Football history - The Wimbledon/MKD Accord

[Malcolm Clarke]

Tonight is a historic day. It's fantastic to see Wimbledon playing back in Wimbledon for the first time in nearly 30 years, and 18 years after their club was stolen from them and taken to Milton Keynes. The fans did an amazing job in starting their new phoenix club, AFC Wimbledon, and taking it all the way up the pyramid and eventually back into a Football League in a memorable play-off final.

It led to one of the achievements I'm most proud of in my work in the FSF (as was). We had big problems. MKD supporters wanted to join the FSF. Some of our members said over their proverbial dead bodies. Others felt they should be allowed just like any other group. A lot of away fans boycotted going to MKD ( I did myself when Stoke played there) which obviously wasn't doing MKD FC any good. MKD FC held all the history of Wimbledon FC, including the replica FA cup given to cup winners, other trophies and all the historical records, which the Wimbledon fans obviously wanted back. The Football Foundation wouldn't give MKD FC any grants because they said the club had already had them - because legally it was the same club as Wimbledon FC.

So, I realised everyone had something to gain if we could sort something out, despite so many people telling me it would be harder than sorting out the middle east !. So I started a process to try, and eventually after many stumbles along the way all parties met at a legal chambers in London to spend a long, hard day negotiating the terms of an agreement, known as the "Accord". We succeeded !

And so it came to pass that sometime later I was on the pitch at MKD where the Mayor of MKD handed over the "patrimony" to me ( as we called the history and replica cup). It was loaded into white vans and we set off in convoy down the M1 to Merton, where I handed it over to the Mayor of Merton in Wimbledon Library. A memorable day.

For those interested, the Accord is below

1.This accord covers issues arising from the decision which allowed the former Wimbledon FC's team owners to move the club from Wimbledon to Milton Keynes.

2. The accord shall be initialled by each of the parties. Final approval and adoption of the accord by each of the parties shall be certified by letter sent to the chief executive of the Football Association at the registered office of the FA at 25 Soho Square, London, W1D 4FA. The accord shall automatically lapse if each of the parties has not so certified acceptance of the accord by a date two calendar months from the date it is initialled. The final date for receipt of certification shall be Monday 2 October 2006.

3. Each of the persons initialling the accord shall recommend its final acceptance and approval by the organisation/undertaking which they represent and shall commit themselves to use their best endeavours to secure such final acceptance and approval.

4.The accord shall come into full force and effect upon receipt by the chief executive of the FA of recorded delivery letters from:
The Football Supporters Federation (FSF)
Milton Keynes Dons Football Club (MKDFC)
Milton Keynes Dons Supporters' Association (MKDSA)
Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association (WISA)

5. All parties recognise that AFC Wimbledon was established by supporters of the former Wimbledon FC following the decision to allow that club to move to Milton Keynes.

6. All parties recognise and genuinely regret the hurt which was caused to supporters of the former Wimbledon FC by the move to Milton Keynes.

7. In recognition of the history and traditions of Wimbledon FC which were all earned during the former club's time in the London Borough of Merton, MKDFC will donate by appropriate legal mechanism to the London Borough of Merton, for permanent public display in that borough, all the physical patrimony of the former club acquired prior to the move to Milton Keynes which it owns and which is currently in its possession. MKDFC further believes that any such patrimony which should be in its ownership but which is currently in the possession or custody of former club owners, the administrator or former club employees should be similarly donated to the London Borough of Merton.

8. Such permanent display and archive shall be based at a publicly accessible location within the London Borough of Merton.

9. MKDFC shall also assign unencumbered ownership of all Wimbledon FC related trademarks and website domain names which it owns to the London Borough of Merton. MKDFC shall present no objection to the Football League or its contractors to any Wimbledon FC related web domain name being transferred unencumbered to the London Borough of Merton.

10. The London Borough of Merton shall be permitted under the terms of the instrument to licence the administration and maintenance of the permanent display of the physical patrimony to any agency or undertaking it deems appropriate within the London Borough of Merton. However this clause shall not prohibit the short-term loan to other organisations for use on specific occasions.

