I doubt anybody at the club cares what u think @Steve_Peart the players needed minutes and MK Dons were willing and able and it was behind closed doors so the agreement entered into did not apply.
It's telling that those with their hands on the levers at the club know that they're doing something dodgy by keeping it hushed up until after the BCD match had been played.
If the club think it's a good softening up ploy, the response on here shows that the sentiment that WWFC should never voluntarily play the Franchise (unless obliged to do so according to the rules of competitions we are entered in) is still strong.
Treating Franchise like any other club that has legitimately earned their place in the Football League gives them tacit approval for the morally reprehensible and unsporting way they gained access to the FL. No amount of platitudes about how terrible what happened to Wimbledon FC was and how it must never happen again detracts from that.
With regards to an 'agreement entered into' by WWFC that Richie was on about, as far as I can remember the club never stated that Supporters Direct sanctioned BCD matches with Franchise. Maybe Richie can have a rummage through the correspondence with Supporters Direct he no doubt has access to at the club to help us out on that one?
I care very much about this match taking place. Terrible. And as @ReadingMarginalista says the Club once again think we are stupid, only reporting it after it has happened.
Considering the reactions (richie aside) on here the club might well have been reticent to publicise before the event @LX1 but I'm not sure how reporting it afterwards means they think we are stupid?
I may be wrong but it seems to me this is not the first time the Club have tried to bury controversial issues. Asking people at a fans forum what they thought about the Checkatrade vote, without advertising that would be discussed springs to mind.
The club would be wise to stay away from the franchise it was created by fucking over their own supporters so aside from being morally wrong to do any business with them I'm sure at the first opportunity those "gentlemen " in the Milton Keynes fuhrer bunker that "time" has somehow forgiven will jump at the chance to do the same to us No No No
So for all of those knocking the friendly, here's a thought experiment... How would you feel if Gareth was to be offered and accept the MK Dons manager's job? I'd say its exactly the sort of club that might be after his services - downwardly mobile, in need of motivation, a step up but not a dramatic one, local. Plus there's the cache of appointing someone made famous by the original Dons. Sure, he might not touch it with a bargepole, but he's a pragmatic man in search of a higher-league challenge who isn't afraid to arrange a friendly against them. I could see it happening, one day. If it did, would it ruin his reputation among the more zero-tolerance fans? Or is it too horrible to even contemplate as a possibility?
Im pleased Dan Scarr, Nathan Tyson, Sam Saunders etc played in this game as it will benefit us on the pitch over the next few games. Ok we don't like MK Dons but who really cares and Andrew Howard Im sure sanctioned this game so why not email him for his comments.
So for all those supporting the "friendly" here's a another stupid scenari.. I mean thought experiment, let's say pirate Pete Winkleman had become our chairman all those years ago and decided to move the only league team in Bucks to the biggest town in Bucks would you have gone along with it? No But it makes sense, Ivor Beeks suggested it once and surely the FA would support the idea same county and all that, especially with a few favours here and there.
So MK wanderers run out in 2003, we could have kept the quarters (as a change strip) and bluey the cow, tempted yet? would you have gone along and jumped on the discounted bus that they put on for almost two seasons. Oh and every season they would have a Wycombe day 10% discount if you wear your old shirt they could even run a MK stars of the future soccer school on the rye. enough to be bothered about yet? no ah well even if you objected it was a long time ago time to move on .
@Steve_Peart said:
rmjlondon, you are probably right, the club only cares what the supporters think when it suits. Really we are a supporters owned club in name only.
@Morris_Ital a valid argument and obviously the answer would be no. But carrying your experiment on we would all be supporting High Wycombe Town by now and hating MK wanderers with a passion, and I’m sure we would make that clear, as fans, when we played them.
The argument about Franchise football was lost (bribed?) on this case but it doesn’t mean it will in future.
Nothing anyone can do will ever restore things as they were/should be, which to me means that it is all about the fans and how they choose to engage (or not).
Where I differ from the majority on here is that as no fans were ‘invited’ in this instance I don’t see this as a game of football.
The weakness of some of my argument here though is that I’m implying being a fan is all about watching the games, so I’m not as sure of my position as I once was.
It would be interesting to take a consensual view from AFC Wimbledon fans as to whether we should or shouldn’t be playing behind doors friendlies against MK.
