The play-off thread

[Duncan Gardner]

The play-off thread

Ray de Galles wrote: Because AFC Wimbledon are absolutely the same club as Wimbledon FC, they just regenerated like The Doctor

Hear hear. Does that make you Catherine Tate?

[Ray de Galles]

The play-off thread

I was hoping for more Russel T. Davies but that's purely based on the Welsh thing.

[Ray de Galles]

The play-off thread

Mumpo wrote: And it's definitely the right time to let Akinfenwa go. I could understand if his motivation for taking the penalty was because it'd be his last kick in AFCW colours but shamefully it was more to do with with being able to exhibit his logo in front of the cameras. Don't need that.

Aw, come on, I think that's very harsh. It's obvious (and he's admitted) that he wanted to take it to complete "his story" with the club. While it's clear there was a whole lot of self-promotion wrapped up with it I'll forgive him that for everything he's done over his time at Wimbledon.

Releasing him does make practical sense, there's no way a club should expend their largest individual wage (which I presume he receives) on an impact substitute. Though I get the impression Ardley would clearly still like him to stay if a suitable deal can be cut but maybe events have overtaken the possibility of that happening. As the cliche goes, no player is bigger than the club...even Akinfenwa.

If he does go, as looks almost certain now, it will be with the support's love and appreciation for a Dons legend. His importance in the last two seasons can't be over-stated on or off the pitch.

Personally I haven't loved watching a player so much since Nathan Blake or Robert Earnshaw and I think everyone must understand what it means to be bracketed with those two icons of the game.

I hope he stays away from D3 though, it will be horrible to see him rumble off the opposition bench at Kingsmeadow.

[Guy Profumo]

The play-off thread

Ray de Galles wrote: Also, commiserations to you, Greenlander. I think you're right that your lot just didn't turn up but your support was largely magnificent. Strange how the three teams who have had the majority of the support over the play-off finals have all lost.

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Congratulations to the plucky underdogs of AFCW, Barnsley, and Hull against the mighty Argyle, Millwall, and, er, Wednesday there then!

[JM Footzee]

The play-off thread

Diving back to the Championship play-off final, how is it that Keiren Westwood is not a Premier League keeper? He's superb every time I watch him.

I can just about get him being edged by Simon Mignolet for his first two years at Sunderland (2011-13) but quite how he lost a battle with Vito Mannone is beyond me. Surely he should be Ireland number one now too?

PS: Second tangent. That being said, everyone raved about David Marshall during his single season in the Premier League, but no suggestion anyone fancied prising him from South Wales once Cardiff went down.

[longeared]

The play-off thread

I don't know why Ireland don't pick him, but I've read some mutterings that he doesn't get on with Martin O'Neill. I'm mildly concerned that some mid - lower Premier League club (West Brom, Middlesbrough, even Hull who enquired last year) might now try to sign him after that performance.

[Ray de Galles]

The play-off thread

JM Footzee wrote:

PS: Second tangent. That being said, everyone raved about David Marshall during his single season in the Premier League, but no suggestion anyone fancied prising him from South Wales once Cardiff went down.

He's been very strongly linked with Everton and WBA in recent seasons but I think Tan United were trying to keep him and have a go at going back up. Now their parachute payments have dwindled to next to nothing I'm sure he'll be part of a fire sale.

[Thierry Ennui]

The play-off thread

longeared wrote: I don't know why Ireland don't pick him, but I've read some mutterings that he doesn't get on with Martin O'Neill. I'm mildly concerned that some mid - lower Premier League club (West Brom, Middlesbrough, even Hull who enquired last year) might now try to sign him after that performance.

He's a very, very good goalkeeper - easily the best Ireland have - but I can sympathise with O'Neill because Westwood constantly gets niggly injuries and he's sick of him pulling out of international games. It's probably also the reason he isn't in the Premier League.

[DCI Harry Batt]

The play-off thread

Kevchenkeau wrote: Sorry if this post is at all upsetting - the rise of AFCW through the leagues from the ashes is a fantastic achievement and a lesson to everyone. I'm just rambling a bit about the here-and-now.

Zero upset here

Ramble part 1:

What does one define as "back" here, i.e. what is the 'end point' of WFC? WFC played the 2003-04 season in Milton Keynes and were relegated to the third tier, so you could say that they are now "back" to where they were when WFC ceased to exist.

