The other point to add is that whatever happens, Winkleman will keep the profitable bits around the ground that he owns the land for (restaurants, IKEA, Asda, hotel).
Any sale would just be for the massively loss making club and stadium, which would make it even more difficult to find a buyer for.
Brilliant! Like getting to the end of a delightful meal and the waiter bringing you a bottle of 30 year old Dalwhinnie special reserve and saying ‘on the house’. Perfect
Wasps should never have sold their original ground in Sudbury, which they owned. It needed a lot of money spending on it to upgrade the old wooden stands and other facilities, but would have ensured financial stability.
Crowds of sub-6,000 at QPR made for a soulless atmosphere, and attendances at Adams Park went up by about 50%, helped by some English and European title successes despite operating on a shoestring.
When Derek Richardson bought out the club from Steve Hayes, he wanted to play in a ground where the club kept all the receipts from match day hospitality, food & drink etc,, one of the reasons for taking advantage of Coventry City FC's absence from what was then called the Ricoh.
But on the very few occasions I attended home matches there, the matchday experience was terrible - long queues for the few beer outlets, no decent food, and worse queues to get out afterwards than Hillbottom Road. But the bottom line was that taking a 250 year lease on a 32,000 seat stadium, 80 miles away from the main supporter base, was never going to be sustainable.
Whatever happens in the future at WWFC, the Trust must ensure they never, ever, sell the ground.
Just occurred to me that there's a non-zero chance that last year's 4 league one playoff contenders will all be playing in different leagues next year. I wonder if anything like that has ever happened?
Last season, I was at the roundabout at the bottom of Hillbottom and there was a group of Franchisees waiting to cross. Naturally, I stopped and let them go…we had just defeated them 1-0, so I was feeling in a generous mood. Anyway, one of them thanked me by calling me a cu**.
Enjoy relegation fella, wherever you are (presumably not South London).
@therabbittest it's a good spot. Black Cats obviously the long punt...
@Shev I decided to delve. Obviously it could only happen if a promoted team (from the play-offs) from the previous year went on to be promoted to the PL (and then the slightly less unlikely elements also fall into place...). This part has only happened once in the last 30 years. Teams have gone L1 to PL but Southampton, Norwich and Watford all got auto promotion. In our ‘great escape’ season, Man City went up via the play-offs, beating Gillingham, and then to the PL the following season (tick). Preston and Wigan were the other play off teams that year. The following year Preston were promoted (tick), Wigan stayed in L1 (Tick), but Gillingham beat them in the play off final, so the relegation element wasn’t fulfilled.
There was a similar article circulated earlier on in the season, as well run as they might be compared to some the simple facts are they have huge crowds for this division and the owner has put a lot of money in himself. Not easily replicated.
For me, the most significant thing about MK’s relegation is the proof that, despite so many setbacks, we enjoyed another good season. A year ago MK finished 3rd in the table and gave us a hell of a battle in the playoffs, now they have gone down and we finished 9th.
MK are an abomination. They stole a football club.
Their owner is an utter cnut. Just look at last season's semi-final.
Their vision to be a top tier club was flawed and arrogant beyond belief.
When people say you should never wish harm on another club, I don't, I have nothing but goodwill for AFC Wimbledon. This lot on the other hand are pirates and charlatans. The videos of their 'fans' going into the semi-final last season wearing all other shirts goes to show what they are.
If they go bust I will dance a little dance. Their fans will forget them within days and will find another club to support pretty quickly.
Dorking Wanderers are an example of how it is possible to get up the football pyramid very quickly. Been twice this season as live locally, seems a really friendly club too.
I still don’t understand how the people behind MK Dons can justify to themselves what they did to Wimbledon rather than follow a similar approach.
Apparently, in an effort to recoup the lost revenue because of relegation, the owner is re-launching his Michael Bolton tribute act. On tour soon at a venue near you.
Whilst we talk about Wimbledon being the victims, let’s not forget MK City FC who also suffered at the hands of Winkleman (in the view of Bob Flight, their chairman at the time of them folding).
This new generation of Franchise fans…it’s not their fault, they possibly support their local side, but it’s a wonder why MKCFC weren’t more successful. Did the previous generation just not bother? Was it because they were a non-league side whereas Franchise stole a place in the 92?
however, well done to Newport Pagnell, who have reached the FA vase final for the second year in succession. They take on Ascot in an alternative Berks and Bucks final at Wembley Sunday week.
Comments
The other point to add is that whatever happens, Winkleman will keep the profitable bits around the ground that he owns the land for (restaurants, IKEA, Asda, hotel).
Any sale would just be for the massively loss making club and stadium, which would make it even more difficult to find a buyer for.
This is a great day for football. I hope they go bust and their stadium falls down.
To my shame I went to their ground for the away leg of the playoff semi for the first time. I still feel dirty for doing so.
As did I but I was cleansed by the angelic voices of our supporters as I strode from the ground.
We could certainly target schools in the Aylesbury area next season, the drive from there to Wycombe is much more pleasant than the drive to MK.
