June 2002

Three-year sponsorship deal for Leagues newest Club.

Sports Interactive, developer of the hugely popular Championship Manager football management games, has announced a six-figure, three-year shirt sponsorship deal with AFC Wimbledon which will see the SI logo displayed on both the home and away kits.

AFC Wimbledon was formed just six weeks ago by fans disillusioned at the Football Leagues decision to ratify Wimbledon FCs move to Milton Keynes. The club has already been accepted into the Combined Counties League and has agreed a ground-share deal with Kingstonian.

Championship Manager holds the record for the UKs fastest-selling PC game ever and has sold over three million copies worldwide since its original release. Championship Manager 4 is currently in development.

Miles Jacobson, MD, Sports Interactive said: "There are a lot of parallels between Sports Interactive and AFC Wimbledon, which is why we're so keen to support the team. As the developer of Championship Manager, we have an interest in all things football - but it is the sport as a whole that should support the boys here. AFC Wimbledon have shown that because of football the community will pull together at times like these - a sure sign this remains the people's game. If the players work as hard on pitch as the club have done off it's going to be a phenomenal first season. We wish them all the success for this and the next three years and are very excited to be part of it."

Ivor Heller, Commercial Director, AFC Wimbledon added: The support this club has received since its inception has been incredible and this sponsorship deal with Sports Interactive caps it all. Things are really coming together here now, and with matters sorted off the pitch, we're looking forward to rewarding our supporters with a successful first year in the Combined Counties League.

REBEL DONS STEP ON THE LEAGUE LADDER

Happier days at Plough Lane

Rebel Wimbledon fans can start to dream of supporting a team from their own borough after their breakaway club was elected to the Combined Counties League.

AFC Wimbledon, formed by supporters who oppose the Nationwide First Division club's projected move to Milton Keynes, were last week refused entry to the Ryman League Division Two but can win promotion to Ryman One by winning the Combined Counties.

The fledgling club, owned by the Dons Trust with Lord Faulkner as chairman, will play at Kingstonian's Kingsmeadow ground next season with ex-Don player Terry Eames as director of football.

They will hope to emulate the achievements of Wimbledon, who rose from the Southern League in 1977 to reach the old First Division in 1986 and win the FA Cup two years later.

However, the club has been dogged by its failure to find a home of its own since leaving Plough Lane over a decade ago.

Chairman Charles Koppel has fought a long battle to relocate the club outside London and was finally given the go-ahead by an FA-backed independent commission last month.

But diehard Dons fans want the club to move back to the London borough of Merton and have promised to boycott matches next season.

Why We Want An Away Fans Boycott!
19:14, June 17, 2002

The next stage in the fight against the franchising of football to Milton Keynes has begun with WISA campaigning for away fans from all clubs to boycott travelling to see Wimbledon FC's games.

In the last few weeks, fans have been concentrating their efforts on the formation of a new club in the Wimbledon area for the former supporters of Wimbledon Football Club. Called AFC Wimbledon it will hopefully play in the Ryman Second Division from the start of this coming season having already agreed a ground share with Kingstonian FC and appointed Terry Eames as manager.

However WISA today confirmed that it has no intention of simply ignoring the pathetic decision by the Football Association to allow Wimbledon FC to play its 'home' matches in Milton Keynes. WISA will continue the fight by urging all fans to take part in a nationwide boycott of attending the home matches of the Frankenstein WFC in Milton Keynes. Already this campaign has received widespread support from fans across the country that want to show their opposition to the dangerous precedent of allowing Wimbledon FC to play in Milton Keynes.

What WISA ask is that you refuse to attend ANY football match involving WFC Ltd and you can do this in any number of ways. If your team is playing Wimbledon FC - wherever they play next season or beyond - you could organise a football match with some of our supporters, or come and down and watch AFC Wimbledon at Kingstonian in Kingston, South London (details to be announced on www.afcwimbledon.co.uk) - we could have a little Fans United every week! - or demonstrate your opposition in another way that keeps money away from Charles Koppel and his imitation WFC. Money is what drove this to happen and money is what will make it succeed. Remember, just as WISA warned all along, if this franchise works it could be your club next. The report of the FA Commission advocates the extension of football into areas in this manner.

At FTT Wimbledon we totally support this campaign and would urge you to tell fans of our Nationwide Division One clubs not to attend Wimbledon FC matches. I know that supporters are always exciting by the prospect of ticking off another 'new' away ground but the reality is that we the fans of football must stand up to the money men who are increasingly controlling our game in the only way they understand by hitting their pockets.

To find out more information on how you can help the fight to keep football for the fans visit the Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association at www.wisa.org.uk or e-mail at: volunteer@wisa.org.uk

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