Or are WFC deemed by AFCW to have ceased to exist before then, since AFCW were established in 2002, so the Championship would be "back"?

We are Wimbledon. When we filled in the form to register with the London FA, in May 2002, there was a box for "year founded", and we wrote "1889" in it.

So yeah, back is back where we were when our league place was stolen from us in May 2002.

Ramble part 2:

Am I alone now, though, in kind of not really noticing any metaphorical halo above the head of AFCW?

What I mean is, WFC were a team I really didn't like. Norwich had a poor record against them in the old Division One and in the Premier League, and with the likes of Vinnie Jones and Dennis Wise around I knew we'd lose and get a bit of a kicking for our troubles when we came up against them.

So is it "ok" to think of AFCW as 'just another FC' now? Can I dislike them a bit because in order to go up they kept Cambridge out of the playoffs?

Is it ok to bear past grudges I might have had against WFC against AFCW? Or do the grudges have to start fresh?

We are Wimbledon. So yes, please hate us for Vinny.

[ad hoc]

The play-off thread

I love you for what you represent (AFCW I mean, not you specifically Kris), but hate you for Dennis Wise.

[ad hoc]

The play-off thread

Though it does seem possible that before long Pepe will have snatched the title of world's most cunty footballer

[super furry dice]

The play-off thread

very little to add to what greenlander has already said but here goes...

we were dreadful but that's been in-keeping with much of what i've seen since we won at carlisle (save for a mighty first half at portsmouth in the play-off semi first leg). the needless, continual lumping it forward in the hope our forwards would get enough on it and get it into a dangerous place, was food and drink to the dons defence - it couldn't have been easier for them. wimbledon were the better in the areas that mattered most and deserved the win. in truth, they've also been a better side than us since the turn of the year as well, so i think regardless of league placings, the better side went up on that count to.

true, i had a nagging feeling from the day that carey scored our equaliser at cambridge that it might be the dons year - that it happened the day mk dons got relegated just made it seem even more likely it would happen, and even if we had turned up as a team, i doubt we'd have stopped the juggernaut of fate.

well done though, its some journey as a club and i was proud of those among our support who held the 'back to plough lane' placards up as the teams came out and when the national anthem was played. i was also proud that most around me ignored that national anthem as well and as they should - it wasn't an england game was it? is there no escaping authorities lust for ramming nationalism down our throats everywhere we go?

i do share greenlanders sympathy for those younger than myself who've endured a decade of shite with argyle and who were so obviously upset at it continuing yesterday. but i also feel for them for not seeing argyle play at old wembley (let alone win there). it was my first time inside it and to my surpise, its even worse inside than out. sure there's a reasonable view and the facilities are loads better than the chronic lack of them before. but that's about it. i'm no lover of the emirates but its far classier inside and out, and the millenium stadium is better on pretty much ever level as well. foster and bates' folly is as charmless and ugly as modern english professional football itself, i can wait to go back.

aside from that, i'll also rant about argyle. our old etonian chairman seems intent to run us on an etonies business model - put as much of your labour as possible on short-term contracts that offer no security, supplement with subsidised labour aka loan signings, and hope it that it some how produces results - and that isn't going to bring even moderate success to the club. we're nothing until he goes, and we could sure do with learning from the wimbledon model.

still good luck to wimbledon next season.

[Ray de Galles]

The play-off thread

Oh christ, I'd forgotten Plymouth confirmed Wimbledon's play-off place with that late goal at Cambridge. Ouch!

[DCI Harry Batt]

The play-off thread

I do agree that Wembley is shit.

[Kevin S]

The play-off thread

Cheers for the responses Ray and Kris. Ad hoc nailed what I was thinking in a much less rambling way!

[Snake Plissken]

The play-off thread

Ray de Galles wrote: As the cliche goes, no player is bigger than the club...even Akinfenwa.

To be fair to him, he's given it a go.

[Ray de Galles]

The play-off thread

Mumpo wrote: And it's definitely the right time to let Akinfenwa go. I could understand if his motivation for taking the penalty was because it'd be his last kick in AFCW colours...

Grabbing the ball off Callum Kennedy (who was the designated taker, I presume) is less forgivable with today's news that he too has been released. Both players must have known it would be his last touch for the club too.

It did stem my Paul Bodin related fear of left backs and crucial penalties though.

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