This
Brilliant! Like getting to the end of a delightful meal and the waiter bringing you a bottle of 30 year old Dalwhinnie special reserve and saying ‘on the house’. Perfect
@railwaysteve and @railwaybeth - just needs a bit of Status Quo for the 'encore'....
https://twitter.com/bencrutchleyy/status/1655219870907215874?s=20
”League Two, you sold us Premiership football!”
Good call, I added that :)
The move to Coventry was, in my view, a vanity project which was always doomed to fail
The move to QPR was, in my view, a vanity project which was always doomed to fail
The move to Wycombe was, in my view, a vanity project which was always doomed to fail
MK Don more like MK Down
You're not far wrong, on all three of those.
Wasps should never have sold their original ground in Sudbury, which they owned. It needed a lot of money spending on it to upgrade the old wooden stands and other facilities, but would have ensured financial stability.
Crowds of sub-6,000 at QPR made for a soulless atmosphere, and attendances at Adams Park went up by about 50%, helped by some English and European title successes despite operating on a shoestring.
When Derek Richardson bought out the club from Steve Hayes, he wanted to play in a ground where the club kept all the receipts from match day hospitality, food & drink etc,, one of the reasons for taking advantage of Coventry City FC's absence from what was then called the Ricoh.
But on the very few occasions I attended home matches there, the matchday experience was terrible - long queues for the few beer outlets, no decent food, and worse queues to get out afterwards than Hillbottom Road. But the bottom line was that taking a 250 year lease on a 32,000 seat stadium, 80 miles away from the main supporter base, was never going to be sustainable.
Whatever happens in the future at WWFC, the Trust must ensure they never, ever, sell the ground.
Just occurred to me that there's a non-zero chance that last year's 4 league one playoff contenders will all be playing in different leagues next year. I wonder if anything like that has ever happened?
Last season, I was at the roundabout at the bottom of Hillbottom and there was a group of Franchisees waiting to cross. Naturally, I stopped and let them go…we had just defeated them 1-0, so I was feeling in a generous mood. Anyway, one of them thanked me by calling me a cu**.
Enjoy relegation fella, wherever you are (presumably not South London).
That would surely be unique!
Respect for Dorking Wanderers.
https://twitter.com/DorkingWDRS/status/1655458003145900034?t=aXT3CG280QEU0-uz_lBJdg&s=19
@therabbittest it's a good spot. Black Cats obviously the long punt...
@Shev I decided to delve. Obviously it could only happen if a promoted team (from the play-offs) from the previous year went on to be promoted to the PL (and then the slightly less unlikely elements also fall into place...). This part has only happened once in the last 30 years. Teams have gone L1 to PL but Southampton, Norwich and Watford all got auto promotion. In our ‘great escape’ season, Man City went up via the play-offs, beating Gillingham, and then to the PL the following season (tick). Preston and Wigan were the other play off teams that year. The following year Preston were promoted (tick), Wigan stayed in L1 (Tick), but Gillingham beat them in the play off final, so the relegation element wasn’t fulfilled.
Great detective work @LeedsBlue!
I suppose the concept could also work from the Chanpo, with a promotion, relegation and double relegation?
Here's an interesting article about how Plymouth Argyle won the league by doing things differently. Some lessons for WW here?
Plymouth Argyle: Promoted League One club on the rise after abandoning 'the football way' - BBC Sport
There was a similar article circulated earlier on in the season, as well run as they might be compared to some the simple facts are they have huge crowds for this division and the owner has put a lot of money in himself. Not easily replicated.
Not a great comparison, with an average attendance of over 15,000 a game.
For me, the most significant thing about MK’s relegation is the proof that, despite so many setbacks, we enjoyed another good season. A year ago MK finished 3rd in the table and gave us a hell of a battle in the playoffs, now they have gone down and we finished 9th.
MK are an abomination. They stole a football club.
Their owner is an utter cnut. Just look at last season's semi-final.
Their vision to be a top tier club was flawed and arrogant beyond belief.
When people say you should never wish harm on another club, I don't, I have nothing but goodwill for AFC Wimbledon. This lot on the other hand are pirates and charlatans. The videos of their 'fans' going into the semi-final last season wearing all other shirts goes to show what they are.
If they go bust I will dance a little dance. Their fans will forget them within days and will find another club to support pretty quickly.
Dorking Wanderers are an example of how it is possible to get up the football pyramid very quickly. Been twice this season as live locally, seems a really friendly club too.
I still don’t understand how the people behind MK Dons can justify to themselves what they did to Wimbledon rather than follow a similar approach.
Apparently, in an effort to recoup the lost revenue because of relegation, the owner is re-launching his Michael Bolton tribute act. On tour soon at a venue near you.
Whilst we talk about Wimbledon being the victims, let’s not forget MK City FC who also suffered at the hands of Winkleman (in the view of Bob Flight, their chairman at the time of them folding).
This new generation of Franchise fans…it’s not their fault, they possibly support their local side, but it’s a wonder why MKCFC weren’t more successful. Did the previous generation just not bother? Was it because they were a non-league side whereas Franchise stole a place in the 92?
I was thinking LOTR wormtongue tribute
I would suggest because of the latter
however, well done to Newport Pagnell, who have reached the FA vase final for the second year in succession. They take on Ascot in an alternative Berks and Bucks final at Wembley Sunday week.
They sacked their manager today after their relegation,LOL!!