It has been a while since FGR faced AFC Wimbledon.  The teams played 4 games in the National League between 2009 and 2011 before contesting an FA Cup tie in 2015.

The league contests have favoured Wimbledon, with 2 wins and 2 draws.  But Rovers were 2-1 away winners in the FA Cup 8 years ago.  The 2 sides have never previously met in the EFL.

AFC Wimbledon are back at their spiritual home of Plough Lane after a 29 year absence.  The stadium has a capacity of 9,300 capacity (it was partially funded by their fans) and has has the potential to be expanded to 20,000 if it needs to in the future.  It’s about 250 yards from the original Plough Lane stadium, on the site of the old Wimbledon greyhound stadium.  The South Stand is standing only to generate atmosphere and the past is remembered as the stadium houses the original Plough Lane gates.

Away fans are housed in the North Stand.

By Supporters Coach – The easiest way to get there.  For full details of Away Travel click here: –  FGR Away Travel – Forest Green Rovers Supporters Club (fgrsc.com)

Book your coach ticket with your match ticket from FGR.  Don’t forget that adult Supporters Club members get a £5 discount on travel but will need to book by phone to get this discount on 0333 123 1889 Monday to Friday, between 9am and 3pm.  Otherwise, tickets and travel can be booked online at Tickets | WE ARE FGR

Please try to book as early as you can.

By Car

It’s a journey of just less than 120 miles, which could take 2 hours 15 minutes if it’s clear, or longer if there is traffic on the M4 or M25.  The postcode for AFC Wimbledon’s Plough Lane is SW17 0BW.  The difficulty will be parking – parking at the stadium is extremely limited and there is no street parking due to Controlled Parking Zones.  However, the club say the stadium is very well connected to most public transport in London, with train stations, tube stations, and bus stops on the doorstep.

By Train

Trains to Wimbledon would normally be a possible option.  However, at time of writing, there is planned industrial action for the 26th of August so you’ll need to check.  Closest stations are Haydon’s Road (served by Thameslink – about a 5 or 10 minute walk from the ground) or the tube at Wimbledon Park (District Line – about a 15 or 20 minute walk).  

Wimbledon started the season with a 2-0 away win at Colchester, followed by a 0-0 draw away at Grimsby, a 1-1 draw at home to Wrexham, before beating Sutton Utd 3-0 away in their last outing.

This has left the Dons unbeaten and lying 3rd in the table after 4 games.  They are a point behind MK Dons and 4 points behind Gillingham.

Four of Wimbledon’s goals (one a penalty) have been scored by their 25 year-old attacker/attacking midfielder, James Tilley (number 7).  Defender Ryan Johnson (number 6) and Harry Pell have each scored once, suggesting Wimbledon present a threat from set-pieces.

James Tilley has already got 4 goals for the Dons.

Omar Bugiel (number 18) is a forward who was part of FGR’s National League play-off winning side in 2017.  He moved to Bromley (on loan) then Sutton Utd before joining the Dons this summer. 

Midfielder Armani Little (number14)  joined FGR in 2022 before being loaned to Wimbledon at the start of 2023, a move which became permanent this summer.

Josh Davison (number 9) came on loan to FGR from Charlton in the 2020/21 season.  He joined Swindon on loan the following season before moving to Wimbledon permanently in 2022.  Josh scored 9 times in 37 starts last season and says he feels loved at the Dons.

The original Wimbledon were at their peak in the late 1980’s, winning the FA Cup in 1988, and with players like Vinnie Jones and Denis Wise, dubbed ‘The Crazy Gang’.  In 2002 the club were relocated to Milton Keynes in a move that was very controversial with supporters.  Even now, Wimbledon fans are likely to call the side ‘MK’ without adding ‘Dons’.

In 2002 a group of supporters decided the only way to effectively fight the decision to relocate to Milton Keynes was to start again from scratch.  And so, in 2002, AFC Wimbledon was formed.  Trials for their first team were held on Wimbledon Common, open to any unattached player.  They are one of the few supporter-owned clubs in the EFL – the Dons Trust, the supporters group who own AFC Wimbledon, is pledged to keep at least a 75% stake in the club.

The club’s rise through the leagues was pretty meteoric.  In 14 seasons they rose from the 9th tier to the 3rd tier.  A relegation in 2021 saw them back in the 4th tier after 6 seasons in League 1.

It wasn’t until 2020 that the club were able to move to their own stadium after years playing at Kingsmeadow, Kingston-on-Thames.  Their new stadium , Plough Lane, is just 250 yards from their original Plough Lane ground, and is built on the site of the old Wimbledon greyhound stadium.

The club places great emphasis on its role as a social focus for the entire local community and, in 2012,  became the first football club to be presented with the Prime Minister’s Big Society Award for outstanding contributions to the local community.

‘Haydon’, the Wimbledon mascot.  Haydon Road is the nearest station to Plough Lane.

The club are nicknamed ‘the Dons’ or ‘the Wombles’.  There is an obvious rivalry with MK Dons, though many Wimbledon supporters don’t count this as a rivalry because they feel the Milton Keynes outfit shouldn’t exist!  The fiercest other rivals are Crawley Town.  The rivalry with close neighbours Sutton Utd is, apparently, a much friendlier rivalry.

Plough Lane – Wimbledon’s new home.