Anyone remember this place?

[Scrumpy]

http://www.premierfootballbooks.co.uk/images/wimbledon_plough_lane.jpg




I was flicking through some old programmes today (as the rain fell from the sky on a typical wet June afternoon). I came across a simple folded A4 sheet in blue. Wimbledon v Fulham, West London Cup, 15th May 1984. The Dons team included Dave Beasant and Nigel Winterburn.

Anyone else at that one? It was a pretty meaningless end of season friendly but was bloody hilarious. I started off in the Away End, had a brief, but lively, sojourn in the Wimbledon End, and finished off back in the Away End. It seems a million miles away from the sanitised Premier League we find ourselves in now, but it was still rather good fun (as an 18 year old, anyway). There could not have been more than 3000 at the match, but it was more fun than some matches at Old Trafford in front of 75k. Happy days!!

[Chesh]

If this was the one I remember, it was when the Dons were on the up, and we were obviously going the other way. I was down the side, as this must have oddly been the designated away end that day, and we lost 2-0 I think.

Anyway, at the time Wimbledon had a little firm known as 'the system', and it is the one and only time I've ever seen them against Fulham, as they came chasing past me obviously in pursuit of some Fulham who had tried once again to take berties in their end.

I know it was a different story a few years earlier, but I always remembered this strange little episode, and would be amazed if many others were even aware of it, unless they were the ones being chased down the side!

:005:

[SouthfieldWhite]

I remember even a good few years before the West London cup, Wimbledon use to play Tooting and mitcham in the Lanes cup, and once Wimbledon got too big for Tooting, they started the West London cup v Fulham ( although they should of called it the South West London cup)
If memory serves me right we played them a couple of years running, both at Plough lane, I was at both and think Fulham had more fans there than Wimbledon

They did have a little firm and a few went to my school, their 'top boy' also played in my Sunday football team

We got followed down Haydons road after one of the West London cup games by some of their wannabe hooligans

I use to go Wimbledon quite a lot when ever Fulham didn't have a game and away fans always tried to take the home end and most succeded

[Supermitch]

I missed that one although was at the same fixture the following year (14 May 85) when we won 2-1.  Wayne Kerrins and John Marshall the scorers.   Think that was yet another game at Plough Lane watched from several sides of the ground.

Seems a very long way from the world we now live in.

[SouthfieldWhite]

It's a real shame Wimbledon went the way they did, I wasn't a big fan of their style of play as they rose up the leagues, but was a good little club

I don't live far from their old ground at Plough Lane and go past it quite regularly , sad to see its all flats now as I met my wife at the nightclub ( Nelsons) at the back of the main stand and even played the odd game for Wimbledon away supporters who had a team in a Sunday league

[Lighthouse]

I was at a West London Cup thing . Only thing I can remember is we lost and I stood at one end with a mate and his son who were Dons fans. We then went to a club, telly in the corner and a few beers and I walked back to the station. 84 sounds about right. But I just remember feeling really tired on the train home. Pointless game all round.

[Two Ton Ted]

When I see those flats at Plough Lane I still find it unbelievable that Sam Hamman got away with moving the club from there as he said they couldn't rebuild as the site was too small.

That housing estate is twice the size of the old ground, and Hamman's actions ultimately led to the death of Wimbledon FC. Still ,he made £20m out of it?

[Captain Peacock]

Yeah I used to go a few times when FFC weren't palying at least they were a 'proper' club!

[Gozorich]

When I see those flats at Plough Lane I still find it unbelievable that Sam Hamman got away with moving the club from there as he said they couldn't rebuild as the site was too small.

That housing estate is twice the size of the old ground, and Hamman's actions ultimately led to the death of Wimbledon FC. Still ,he made £20m out of it?

I was on the Local Council at the time and I remember that Hamman and before him, Noiades, tried to force the Council who owned the land to give it to them for free. The Council would have done so if either had agreed to the rider that the land could only ever be used for football. They refused and threatened to walk away unless they got Plough Lane for free unconditionally.

The Council called their bluff. The rest is ...

[Gozorich]

... pressed the wrong button... should have been Noades.

[LBNo11]

...I made the odd trip to Plough Lane back in the late 60's and early 70's, not many memories stand out other than one of the games was against Dover and their kit was black & white hoops - including the socks! Apart from that was standing on the station platform where they had that stuffed dog in a glass case. I also have brief memories of their 'firm' trying it on at the station too, not sure what the occasion was now, but I think an enraged butterfly frightened them off.

With that said I still think what happened to them was a disgrace, but in a way AFC Wimbledon came from it and have a good following and what must have been an amazing journey as a fan - but had Wimbledon stayed at Plough Lane back then, with the crowds they got, they may have gone bankrupt a long time ago...

[The Bronsons]

I was at a game at Plough Lane too in the 80s, though no idea what the occasion was. I remember being in the home end for a laugh and a bit of abuse and silliness before we were marched up to the away end for the second half.