11. MKDFC will facilitate the quickest possible transfer of all such physical patrimony and records, whilst maintaining those records which company law and/or the football authorities require it to maintain. Wherever possible in this context MKDFC will take certified copies of such document and surrender the originals for display or archiving by the London Borough of Merton. In any event, the final transfer of all physical patrimony and records shall take place no later than three calendar months after this accord has come into full force and effect.

12. Annex A to this accord is a list produced by MKDFC of all physical patrimony relating to the former Wimbledon FC which it currently holds and which is subject to this agreement. MKDFC hereby declares that this list includes all such materials in its possession.

13. Once the transfer of all physical patrimony and records has been agreed and implemented WISA and the FSF will withdraw any and all objections, and any existing policies which support such objections, to other professional football clubs playing MKDFC in pre-season friendly fixtures. WISA and the FSF shall also similarly withdraw their policies of calling for supporters of other clubs to boycott attendance as away supporters at MKDFC home fixtures in all competitions and friendly matches.

14. Furthermore the FSF will undertake to process any application from MKDSA, the Trust in MK Dons and other MKD supporters groups for affiliation in the normal way.

15. WISA and the FSF will not object to applications for funding by MKDFC to the Football Foundation or other bodies which should be assessed against the same criteria as any other club.

16. The FSF and WISA confirm that they do not expect MKDFC to implement the recommendations of the FA Appeal Commission relating to maintaining links with South London, and would support moves by the club to develop its identity as a new club within Milton Keynes.

17. In promoting the approval and acceptance of this accord all parties to it accept that there is no solution which will completely satisfy all concerned and that all parties have made some compromises to achieve this position which represents the best way forward in all the circumstances.

18. Accordingly, the initialling parties to the accord recommend its final approval and adoption.

[crouchpotato1]

Malcolm we didn’t play MK Dons🤔we played Wimbledon in Milton Keynes at that god awful hockey stadium

[Malcolm Clarke]

Nov 3, 2020 21:36:22 GMT crouchpotato1 said:

Malcolm we didn’t play MK Dons🤔we played Wimbledon in Milton Keynes at that god awful hockey stadium

Yes, my mistake, they didn’t change the name until 2004 I think. It’s the “Dons” part of the name which still rankles with the Wimbledon fans

[samwidge]

AFC Wimbledon are a credit to the league. They have gained there place back the hard way and the correct way. I've got a real soft spot for them after what had happened to there club and the disgraceful way that allowed Milton Keynes to aquire a place, more than half way up the league pyramid.
If Milton Keynes Don's had done what AFC Wimbledon have done, I think nobody would begrudge them there status. But the way they went about it stinks. I wish them nothing but bad luck. Horrible club.
Great to see Wimbledon doing well again and back at plough Lane.

[walrus]

There’s an interesting article that was published a few days ago on the always excellent Athletic about the almost-move of Wimbledon to Dublin a few years before the MK move.

I would advise any football fan to pay for a subscription. It’s currently £1 a month and the antithesis of the shite football journalism that is so often slated on here.

[lordb]

The MK Dons owner, whose name escapes me, is on record as stating he regrets what they did.
He's from the music business, just didn't understand what he was doing was wrong whereas now I think he does.
Could have simply bought MK City (who still exist) and got them through the pyramid.

[davejohnno1]

Nov 3, 2020 22:47:20 GMT lordb said:

The MK Dons owner, whose name escapes me, is on record as stating he regrets what they did.
He's from the music business, just didn't understand what he was doing was wrong whereas now I think he does.
Could have simply bought MK City (who still exist) and got them through the pyramid.

Winkleman! Peter not Claudia

[Malcolm Clarke]

Nov 3, 2020 22:47:20 GMT lordb said:

The MK Dons owner, whose name escapes me, is on record as stating he regrets what they did.
He's from the music business, just didn't understand what he was doing was wrong whereas now I think he does.
Could have simply bought MK City (who still exist) and got them through the pyramid.

Pete Winkleman. And what you say is correct. I have always found him to be very personable and on a personal level very difficult to dislike. Even to this day he speaks in very complimentary terms about our role in securing the Accord.

