice in a row before he was sacked. [[Stuart Murdoch (football manager)|Stuart Murdoch]] managed Wimbledon for the club's final two seasons.<ref name=murdocharrives/><ref name="soccerbasemanagers">{{Cite web
 |url          = http://www.soccerbase.com/manager_history.sd?teamid=2812
 |title        = Manager History for Wimbledon
 |work         = [[Soccerbase]]
 |publisher    = Centurycomm
 |access-date   = 4 June 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090803210346/http://www.soccerbase.com/manager_history.sd?teamid=2812
 |archive-date = 3 August 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref>

:''Statistics apply to competitive league and cup matches only. Wartime matches excluded.''
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!Name!!Nationality!!From!!class="unsortable"|To!!Matches!!Won!!Drawn!!Lost!!Win %!!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
|align=left|{{sort|Watts, H.R.|H.R. Watts}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1930||}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1946||}}
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|<ref name=hd30s/><ref name=hd40s/>
|-
|align=left|{{sort|Dowden, Doc|Doc Dowden}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1946||}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1955|August|}}
|align=center|{{nts|375}}
|align=center|{{nts|186}}
|align=center|{{nts|64}}
|align=center|{{nts|126}}
|align=center|{{nts|49.6}}
|align=center|<ref name="hd40s">{{Cite web
 |url         = http://historicaldons.com/1940.htm
 |title       = 1940 to 1949
 |first       = Dave
 |last        = Hambly
 |work        = Historical Dons
 |access-date  = 4 June 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080924053338/http://historicaldons.com/1940.htm
 |archive-date = 24 September 2008
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name=hd50s/>
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Les|Henley}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1955|August|}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1971|April|5}}
|align=center|{{nts|869}}
|align=center|{{nts|468}}
|align=center|{{nts|156}}
|align=center|{{nts|235}}
|align=center|{{nts|53.9}}
|align=center|<ref name="hd50s">{{Cite web
 |url         = http://historicaldons.com/1950.htm
 |title       = 1950 to 1959
 |first       = Dave
 |last        = Hambly
 |work        = Historical Dons
 |access-date  = 4 June 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080921103445/http://historicaldons.com/1950.htm
 |archive-date = 21 September 2008
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name="hd70s">{{Cite web
 |url         = http://historicaldons.com/1970.htm
 |title       = 1970 to 1979
 |first       = Dave
 |last        = Hambly
 |work        = Historical Dons
 |access-date  = 4 June 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120219002745/http://historicaldons.com/1970.htm
 |archive-date = 19 February 2012
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Mike|Everitt|Mike Everitt (footballer)}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1971|April|5}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1973|August|6}}
|align=center|{{nts|120}}
|align=center|{{nts|49}}
|align=center|{{nts|26}}
|align=center|{{nts|45}}
|align=center|{{nts|40.8}}
|align=center|<ref name=hd70s/>
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Dick|Graham}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1973|August|18}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1974|March|16}}
|align=center|{{nts|45}}
|align=center|{{nts|16}}
|align=center|{{nts|14}}
|align=center|{{nts|15}}
|align=center|{{nts|35.6}}
|align=center|<ref name=hd70s/>
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Allen|Batsford}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1974|July|}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1978|January|2}}
|align=center|{{nts|231}}
|align=center|{{nts|131}}
|align=center|{{nts|51}}
|align=center|{{nts|49}}
|align=center|{{nts|56.7}}
|align=center|<ref name=hd70s/>
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Dario|Gradi}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1978|January|5}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1981|January|24}}
|align=center|{{nts|171}}
|align=center|{{nts|63}}
|align=center|{{nts|47}}
|align=center|{{nts|61}}
|align=center|{{nts|36.8}}
|align=center|<ref name=hd70s/>
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Dave|Bassett}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1981|January|31}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1987|June|17}}
|align=center|{{nts|303}}
|align=center|{{nts|144}}