Like LBNo11 I think they've come out of it all pretty well. They have their own club now and look pretty secure, whereas even at their height they were a couple of steps from dying. And they got their FA Cup back. West Ham still have hold of ours.  bang head

[Holders]

I only went there once, it was when Wimbledon were in the old Southern League and it was the London 5-a-sides, I think. An interesting, traditional old ground. Les Strong was plaing in what was a Fulham reserve team and I got his autograph before he made the first team.

I was no fan of Wimbledon's style of play but felt for their loyal fans when their team was moved to the Midlands. I still think that AFC Wimbledon should really have been called Real Wimbledon!

[HillingdonFFC]

Only saw us play there once,we lost 1-0 ? Alan Cork scored, it was a hot sunny day early in 85-86 season I think?. My old man went the season before when we played them midweek, loads of Fulham there and a bit of bother by all accounts. Best memories of them for me was going to Selhurst with nearly half the 15,000 crowd roaring us on, still one of my favourite away days.

[The Doctor]

Never went to Plough Lane, but grew up nearby and would often pass it on the way to/from Fulham games and so consider it part of the footballing landscape of my youth

Apart from that was standing on the station platform where they had that stuffed dog in a glass case.

This I do remember...was on Platforms 7/8 if memory serves.  Must have been there up until the mid-90s.  A champion Greyhound wasn't it - had something to do with the dog track if I remember rightly?

[Supermitch]

Only saw us play there once,we lost 1-0 ? Alan Cork scored, it was a hot sunny day early in 85-86 season I think?. My old man went the season before when we played them midweek, loads of Fulham there and a bit of bother by all accounts. Best memories of them for me was going to Selhurst with nearly half the 15,000 crowd roaring us on, still one of my favourite away days.

You think correctly: 1985-86 was a 1-0 defeat with Cork scoring.  It was 12 Oct 85, attendance 5953

[Two Ton Ted]

Never went to Plough Lane, but grew up nearby and would often pass it on the way to/from Fulham games and so consider it part of the footballing landscape of my youth

Apart from that was standing on the station platform where they had that stuffed dog in a glass case.

This I do remember...was on Platforms 7/8 if memory serves.  Must have been there up until the mid-90s.  A champion Greyhound wasn't it - had something to do with the dog track if I remember rightly?

It wasn't a greyhound, but it was a big dog (breed uncertain) who collected money for the BR Orphan's home in Woking, and was stuffed and presented to platform 7/8 to continue collecting after his death. Sadly it disappeared during the BR sell off and I believe is now at the Childrens Home itself.

[Two Ton Ted]

I was on the Local Council at the time and I remember that Hamman and before him, Noiades, tried to force the Council who owned the land to give it to them for free. The Council would have done so if either had agreed to the rider that the land could only ever be used for football. They refused and threatened to walk away unless they got Plough Lane for free unconditionally.

The Council called their bluff. The rest is ...

I was living in Merton during the late 80's & 90's and remember that's exactly how it was, but both Noades & Hamman tried to make out it was all the councils fault for being greedy. How ironic both men made money out of the sale of Plough Lane & The club to the Norweigians leaving the club itself with no assets.

[bog]

If anyone has read Jimmy Greaves' excellent autobiography they will know that when he first got married he took one of those flats at Plough Lane. He also claimed that one of the terms of his rent was to weed the terraces! I suspect this to be poetic licence for the book, but if true then the hottest goal scoring prospect of his day (and one of the best ever) was regularly down on his knees pulling up flowering dandelions. And they try to say that the game has moved on to the benefit of the players....

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[SouthfieldWhite]

Never went to Plough Lane, but grew up nearby and would often pass it on the way to/from Fulham games and so consider it part of the footballing landscape of my youth

Apart from that was standing on the station platform where they had that stuffed dog in a glass case.

This I do remember...was on Platforms 7/8 if memory serves.  Must have been there up until the mid-90s.  A champion Greyhound wasn't it - had something to do with the dog track if I remember rightly?

It wasn't a greyhound, but it was a big dog (breed uncertain) who collected money for the BR Orphan's home in Woking, and was stuffed and presented to platform 7/8 to continue collecting after his death. Sadly it disappeared during the BR sell off and I believe is now at the Childrens Home itself.

I remember the stuffed dog in a class case well on the platform, and as quoted think it collected money for an orphans home

It was a Airedale terrier and was called laddie I think, my uncle use to work on the railways and as a youngster he took me to a lot of places on trains

Apparently the dog is no in the national railways museum up in York, if we ever draw York in the cup I think I will have to make a visit

Going back to plough lane, my old football manager was the press officer there and once or twice he took me in the press box and met all the players after, Dario Gadi was manager back then and remember him being a top bloke, also got to play on the pitch as Wimbledon FC hosted our leagues annual 5 a side tournament

Good few year later, in the nightclub nelsons, I was knocking off Andy sayers girlfriend who went on to play for Fulham