My other observation is that the players, management and board aren’t fans and probably didn’t even see this debate coming. I must admit I know nothing about any agreement not to deal with MK so it’s possible that we have breached the spirit of that, in which case we (or at least those on here that are genuinely upset) probably should express our concern in writing to the chair (or whoever)
Anyone who believes that undermining the integrity of the game and riding roughshod over fans' wishes is in the past and wouldn't happen again only has to look at the Checkatrade Trophy.
Those around at the time may remember Beeks casually suggesting that he might relocate WWFC to MK as attendances didn't meet his expectations. That wouldn't have come out of thin air, I reckon we were closer to being Koppel and Winkyman's victims than bears thinking about.
All the more reason that a football club owned and supposedly run by a supporters' organisation to oppose any action that gives any explicit or tacit approval to Franchise establishing a new club whilst pretending to be another club, that the owners of Franchise had deliberately driven into the ground.
@bookertease I'm glad you're able to take on my argument so often on here even when someone makes a valid point certain posters won't accept it.
Unfortunately for me but not for this argument I live and work closer to the franchise than most and their situation is shaky at best.
Their financial model was based on being far further up the pyramid than they are with matching attendances. The property development that led to its hatching has already matured and the sharks that made money from it are getting a little tired of the annoying cash drain so there's lots of talk from Winkleman of cutting cloth to suit ect.
Do I see a Rushdon and Diamonds type collapse, no but as the people in charge up there are morally corrupt who can say it would make a nice premiership rugby ground, as far as the mighty blues are concerned I believe wholeheartedly we need to stay clear because of the club we are.
Funny thing is I don't really like Wimbledon fans the last time we played them a significant number of them acted like complete bell ends hey ho that's morality for you.
As they won't go out of business now, it's been too many years, the best bet is probably that they stay 1 division above or below us.
So we don't have the same debate for months before we play them every year
Comments
Must admit, though I realise the implications, it does not bother me that much. Bothers me more that they play in any football league.
i care and am disappointed. For us play them any more than we are required to gives them legitimacy remember Winkleman is Still their chairman
I doubt anybody at the club cares what u think @Steve_Peart the players needed minutes and MK Dons were willing and able and it was behind closed doors so the agreement entered into did not apply.
Which players that needed minutes in them played @rmjlondon ?
@Steve_Peart if anybody knows what the club thinks it's our richie.
@rmjlondon, you are probably right, the club only cares what the supporters think when it suits. Really we are a supporters owned club in name only.
Exactly my sentiments Mr Peart.
I care. I don't like it. At the very least I hope it was a last resort after other clubs were approached and our need for this was indeed great.
It's telling that those with their hands on the levers at the club know that they're doing something dodgy by keeping it hushed up until after the BCD match had been played.
If the club think it's a good softening up ploy, the response on here shows that the sentiment that WWFC should never voluntarily play the Franchise (unless obliged to do so according to the rules of competitions we are entered in) is still strong.
Treating Franchise like any other club that has legitimately earned their place in the Football League gives them tacit approval for the morally reprehensible and unsporting way they gained access to the FL. No amount of platitudes about how terrible what happened to Wimbledon FC was and how it must never happen again detracts from that.
With regards to an 'agreement entered into' by WWFC that Richie was on about, as far as I can remember the club never stated that Supporters Direct sanctioned BCD matches with Franchise. Maybe Richie can have a rummage through the correspondence with Supporters Direct he no doubt has access to at the club to help us out on that one?
I care very much about this match taking place. Terrible. And as @ReadingMarginalista says the Club once again think we are stupid, only reporting it after it has happened.
Considering the reactions (richie aside) on here the club might well have been reticent to publicise before the event @LX1 but I'm not sure how reporting it afterwards means they think we are stupid?
I may be wrong but it seems to me this is not the first time the Club have tried to bury controversial issues. Asking people at a fans forum what they thought about the Checkatrade vote, without advertising that would be discussed springs to mind.
The club would be wise to stay away from the franchise it was created by fucking over their own supporters so aside from being morally wrong to do any business with them I'm sure at the first opportunity those "gentlemen " in the Milton Keynes fuhrer bunker that "time" has somehow forgiven will jump at the chance to do the same to us No No No
Nope. I still can’t be bothered about a non-match
So for all of those knocking the friendly, here's a thought experiment... How would you feel if Gareth was to be offered and accept the MK Dons manager's job? I'd say its exactly the sort of club that might be after his services - downwardly mobile, in need of motivation, a step up but not a dramatic one, local. Plus there's the cache of appointing someone made famous by the original Dons. Sure, he might not touch it with a bargepole, but he's a pragmatic man in search of a higher-league challenge who isn't afraid to arrange a friendly against them. I could see it happening, one day. If it did, would it ruin his reputation among the more zero-tolerance fans? Or is it too horrible to even contemplate as a possibility?
are you Dev in disguise?