[Deleted]

Nov 3, 2020 22:47:20 GMT lordb said:

The MK Dons owner, whose name escapes me, is on record as stating he regrets what they did.
He's from the music business, just didn't understand what he was doing was wrong whereas now I think he does.
Could have simply bought MK City (who still exist) and got them through the pyramid.

I think I read similar before the first league meeting between MK and Wimbledon. It's all very sad really. I think if he could've had the experience of owning a club, and therefore coming to understand just how pivotal a football club is to a local community, then he would never have been instrumental in doing what he did to the original Wimbledon. Maybe if he could go back in time he would a) keep wimbledon in wimbledon but help to reinvigorate the club or b) buy MK City and help them to progress through the pyramid.

I still dislike the guy immensely but if he is truly remorseful then I think it's forgivable. Hopefully the law has been changed to ensure something like this can never happen again, but if it hasn't, then I guess a chance at true redemption for Pete Winkleman might arise if he becomes a prominent voice in the fight against something like this happening again, despite the cries of hypocrisy that would be thrown his way.

[Somebody_Told_Me]

Great chant from Wimbledon fans.

"Where were you when you were us!"

[lordb]

Nov 3, 2020 23:04:17 GMT @stokiepmre89 said:

Nov 3, 2020 22:47:20 GMT lordb said:

The MK Dons owner, whose name escapes me, is on record as stating he regrets what they did.
He's from the music business, just didn't understand what he was doing was wrong whereas now I think he does.
Could have simply bought MK City (who still exist) and got them through the pyramid.

I think I read similar before the first league meeting between MK and Wimbledon. It's all very sad really. I think if he could've had the experience of owning a club, and therefore coming to understand just how pivotal a football club is to a local community, then he would never have been instrumental in doing what he did to the original Wimbledon. Maybe if he could go back in time he would a) keep wimbledon in wimbledon but help to reinvigorate the club or b) buy MK City and help them to progress through the pyramid.

I still dislike the guy immensely but if he is truly remorseful then I think it's forgivable. Hopefully the law has been changed to ensure something like this can never happen again, but if it hasn't, then I guess a chance at true redemption for Pete Winkleman might arise if he becomes a prominent voice in the fight against something like this happening again, despite the cries of hypocrisy that would be thrown his way.

Interesting that no one else has followed this path.

[stevetheboater]

Nov 3, 2020 21:57:31 GMT Malcolm Clarke said:

It’s the “Dons” part of the name which still rankles with the Wimbledon fans

I do think the one thing they could and should do is to drop Dons from the name. Until that goes I will think of what happened literally every time I see them mentioned.

[leicspotter]

Nov 3, 2020 20:51:02 GMT Malcolm Clarke said:

Tonight is a historic day. It's fantastic to see Wimbledon playing back in Wimbledon for the first time in nearly 30 years, and 18 years after their club was stolen from them and taken to Milton Keynes. The fans did an amazing job in starting their new phoenix club, AFC Wimbledon, and taking it all the way up the pyramid and eventually back into a Football League in a memorable play-off final.

It led to one of the achievements I'm most proud of in my work in the FSF (as was). We had big problems. MKD supporters wanted to join the FSF. Some of our members said over their proverbial dead bodies. Others felt they should be allowed just like any other group. A lot of away fans boycotted going to MKD ( I did myself when Stoke played there) which obviously wasn't doing MKD FC any good. MKD FC held all the history of Wimbledon FC, including the replica FA cup given to cup winners, other trophies and all the historical records, which the Wimbledon fans obviously wanted back. The Football Foundation wouldn't give MKD FC any grants because they said the club had already had them - because legally it was the same club as Wimbledon FC.

So, I realised everyone had something to gain if we could sort something out, despite so many people telling me it would be harder than sorting out the middle east !. So I started a process to try, and eventually after many stumbles along the way all parties met at a legal chambers in London to spend a long, hard day negotiating the terms of an agreement, known as the "Accord". We succeeded !

And so it came to pass that sometime later I was on the pitch at MKD where the Mayor of MKD handed over the "patrimony" to me ( as we called the history and replica cup). It was loaded into white vans and we set off in convoy down the M1 to Merton, where I handed it over to the Mayor of Merton in Wimbledon Library. A memorable day.