|align=center|{{nts|74}}
|align=center|{{nts|85}}
|align=center|{{nts|47.5}}
|align=center|
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Bobby|Gould}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1987|June|26}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1990|June|18}}
|align=center|{{nts|142}}
|align=center|{{nts|57}}
|align=center|{{nts|43}}
|align=center|{{nts|42}}
|align=center|{{nts|40.1}}
|align=center|
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Ray|Harford}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1990|June|18}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1991|October|7}}
|align=center|{{nts|56}}
|align=center|{{nts|20}}
|align=center|{{nts|17}}
|align=center|{{nts|19}}
|align=center|{{nts|35.7}}
|align=center|
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Peter|Withe}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1991|October|7}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1992|January|19}}
|align=center|{{nts|17}}
|align=center|{{nts|1}}
|align=center|{{nts|9}}
|align=center|{{nts|6}}
|align=center|{{nts|5.9}}
|align=center|
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Joe|Kinnear}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|Ireland}} Irish
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1992|January|19|}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1999|June|9}}
|align=center|{{nts|364}}
|align=center|{{nts|130}}
|align=center|{{nts|109}}
|align=center|{{nts|125}}
|align=center|{{nts|35.7}}
|align=center|
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Egil|Olsen}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|Norway}} Norwegian
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|1999|June|9|}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|2000|May|1}}
|align=center|{{nts|43}}
|align=center|{{nts|11}}
|align=center|{{nts|12}}
|align=center|{{nts|20}}
|align=center|{{nts|25.6}}
|align=center|<ref name=burtonarrives/>
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Terry|Burton}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|2000|May|1}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|2002|April|25}}
|align=center|{{nts|108}}
|align=center|{{nts|39}}
|align=center|{{nts|39}}
|align=center|{{nts|30}}
|align=center|{{nts|36.1}}
|align=center|<ref name="burtonarrives">{{cite news
| url = https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/dons-have-gone-for-a-burton-714215.html
| title = Dons have gone for a Burton
| work = [[The Independent]]
| publisher = Independent News & Media
| date = 1 June 2000
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| location = London
| first = Andrea
| last = Babbington
}}{{Dead link|date=September 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
|align=left|{{sortname|Stuart|Murdoch|Stuart Murdoch (football manager)}}
|align=left|{{flagicon|England}} English
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|2002|June|25}}
|align=left|{{dts|format=dmy|2004|August|7}}
|align=center|{{nts|101}}
|align=center|{{nts|30}}
|align=center|{{nts|17}}
|align=center|{{nts|54}}
|align=center|{{nts|29.7}}
|align=center|<ref name="murdocharrives">{{cite news
| url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/2065340.stm
| title = Murdoch takes reins
| publisher = [[BBC]]
| date = 25 June 2002
| access-date = 4 June 2009
| archive-date = 21 December 2003
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20031221212408/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/2065340.stm
| url-status = live
}}</ref>{{refn|[[Stuart Murdoch (football manager)|Stuart Murdoch]] remained manager after the club was renamed [[Milton Keynes Dons]]. The date of MK Dons' first league match, 7&nbsp;August 2004, was agreed upon in 2006 as the dividing line for statistical purposes.|group="n"|name="murdoch"}}
|}
{{Refbegin}}
''Managers from Dowden until Batsford sourced to:'' {{cite web
 |url         = http://afcw.foto.co.uk/
 |title       = AFCW Statistics
 |first       = Marc
 |last        = Jones
 |publisher   = FOTO
 |access-date  = 5 November 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090423014457/http://afcw.foto.co.uk/
 |archive-date = 23 April 2009
 |df          = dmy-all
}}

''Managers after Batsford sourced to:'' {{Cite web
 |url          = http://www.soccerbase.com/manager_history.sd?teamid=2812
 |title        = Manager History for Wimbledon
 |work         = [[Soccerbase]]
 |publisher    = Centurycomm
 |access-date   = 4 June 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090803210346/http://www.soccerbase.com/manager_history.sd?teamid=2812
 |archive-date = 3 August 2009
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}
{{Refend}}

