The real Dons

Want to know who the real Dons are? These guys... Roy Law, Les Brown, John Martin, Bobby Ardrey, Dave Willis, Mike Kelly. Why? Because they were part of Wimbledon's 1963 FA Amateur Cup winning side.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwyDcdJGnYs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_FA_Amateur_Cup_winners 

The Dons beat Sutton United that day at the old Wembley Stadium, with Eddie Reynolds scoring all four goals of a 4-2 victory with his head.

There are Wimbledon fans around who still remember that day and their shared history, along with that of the players, continues to exist at AFC Wimbledon. Indeed, the 1963 cup winners are being honoured at the home game against Bradford on 11th February. This from the official AFC Wimbledon website:

"Thursday 26 January 2012
club news
FA Amateur Cup winners’ reunion at Bradford game

We are pleased to announce that as part of the club’s involvement in True Volunteer Foundation’s (TVF) project celebrating the history of sport in Wimbledon, several members of the 1963 FA Amateur Cup winning team will be attending the game against Bradford on Saturday 11 February. 

We are looking forward to welcoming the following players to the Cherry Red Records Stadium:

Roy Law 
Les Brown 
John Martin
Bobby Ardrey
Dave Willis
Mike Kelly

Also joining them will be regular attendees from the 1973/4 era Dickie Guy, Ian Cooke and Tom McCready."

http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news.php?Psection_id=2&Psub_section_id=2&op=archive&monthID=0&yearID=2012 

So, what's all this got to do with Franchise FC? Nothing. That's the point. At AFC Wimbledon these guys are heroes, some of them still attend games and their achievements are recognised. If they were trotted out at Franchise, how many would know them, know what they achieved, or care? A handful of people, if any at all. And that's what makes them using the 'Dons' nickname in their club's nicked-name such a travesty. They claim it is to reflect their club's origins, but what a sham and a disgrace that is when they have given up all other pretences of a connection to Wimbledon. An ex-player like Roy Law could walk unrecognised and unappreciated through their crowd, pressbox and boardroom, without a soul either knowing or caring about what he and the others achieved.

If Franchise truly wanted to recognise its bastard birth from the ruins of Wimbledon FC, then it would be doing far more than clinging on to a nicked-name. For the sake of every Wimbledon fan and every ex-player who was proud to pull on a Wimbledon shirt, it's time Franchise dropped the 'Dons'.

In constant need of correction

I do wonder sometimes why it is that Franchise customers have to persist in repeating lies and misinformation that have long since been proved to be false? Do they think that by constantly repeating a lie enough times it will become the truth? It won't of course, particuarly when the things they are repeating are so easily disproved. Let's look at a few thrown up by the Wimbledon Guardian's 'Drop the Dons' campaign (http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/dropthedons/)

All these quotes are taken from this thread: http://www.thefootballforum.net/index.php?/topic/209232-drop-the-dons-campaign/

Coining a name 
"Regardless of whether Kris Stewart(who interesting first publically coined the phrase MK Dons)..."

Kris Stewart did not coin the phrase 'MK Dons', how could he when it had already been reserved as a domain name by Winkelman in 2000! This from Whois.com:

"Domain name:
mkdons.co.uk

Registrant:
Pete Winkelman

Trading as:
MK Dons FC

Registrant type:
Other UK Entity (e.g. clubs, associations, many universities)

Relevant dates:
Registered on: 23-Jun-2000
Renewal date: 23-Jun-2012
Last updated: 16-Jan-2012"

How can Kris Stewart 'coin' something in 2002 that Winkelman had already registered in 2000? He couldn't, obviously.

Put it in the Accord 
"If they wanted it changed they should have put it in to the accord."

This one keeps coming up and it is utter nonsense. The Accord was an agreement that took considerable negotiation to achieve, it wasn't simply thrust in front of Franchise for them to sign. The fact is that the Accord could never have included a guarantee of Franchise dropping the 'Dons' because any name change requires approval by the football authorities. Unless one was party to the negotiations one has no idea of what was or wasn't put on the table for discussion. And regardless of that, simply because it wasn't agreed then does not stop the 'Dons' name being an issue or being subject to later scrutiny, because there's also nothing in the Accord that says the signing parties have no objection to the name 'Dons'. The club has to be listed as that in the Accord because it was their legal trading name at the time, but its use in the Accord does not confirm its acceptability to those signing, just an acceptance of it as the trading name at the time. If the company name had been 'Milton Keynes Cat-herders' would Franchise customers now be claiming that signing the Accord marked approval of that as their name? Absurd, of course, but that's the point.

What the Accord did say, as I've pointed out before, is this: "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." A clear indication that the signing parties support the club developing its NEW identity, not clinging on to an old one associated with Wimbledon. And don't forget the Accord also said this:

"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."

Again, a clear indication that the signing parties did not get everything they wanted and that things may change again in the future.

