HE’S STILL KEEPING IT CRAZY!
Ardley’s Dons have spent £100,000 in six years — but are ready for £100m struggling Hammers
When Wimbledon paid West ham £7.5million for John hartson and then set fire to his clothes on his first day of training, it was the fee that came as a shock rather than the incendiary welcome.
The old Dons had never been big spenders and this would be the pinnacle of their Premier League largesse, before they perished amid scandal and were reborn.
To say much has changed in almost 20 years since the hartson transfer would be an understatement. But as the two London clubs prepare to meet at the Cherry Red Records Stadium in the second round of the Carabao Cup tonight, pride and ambition still drives them on.
West ham have lavished more than £100m in the transfer market in a bid to improve on a disappointing 13th-place finish last season and yet have lost the opening three games under Manuel Pellegrini.
For the new boss this is an awkward trip across the capital to AFC Wimbledon, where, after years of trading mostly with free transfers and loans, neal Ardley has invested £100,000 in new players.
‘not huge amounts, but 20 grand here and 25 grand there,’ said Ardley. ‘It’s allowed us to compete enough to open the door and get one or two in that we really liked.
‘It was really nice, talking to the CeO and saying, “Yeah, up the bid by five grand”. not quite the Premier League but it was great.’
Among the recruits is centre forward James hanson, a star of Bradford City’s epic run past Arsenal and Aston Villa and to Wembley in the final of this competition in 2013.
‘One thing he showed when he was at Bradford was a lot of the Premier League defences didn’t like what he had to offer back then,’ said Ardley, hoping for a similar impact against West ham.
having played for Wimbledon in the last days of the Crazy Gang era, the 45-year-old knows the success of the club was forged on their giant-killing cup history.
And he is keen to rely on a similar bond of unity, and nurture the same fearlessness and disregard for reputation, despite the fact football has become a very different environment.
‘It’s a real tricky balance,’ said Ardley. ‘When you get it right, like england did, it can be a really powerful thing. I do think the world has become very politically correct. A lot of the things we got away with back in the day at Wimbledon, you’d never get away with now. half of us would be locked up.
‘The characters are still there within the dressing room but camera phones and social media have knocked a bit of the edge off what people would be able to see.
‘Still, bits and bobs go on, there’s still a lot of fun, but you just have to be careful because you’re only one little bit away from opening up an investigation. I pulled my players together two years ago to have a really good chat about discrimination and the language they used, because if somebody joins in a conversation it can be construed as something totally different and not at all what was meant and then perhaps someone complains. So it was just to make sure we felt relaxed in each other’s environment.’
At AFC Wimbledon, they have been go-karting, golfing, racing and out together for a boozy Sunday lunch.
new signings such as hanson may not have their clothes torched but are expected to stand to perform an initiation song and face a brutal interrogation session from the rest of the squad. ‘It’s not a nice Q&A,’ said Ardley. ‘It’s very intrusive, about many parts of their lives. They need to be ready and there has to be total honesty.
‘The lads get to find out a little bit before so they know what buttons to press and what questions to ask. Sometimes a nickname can stick because of the Q&A. You’ve got to be careful but we want to create really good team spirit, good banter but you have to be very careful about where that line is.’
This is the Crazy Gang for the 21st Century as Wimbledon continue their impressive rebuilding operation by reinforcing their position in the third tier ahead of a return to their spiritual home at Plough Lane in early 2020.
Construction work is expected to start in the autumn as the demolition of the old greyhound stadium nears completion.
‘Of course, expectations will shift,’ said Ardley, in charge since 2012 and the thirdlongest serving manager in the top four divisions. They’re saying, “We’re giving you a bit more money and we are expecting a bit more than last season”. They will want a bit more quality and that’s fine. That pressure should be there.
‘even though we’ve lost two games on the trot, the fans have clapped us off the pitch because they have seen us attack and have a go at the opposition. It might wear thin if you keep doing it but if there’s a general feeling that everyone has left everything on the pitch, then that’ll do.
‘In english football, generally, no matter how technical and good the systems we play, it all strips back to: so long as you’ve given us everything. We are all working class and want to see our players giving everything for the team.’
‘A lot of the things we got away with back in the day at Wimbledon, you couldn’t now. Half of us would be locked up in prison!’