Predictably there has been an outcry amongst certain supporters that the club have had the nerve to organise a pre-season friendly against MK Dons.
In some ways I understand this. What happened to Wimbledon was completely completely wrong. No-one involved in the decision either on the council or clubs side can come out with any credit. The council suck for not helping to find a suitable ground in Merton, whilst the club officials who were there at the time suck for not hanging about and waiting for what would be an inevitable change of heart.
They might have had to wait some time, yes. The fact that AFC Wimbledon play in the Borough of Kingston is testimony to that but eventually these things always seem to work themselves out. I could even criticise AFC for putting permanent roots down outside the borough of their name. Wasn't that originally the whole point?
Looking back through some of my old programmes, one of the more striking ones is the one against (ironically) Brighton and Hove Albion from the 82/83 season which in place of the usual picture of footballing action has an article headed 'WE WILL APPEAL'. In it the club details their frustrations with the local council for refusing them a planning application to re-develop Vicarage Road.
Fast forward 25 years and we are re-re-developing the ground.
Any-way the thrust of this isn't to slag off MkDonalds for moving. What is done is done now. The advent of a new stadium kills off any thoughts the current board could have ever had of turning round and heading back to South London (and given attendance's and performances there must have been at least one director who thought it). The advent of AFC also ensured the hearts and minds of those in Merton moved on. Rather than re-hashing the arguments lets just enjoy the prospect of the two eventually meeting in competitive football.
No, the point of this already lengthy article is the determination of some Watford fans never ever to travel to MkDons and some even more die hards, nay extremists, to actually try and get the fixture called off on moral grounds.
Now as I've already made clear I hate what happened to Wimbledon. It shouldn't be allowed.
However is this enough for me to vow to never ever set foot in the place? Or to ring the club demanding the game is cancelled?
On what grounds would this be? I don't like the way the club is run or what one of its old boards did? Or what about a simple 'actually I don't like them'. And I can say this of the team formerly known as Wimbledon.
Memories of Dave 'or is it Harry' Bassett, the FA Cup QF of 1988, and the opening day and Boxing Day games against them in the Premiership are enough to have them down as a club I wouldn't mind seeing relegated. Add in fake Watford men Vinnie Jones and Joe Kinnear and I think the case is closed.
But that isn't a reason to not go else there wouldn't be many grounds to visit at all.
Go on the 'I don't like the way the club is run' argument. Leeds, Man Utd and Notts Forest instantly spring to mind as clubs that would be off the list.
Problems with old boards. The lot up the road, Darlington, Brighton, Wrexham, Man City, Carlisle, Newcastle, Leeds (again), QPR, Charlton, Southampton, Swindon, Reading, Wrexham, Boston Utd, Oxford, Aston Villa and Arsenal spring to mind. And why, Arsenal. Well as already pointed out in the Watford Observer they are the other club to have done a Wimbledon, albeit back in 1913.
Finally clubs I don't like. The lot up the road (again), Leeds (again again), Millwall, Palace, Spurs, Arsenal (again), Chelsea and Sheff Utd.
So I'd have written myself out of visiting at least 24 grounds already. And I'm sure I could come up with plenty of others for plenty of reasons.
If I had taken the philosophy that the anti Franchise brigade take I'd have already missed some classic matches. Arsenal 1 Watford 3 FA Cup Q-Final in 1987 for example.
And that really is the crunch. Its very easy to say we won't go to MkDons whilst they are in League Two and we are just playing them in a pre-season friendly. Similarly it was also easy and novel to not go back in 2002/3 when the protests were in full flow. Going to AFC instead sounded fun and interesting.
However how many would be prepared to not go to an FA Cup 6th Round Replay against MK? Or the second leg of a playoff semi-final. Or to see Watford crowned champions. I'm sure there would be very few dissenters then.
I do hate MkDons. I don't like the idea of giving them money. But I don't really like the idea of giving any fellow club money. However the dilemma is giving them money and supporting my team, or not giving them money and missing out on helping to be the 12th man. I know which I'd rather do.
