The Wimbledon/Kingsmeadow shambles

[Sporting]

Copa Argentina games are often played at neutral arenas but what I don't know is whether these grounds are truly neutral or if one of the two teams is designated "home" status.

[ursus arctos]

Argentina does all kind of strange things and the Copa is especially subject to experimentation, but my understanding is that all matches at neutral sites have one team designated as the "home team" for purposes of kit selection and the like.

[Third rate Leszno]

One off situations I know, but due to the floods in 2005, Carlisle played home games at Workington and Morecambe (I think Gateshead was also proposed but didn't come to pass?). When Storm Desmond repeated the flooding in 2015, we played home games at Preston, Blackburn and Blackpool.

[Simon G]

Gloucester City have played at more home grounds then most. Since 2007 they've played at Meadow Park (Gloucester), FGR, Cirencester, Cheltenham and are currently at Evesham.

They also have a plan in place to play at Bath should their new ground (at Meadow Park) not be ready before football returns.

That really shouldn't be the case though as they appear to be making great progress even during lockdown.

[Southport Zeb]

One off situations I know, but due to the floods in 2005, Carlisle played home games at Workington and Morecambe (I think Gateshead was also proposed but didn't come to pass?). When Storm Desmond repeated the flooding in 2015, we played home games at Preston, Blackburn and Blackpool.

On a similar note, Gateshead were unable to play at the International Stadium for the latter part of the 2012-13 season. They played most of their "home" fixtures at Hartlepool, but also one game each at Blyth, York, Carlisle and Middlesbrough. The most unlikely venue was Boston, where a crowd of 227 watched a goalless draw with Newport.

[Gangster Octopus]

I saw our last game at Millmoor, but decided that a friend's wedding was rather more important than our last game at the Don Valley...

[E10 Rifle]

I think Brentford's new one's pretty much done. Would need the various safety tests and trial runs I'm guessing though.

[Ray de Galles]

In short, the road is now clear for our return to Plough Lane and the final construction contract has been signed. We are also able to announce a new minority shareholder, whose investment has filled in one of the last pieces of the fundraising jigsaw alongside the Seedrs crowdfunding and the Plough Lane Bond scheme. This means the stadium construction is on track and the DT remain the majority shareholder (over 75%) as currently.

Wimbledon resident Nick Robertson had always intended to help when the time was right and with investment from him – plus the extraordinary contribution our supporters have made - we are at last able to unlock the crucial crowdfunding and Bond money and sign the final construction contract.

"Without doubt, it’s thanks to our incredible fans that we’re in this position. The Seedrs crowdfunding and Plough Lane Bond were the game changers – but we still needed an extra push to complete the job," added Joe. “Nick always promised to help when we’d need it most. He’s been quietly coming to our games at Kingsmeadow for at least a couple of years and has totally embraced our story.

"He values what we value - not least the core principle that we are a fan-owned club and that's the way we want to stay. He will be taking a 10 per cent stake and invested on terms that leave the Dons Trust in control. That’s how all of us, including Nick, wants it to be. His shareholding will come from allocating some more of the shares that were approved but not used in the Seedrs issue.

[Ray de Galles]

This is a bit of a surprise. Not that anyone but the media (and club channels, I suppose) will use the sponsored name (nobody did at Kingsmeadow) and it is probably the least offensive "corporate" hook up possible ;

https://twitter.com/AFCWimbledon/status/1438503150332243972?s=20

[Hot Pepsi]

Who is on that label? Are they big?

[ursus arctos]

Reasonably so

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry...ry_Red_artists

[caja-dglh]

Big in the 80's/90's. There bigger selling records are more current, but of that oeuvre. Dead Kennedys, Everything But the Girl, Hawkwind...

[Furtho]

Cherry Red is a well-established indie record label with something of a track record in football-related sponsorship. Kingsmeadow was also known as the Cherry Red Records Stadium for a time.

[ursus arctos]

Hawkwind are largely unknown in the US, never having broken into the top 100 even in their prime

[Janik]

See Ray's point - officially known as. But not to it's friends.

Possible thread idea - the least used official stadium name. The Mike Ashley Zero Hour Horror Stadium @ St. James Park (or whatever) would be right up there. But even that has probably been uttered, albeit contemptuously, more than the "City Business Stadium" (stick it in google, and see what comes up... didn't know that, did you?).

[super furry dice]

Well I've got my first trip to the new Cherry Red on Saturday then. In the home end as the away allocation sold out, as I believe the home allocation has now as well.

[Sunderporinostesta]

See Ray's point - officially known as. But not to it's friends.

Possible thread idea - the least used official stadium name. The Mike Ashley Zero Hour Horror Stadium @ St. James Park (or whatever) would be right up there. But even that has probably been uttered, albeit contemptuously, more than the "City Business Stadium" (stick it in google, and see what comes up... didn't know that, did you?).

Oh The Sports Direct is in regular use with our lot. Itll never replace Syd James’s Park though. Just as well our former owners were clever enough not to lumber us with an easily alterable stadium name.

I think seeing us play Wimbledon at four different grounds will be some sort of record for me. Plus our two. Has that been done as a thread?

[DCI Harry Batt]

I think seeing us play Wimbledon at four different grounds will be some sort of record for me. Plus our two. Has that been done as a thread?

It should be. Also with a "how many different grounds have you seen your team play home games at?" angle.

It's Plough Lane, and always will be. Sponsor names are a terrible thing.

[Janik]

Coventry have also been through four different home stadiums in less than 20 years. And are actively planning a fifth. Someone might have seen their side take on Cov at all of those venues.

Edit - Barnsley for one have played Coventry at all four:
Highfield Road on 23rd Feb 2002
Ricoh Arena on 8 occasions - firstly on 17th Mar 2007, most recently on 15th Sept 2018
Sixfields on 19th August 2014
St Andrews on 18th April 2021

[Janik]

Of course, lockdown 3 was still in place in April so no-one should have been watching the game at St. Andrews in April, should they? (legally that is, but morally is also true!) So that actually doesn't work.

[Favourite Worst Nightmare]

Wimbledon have actually played at 5 different home stadiums since 1991, having played our opening four league games and an EFL trophy game at Loftus Road at the beginning of last season, so the list in full is:

Plough Lane (old)
Selhurst Park
Kingsmeadow
Loftus Road
Plough Lane (new)

Charlton will become the only team to have played us at all five later this season. Very few Dons fans will have seen us at all five, with the Loftus Road matches having taken place during lockdown.

[Ray de Galles]

Wimbledon played some "home" Intertoto games at other grounds too, no? The Goldstone Ground maybe?

[DCI Harry Batt]

The Goldstone was deffo one, for sure.

[Favourite Worst Nightmare]

Good point. Yes the Intertoto games were at the Goldstone Ground.

[Baptiste]

Coventry have also been through four different home stadiums in less than 20 years. And are actively planning a fifth. Someone might have seen their side take on Cov at all of those venues.

Edit - Barnsley for one have played Coventry at all four:
Highfield Road on 23rd Feb 2002
Ricoh Arena on 8 occasions - firstly on 17th Mar 2007, most recently on 15th Sept 2018
Sixfields on 19th August 2014
St Andrews on 18th April 2021

Yes, our last 4 meetings with Coventry have been at 4 different venues, all pre-lockdown. I only went to the two that were actually in Coventry.
They'll be quite a few who saw us play Chester at 3 different venues, but I was too young then.

Gateshead played at several venues in the same season the other year didn't they?