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Dons stick to script in final fit for Hollywood
Construct the set, assemble the cast and get those cameras rolling. the mooted film charting AFc Wimbledon’s astonishing ascent now has its Hollywood finale.
Exactly 14 years to the day since this phoenix first took flight following a gathering at the Fox and Grapes pub on Wimbledon common, they beat Plymouth to reach League one with the sixth promotion of their existence.
Little wonder John Green, the American author and screenwriter who became a club patron after stumbling across the Dons on FIFA video games, said last month that he fancies producing a movie to document this incredible story.
And this tumultuous afternoon at Wembley rounded off the perfect script.
It would start with the injustice of a proud football club being wrenched from its community, transplanted 56 miles north to Milton Keynes and rebranded.
It would chart a journey of rebirth that started with open trials for players on the common to form a scratch team that could compete in the combined counties Premier Division, the ninth level of the pyramid.
It was not long before they earned promotion after promotion, until Wimbledon broke into the Football League in 2011. Green’s plan was to end the story there.
now it could reach its climax here on English football’s grandest stage, goals from Lyle taylor and Adebayo Akinfenwa in the 10th minute of stoppage time taking them into the third tier — the same level as MK Dons, the very reason for their existence. those will be two matches with spice in League one next season.
‘the movie was going to end when they got into the League,’ said Wimbledon manager neal Ardley, a gold medal round his neck and crisp white shirt drenched in champagne.
‘But you’ve got to extend it to Wembley. I’ve got to try and get a part in it now!’
It was appropriate that Ardley, who signed for the original Wimbledon aged 11 and spent a decade in their first team, should lead them there as such a strong link to the past.
Wimbledon’s rise is beginning to rival that of their predecessors, who soared from the southern League to the First Division in a decade before beating Liverpool in the 1988 FA cup final.
nicknamed the crazy Gang, Wimbledon won many admirers and the 25,000 fans who partied here will be thrilled to see the legacy of Dave Bassett and Bobby Gould continue.
Plymouth were favourites and backed by a Green Army of 35,000 but could not find any attacking spark and this meant Wimbledon gradually grew in confidence.
Plymouth’s first real chance did not come until after the hour mark when Graham carey’s 30-yard free-kick had to be pushed away by Dons keeper Kelle roos. It allowed Wimbledon to push again and taylor scored his 23rd of the campaign with 12 minutes left, sneaking in front of the faltering curtis nelson to turn home a low cross by callum Kennedy.
Glorious chances fell to Barry Fuller and Akinfenwa to settle it, with Luke Mccormick pulling off reaction saves, but deep into stoppage time, Wimbledon were awarded a penalty when Adebayo Azeez was felled in the area.
Akinfenwa, a larger- than- life character at 16st, tucked it away with what could well be his final act for the Dons.
out- of- contract Akinfenwa, 34, urged managers to ‘hit me up’ on messaging service WhatsApp if they were seeking a striker.
‘to stand here in front of 25,000 who 14 years ago had their club ripped away from them, as one of their own,’ said Ardley. ‘ It’s immense, what you dream of.
‘It was inevitable if we continued being successful that our path would cross with MK Dons. there will be an edge to those games.’
Plymouth manager Derek Adams said: ‘We’ve put a lot of pride into Plymouth Argyle this season and we hope that can continue. Argyle were in administration not so long ago. We’ve taken the fans on a fantastic journey this season.’
But not, he might have added, as fantastic as the 14-year trip that Wimbledon have made.