Im pleased Dan Scarr, Nathan Tyson, Sam Saunders etc played in this game as it will benefit us on the pitch over the next few games. Ok we don't like MK Dons but who really cares and Andrew Howard Im sure sanctioned this game so why not email him for his comments.
I'm glad Hitler was made Chancellor. He has boosted employment and created the best motorways in the World.
Definitely a useful and valid comparison.
So for all those supporting the "friendly" here's a another stupid scenari.. I mean thought experiment, let's say pirate Pete Winkleman had become our chairman all those years ago and decided to move the only league team in Bucks to the biggest town in Bucks would you have gone along with it? No But it makes sense, Ivor Beeks suggested it once and surely the FA would support the idea same county and all that, especially with a few favours here and there.
So MK wanderers run out in 2003, we could have kept the quarters (as a change strip) and bluey the cow, tempted yet? would you have gone along and jumped on the discounted bus that they put on for almost two seasons. Oh and every season they would have a Wycombe day 10% discount if you wear your old shirt they could even run a MK stars of the future soccer school on the rye. enough to be bothered about yet? no ah well even if you objected it was a long time ago time to move on .
So true Mr P
Richie, you're allowed your opinion but stop saying "who cares?" when this thread clearly shows that people do, even if you don't
Would be interesting to have a poll on here to see actually how many agree with Richie's love in with the franchise?
@Morris_Ital a valid argument and obviously the answer would be no. But carrying your experiment on we would all be supporting High Wycombe Town by now and hating MK wanderers with a passion, and I’m sure we would make that clear, as fans, when we played them.
The argument about Franchise football was lost (bribed?) on this case but it doesn’t mean it will in future.
Nothing anyone can do will ever restore things as they were/should be, which to me means that it is all about the fans and how they choose to engage (or not).
Where I differ from the majority on here is that as no fans were ‘invited’ in this instance I don’t see this as a game of football.
The weakness of some of my argument here though is that I’m implying being a fan is all about watching the games, so I’m not as sure of my position as I once was.
It would be interesting to take a consensual view from AFC Wimbledon fans as to whether we should or shouldn’t be playing behind doors friendlies against MK.
My other observation is that the players, management and board aren’t fans and probably didn’t even see this debate coming. I must admit I know nothing about any agreement not to deal with MK so it’s possible that we have breached the spirit of that, in which case we (or at least those on here that are genuinely upset) probably should express our concern in writing to the chair (or whoever)
Anyone who believes that undermining the integrity of the game and riding roughshod over fans' wishes is in the past and wouldn't happen again only has to look at the Checkatrade Trophy.
Those around at the time may remember Beeks casually suggesting that he might relocate WWFC to MK as attendances didn't meet his expectations. That wouldn't have come out of thin air, I reckon we were closer to being Koppel and Winkyman's victims than bears thinking about.
All the more reason that a football club owned and supposedly run by a supporters' organisation to oppose any action that gives any explicit or tacit approval to Franchise establishing a new club whilst pretending to be another club, that the owners of Franchise had deliberately driven into the ground.
@bookertease I'm glad you're able to take on my argument so often on here even when someone makes a valid point certain posters won't accept it.
Unfortunately for me but not for this argument I live and work closer to the franchise than most and their situation is shaky at best.
Their financial model was based on being far further up the pyramid than they are with matching attendances. The property development that led to its hatching has already matured and the sharks that made money from it are getting a little tired of the annoying cash drain so there's lots of talk from Winkleman of cutting cloth to suit ect.
Do I see a Rushdon and Diamonds type collapse, no but as the people in charge up there are morally corrupt who can say it would make a nice premiership rugby ground, as far as the mighty blues are concerned I believe wholeheartedly we need to stay clear because of the club we are.
Funny thing is I don't really like Wimbledon fans the last time we played them a significant number of them acted like complete bell ends hey ho that's morality for you.
I must admit it would be very funny to see them drop further down the pyramid.
As they won't go out of business now, it's been too many years, the best bet is probably that they stay 1 division above or below us.
So we don't have the same debate for months before we play them every year
Relatedly, here's a tremendous piece of satire from the guardians of our game:
https://www.efl.com/news/2017/september/efl-statement-afc-wimbledon/