h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have a spade in hand and my hatchet seems to be out in the back garden somewhere.

I had very mixed feelings on Tuesday night for a couple of reasons.

I moved away from London over 20 years ago and now live much closer to MK than to Kingsmeadow. In fact I work in Stevenage and have friends who are Stevenage fans. Did I want Stevenage to win to support friends and have a local team going forward, or did I want "that" game to happen?

Actually, although the club line is that the potential AFC v MK clash is one that should never be happening and that we would treat it like any other game (yeah, right!), there were some of us who were looking forward to the prospect. For my part, it is a game that I have been looking forward to for some time. (Actually, I think that it would need to have happened at MK. Kingsmeadow would be too small to accommodate everybody who wants to go).

Why look forward to it? Well the game will happen one day, so let's get on with it. My beef is with the FA. The "not in the wider interests of football" statement was a bit like waving a red rag at a bull.

The result would be less important than handing the FA a fixture to stick in their pipes to smoke.

I have never yet encountered anyone who moved their football following 60 miles north. Are you the first?

The worst thing about MK is NOT the football team. It's Ikea!

Robin.

Hi Robin

Apology accepted.

Andy



p.s. Could be worse, I suppose, could be the Dublin Dons! The fans of Wimbledon FC had no control over what was happening with the club, and, while I've always hated that 'franchise' thingy, for a period of time that was exactly what the club was, especially in the hands of the Norwegian contingent. Merton BC seemed to have washed their hands of the matter- if what was reported can be believed- and the ground share wasn't a long term viable option.

The move to MK was a complete surprise, and it was pretty apparent early on that the Wimbledon name would disappear, but I think Pete Winkellman has done a fantastic job, built a good team and the stadium is state of the art, and the club has built a solid fanbase of local people too, so they aren't still cashing in on old Wimbledon supporters.

I think the 'Dons' part of the name reminds people of the history of the club, albeit a very short history. It does piss me off that people still think the club should never have been allowed Wimbledon's place in the league, but with Merton BC and the FA's interference and hard line approach there was little else for the club to have done other than have gone out of existence.

Like you, I'm originally from the South- Leatherhead, in fact- and moved to Warwickshire at the end of '88. So, not too far from MK. My 'local' teams are either Coventry City or Nuneaton Town, can you guess which one I've seen play more often?? Oh, and have you seen the Ikea in Coventry?? On the ring-road?? In the middle of the city????? Bonkers.

I see AFC got through their game last night, so I reckon you're all set for a scorching game down there. Perhaps an AFC -Mk tie would have been a bit incendiary, past history and bad feeling would have overshadowed whatever might have happened on the pitch ( 11-10 to AFC aet, penalties not needed )

Anyhoo- rant over. Thanks for the message, hope I don't come over like some opinionated eejit, but it's just the way I see things.

Have a good weekend.

Andy