For those interested, the Accord is below

1.This accord covers issues arising from the decision which allowed the former Wimbledon FC's team owners to move the club from Wimbledon to Milton Keynes.

2. The accord shall be initialled by each of the parties. Final approval and adoption of the accord by each of the parties shall be certified by letter sent to the chief executive of the Football Association at the registered office of the FA at 25 Soho Square, London, W1D 4FA. The accord shall automatically lapse if each of the parties has not so certified acceptance of the accord by a date two calendar months from the date it is initialled. The final date for receipt of certification shall be Monday 2 October 2006.

3. Each of the persons initialling the accord shall recommend its final acceptance and approval by the organisation/undertaking which they represent and shall commit themselves to use their best endeavours to secure such final acceptance and approval.

4.The accord shall come into full force and effect upon receipt by the chief executive of the FA of recorded delivery letters from:
The Football Supporters Federation (FSF)
Milton Keynes Dons Football Club (MKDFC)
Milton Keynes Dons Supporters' Association (MKDSA)
Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association (WISA)

5. All parties recognise that AFC Wimbledon was established by supporters of the former Wimbledon FC following the decision to allow that club to move to Milton Keynes.

6. All parties recognise and genuinely regret the hurt which was caused to supporters of the former Wimbledon FC by the move to Milton Keynes.

7. In recognition of the history and traditions of Wimbledon FC which were all earned during the former club's time in the London Borough of Merton, MKDFC will donate by appropriate legal mechanism to the London Borough of Merton, for permanent public display in that borough, all the physical patrimony of the former club acquired prior to the move to Milton Keynes which it owns and which is currently in its possession. MKDFC further believes that any such patrimony which should be in its ownership but which is currently in the possession or custody of former club owners, the administrator or former club employees should be similarly donated to the London Borough of Merton.

8. Such permanent display and archive shall be based at a publicly accessible location within the London Borough of Merton.

9. MKDFC shall also assign unencumbered ownership of all Wimbledon FC related trademarks and website domain names which it owns to the London Borough of Merton. MKDFC shall present no objection to the Football League or its contractors to any Wimbledon FC related web domain name being transferred unencumbered to the London Borough of Merton.

10. The London Borough of Merton shall be permitted under the terms of the instrument to licence the administration and maintenance of the permanent display of the physical patrimony to any agency or undertaking it deems appropriate within the London Borough of Merton. However this clause shall not prohibit the short-term loan to other organisations for use on specific occasions.

11. MKDFC will facilitate the quickest possible transfer of all such physical patrimony and records, whilst maintaining those records which company law and/or the football authorities require it to maintain. Wherever possible in this context MKDFC will take certified copies of such document and surrender the originals for display or archiving by the London Borough of Merton. In any event, the final transfer of all physical patrimony and records shall take place no later than three calendar months after this accord has come into full force and effect.

12. Annex A to this accord is a list produced by MKDFC of all physical patrimony relating to the former Wimbledon FC which it currently holds and which is subject to this agreement. MKDFC hereby declares that this list includes all such materials in its possession.

13. Once the transfer of all physical patrimony and records has been agreed and implemented WISA and the FSF will withdraw any and all objections, and any existing policies which support such objections, to other professional football clubs playing MKDFC in pre-season friendly fixtures. WISA and the FSF shall also similarly withdraw their policies of calling for supporters of other clubs to boycott attendance as away supporters at MKDFC home fixtures in all competitions and friendly matches.

14. Furthermore the FSF will undertake to process any application from MKDSA, the Trust in MK Dons and other MKD supporters groups for affiliation in the normal way.

15. WISA and the FSF will not object to applications for funding by MKDFC to the Football Foundation or other bodies which should be assessed against the same criteria as any other club.

16. The FSF and WISA confirm that they do not expect MKDFC to implement the recommendations of the FA Appeal Commission relating to maintaining links with South London, and would support moves by the club to develop its identity as a new club within Milton Keynes.

17. In promoting the approval and acceptance of this accord all parties to it accept that there is no solution which will completely satisfy all concerned and that all parties have made some compromises to achieve this position which represents the best way forward in all the circumstances.