==Honours==

Wimbledon were a successful club even before election to [[the Football League]], winning eight [[Isthmian League]] titles (including three in a row from 1962 to 1964) and three successive [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] titles (from 1975 to 1977). Having also won the [[FA Amateur Cup]] in 1963, the run of Southern League titles prompted Football League election in 1977.<ref name=fchd/>

Even at the higher level, Wimbledon continued to collect honours; the most notable being the [[FA Cup]] victory in 1988, which made Wimbledon only the third club to have won both the FA Cup and its amateur equivalent. Despite swift success in The Football League, the club's rapid ascent combined with short spells in the [[Football League Second Division|Second]] and [[Football League Third Division|Third Divisions]] meant that the team only won a solitary divisional championship within the League – the [[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]] title of [[1982–83 Football League|1982{{nbnd}}83]].<ref name=fchd/>

'''League'''
*[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] (level 2)
**Promoted: [[1985–86 Football League Second Division|1985–86]]
*[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] (level 3)
**Promoted: [[1983–84 Football League Third Division|1983–84]]
*[[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]] (level 4)
**Champions: [[1982–83 Football League Fourth Division|1982–83]]
**Promoted: [[1978–79 Football League Fourth Division|1978–79]], [[1980–81 Football League Fourth Division|1980–81]]
*[[Southern Football League]] 
**Champions: [[1974–75 Southern Football League|1974–75]], [[1975–76 Southern Football League|1975–76]], [[1976–77 Southern Football League|1976–77]]
**Runners-up: [[1967–68 Southern Football League|1967–68]]
*[[Isthmian League]] 
**Champions: [[1930–31 Isthmian League|1930–31]], [[1931–32 Isthmian League|1931–32]], [[1934–35 Isthmian League|1934–35]], [[1935–36 Isthmian League|1935–36]], [[1958–59 Isthmian League|1958–59]], [[1961–62 Isthmian League|1961–62]], [[1962–63 Isthmian League|1962–63]], [[1963–64 Isthmian League|1963–64]]
**Runners-up: [[1949–50 Isthmian League|1949–50]], [[1951–52 Isthmian League|1951–52]]
*[[Athenian League]]
**Runners-up: [[1920–21 in English football|1920–21]]

'''Cup'''
*[[FA Cup]]
**Winners: [[1987–88 FA Cup|1987–88]]
*[[FA Amateur Cup]]
**Winners: 1962–63
**Runners-up: 1934–35, 1946–47
*[[Football League Group Cup]]
**Runners-up: [[1981–82 Football League Group Cup|1981–82]]
*[[Anglo-Italian Cup]]
**Runners-up: 1975–76
*[[London Senior Cup]]
**Winners: 1930–31, 1933–34, 1961–62, 1974–75, 1976–77

==Notes and references==
'''Footnotes'''
{{Reflist|group=n}}

'''References'''
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wimbledon F.C.}}
*[http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/ The official website of AFC Wimbledon]
*[http://www.mkdons.co.uk/ The official website of Milton Keynes Dons F.C.]
*[https://www.fchd.info/WIMBLEDO.HTM Wimbledon] at the Football Club History Database
*[http://historicaldons.com/ The History of Wimbledon F.C.]

{{Wimbledon F.C.}}
{{Wimbledon F.C. seasons}}
{{AFC Wimbledon}}
{{Milton Keynes Dons F.C.}}
{{Football in London}}
{{Premier League}}
{{Former football league members}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Wimbledon F.C.| ]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1889]]
[[Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 2004]]
[[Category:Premier League clubs]]
[[Category:English Football League clubs]]
[[Category:FA Cup winners]]
[[Category:Defunct football clubs in London]]
[[Category:Southern Football League clubs]]
[[Category:Isthmian League clubs]]
[[Category:1889 establishments in England]]
[[Category:2004 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:Athenian League]]
[[Category:Wimbledon, London]]
[[Category:Companies that have entered administration in the United Kingdom]]