18. Accordingly, the initialling parties to the accord recommend its final approval and adoption.

Forget the Middle East, you've got N Ireland, Brexit and the US election to sort...get on with it!

[Malcolm Clarke]

Nov 4, 2020 8:33:36 GMT stevetheboater said:

Nov 3, 2020 21:57:31 GMT Malcolm Clarke said:

It’s the “Dons” part of the name which still rankles with the Wimbledon fans

I do think the one thing they could and should do is to drop Dons from the name. Until that goes I will think of what happened literally every time I see them mentioned.

It was a major bone of contention in the negotiations. I hope I'm not revealing more than I should on a public forum, but I don't think PW himself was too concerned to keep the 'Dons' bit. But his supporters were. I remember once joking with him that his problem was that he listened to his supporters And there was a guy who was the Wimbledon Club Secretary who had stuck with the Club when it moved to MKD who was adamant that they must keep the Dons bit, which made it difficult for PW to agree to drop it.

But that was then, and this is now, and I suspect that now the name has become established they would be highly unlikely to agree to ditch it. In fact, a couple of years ago when they played away at Wimbledon they lodged a formal complaint with the EFL because AFCW wouldn't use the word 'Dons' on the match programme or scoreboard, just "MK" and I think AFCW were charged by the League. I don't remember seeing any outcome of that charge and I'm not sure what happened about it. Maybe its been quietly dropped.

[Malcolm Clarke]

Nov 4, 2020 8:14:31 GMT lordb said:

Nov 3, 2020 23:04:17 GMT @stokiepmre89 said:

I think I read similar before the first league meeting between MK and Wimbledon. It's all very sad really. I think if he could've had the experience of owning a club, and therefore coming to understand just how pivotal a football club is to a local community, then he would never have been instrumental in doing what he did to the original Wimbledon. Maybe if he could go back in time he would a) keep wimbledon in wimbledon but help to reinvigorate the club or b) buy MK City and help them to progress through the pyramid.

I still dislike the guy immensely but if he is truly remorseful then I think it's forgivable. Hopefully the law has been changed to ensure something like this can never happen again, but if it hasn't, then I guess a chance at true redemption for Pete Winkleman might arise if he becomes a prominent voice in the fight against something like this happening again, despite the cries of hypocrisy that would be thrown his way.

Interesting that no one else has followed this path.

The bizarre thing about it was that the Football League (as was) refused to allow the move and the Club appealed to the FA. An FA Appeal Commission of just three people allowed it by 2 votes to 1 - so it was just two people who took that fateful decision. I sat on an FA Committee with the late Alan Turvey who was always keen to make sure I knew it was he who voted against.

[Malcolm Clarke]

One significant thing about the new ground is that it is in the Borough of Merton (back in Plough Lane in fact). MKD FC were not willing to allow the patrimony, including the replica FA Cup, to be given to AFCW, I think because of all the bad blood which was around. You will see that Clause 10 says that the Council can only display it in Merton, which ruled out Kingston where AFCW had their ground, but can allow another agency or organisation to display it. There is therefore now nothing to stop it being displayed in the new ground, if that is what the Council and the Club want to do. I think it is still displayed in the local library.

[stevetheboater]

Nov 4, 2020 11:07:01 GMT Malcolm Clarke said:

One significant thing about the new ground is that it is in the Borough of Merton (back in Plough Lane in fact). MKD FC were not willing to allow the patrimony, including the replica FA Cup, to be given to AFCW, I think because of all the bad blood which was around. You will see that Clause 10 says that the Council can only display it in Merton, which ruled out Kingston where AFCW had their ground, but can allow another agency or organisation to display it. There is therefore now nothing to stop it being displayed in the new ground, if that is what the Council and the Club want to do. I think it is still displayed in the local library.

I like that detail of the settlement. The history belongs to the people of Merton and if they choose to display it in Plough Lane, that shows what the new club (and it is a new club, which presumably is why it still has a different name) means to them. If that relationship were to change for some reason, it would still belong to the people.

[Dutchpeter]

As I mentioned in another thread Clydebank FC were ‘body snatched’ by Airdrieonians, and hopefully will be back in the Scottish League in the near future.