The clincher... If Franchise wanted an acceptance from others that they should remain using the 'Dons' nickname in their club's nicked name, then they should have put that in the Accord, right? Right.

Trading names 
"The fact that many of them saw (and some still do) the moniker Dons "as a permanent reminder of the shameful way we came to be" was always their philosophy and that seems to have backfired somewhat when they've realised the commercial implications of their being two Dons in the football league. That's all this is about underneath all the emotive bluster."

This one really takes the biscuit for delusional. There is no way you can trademark 'Dons' in this capacity when it's used as a nickname by so many clubs (Aberdeen, Hendon, Wimbledon). It's entirely about the offence caused to Wimbledon fans having to hear 'Dons' associated with a franchise in Milton Keynes. It makes the blood of many Wimbledon fans boil - it is a constant and needless reminder of having the club stolen away from us in 2002. Why would a Franchise customer find that so hard to understand that they concoct this nonsense about non-existent commercial implications?

Embarrassment 
"They seem to think we're embarrassed about our Wimbledon past when nothing could be further from the truth."

We don't think they're embarrassed. We think they SHOULD be embarrassed. The fact that some of them are not and revel in flaunting our nicked-name in front of us at every opportunity is what is really embarrassing. But some people have no shame.

Commission recommendations
"The FA recommended we retain the former identity of Wimbledon FC and MK Dons FC does just that."

What a horrendous re-writing of history that is! The Commission recommended the retaining of a large number of things, none of which were done and all of which were signed away by the Accord. Retaining one lousy nicked-name isn't 'retaining the identity of Wimbledon FC'. Need reminding of just how big a travesty it is to claim 'Dons' in that light? Here's what the Commission actually said:

"113. These measures would cover, in no particular order, and without being
prescriptive, (and these are essentially matters for the Football League rather than
ourselves) matters relating to:

* Continuity of:
· Club name and nickname
· Club logo
· Club colours
· Club playing strip and other merchandise
· Players
· Staff
· Shareholders
· Directors
· Academy
· Community schemes
· Club website(s)
· Club shop in Wimbledon;
* Subsidised/free travel to matches between Wimbledon and Milton Keynes (we
are told that trains can be chartered by the Club: the journey time is
approximately one hour); 

* Discounted tickets for existing fans at the new stadium in Milton Keynes;
* A ticket outlet in Merton;
* Continued communication with existing fans;
* Local press (Merton) coverage of WFC and its results; 
* Promotional material regarding maintenance of identity as WFC;
* Club museum at the new stadium in Milton Keynes;
* Stadium branding at the new stadium in Milton Keynes; and
* Re-naming of local areas/streets in Milton Keynes to associate with WFC.
 

114. We consider these measures vital to ensuring WFC’s identity and they should
be agreed to and put in place as soon as possible. The Football League will then be
able to monitor and approve the process of maintaining links."

And anyone is meant to accept that putting a nicked-name in the team name somehow satisfies all those expectations? Laughable.

The inaccuracies, lies and misinformation just keep on coming from the Franchise customers, getting worse all the time. And for what? To cling on to the absurd-sounding 'Dons' in their team name. Perhaps they really do deserve to be branded with it for life. It would serve many of them right for coming up with this sort of stuff.

Who wants to be a city?

A question that Franchise customers should be pondering - because you can bet Winkelman is - is what sort of a city has a football club named after an entirely different town? Milton Keynes will have, if it is successful in its bid for city status as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations this year. You know, the Queen who officially opened the stadium that Franchise play at.

With the pressure building from the Wimbledon area for Franchise to drop the Dons and with MK becoming increasingly desperate to achieve city status - and not forgetting Winkelman's close ties with MK council who submit the city status bid - the head of steam building for the name change is growing. Seriously, what sort of city has its main sporting team having a nickname in it that enrages many of the residents of another town? That's about as un-city-like behaviour as you can think of - and that will matter to both MK council and Winkelman, even if it doesn't to Franchise customers. There are plenty of candidates for city status and MK doesn't need any negative publicity holding it back from being granted it.

So, the small number of Franchise internet warriors loudly proclaiming they'll never let it happen or that they'll quit Franchise in protest, need to be aware that they are utterly irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Protest all they like (and we are literally talking about less than 50 people here and there are tens of thousands more in MK who either don't care or would prefer the club renamed), it won't make the smallest bit of difference in the end. As I've pointed out before, their only choice is whether they want to be a part of creating a better future for all concerned by mounting their own campaign or whether they want to cling on to the past and another town's football club's nickname.

Winkelman is the only one who can change the name, but who's he going to listen to - a few dozen moaning Franchise customers or the council he still has huge amounts of business dealings with? We all know the answer to that one. It's probably time Milton Keynes' growth was recognised by officially becoming a city, so it can stop pretending it is one, and it's certainly time that Franchise grew up and stopped pretending it has anything to do with Wimbledon. The Franchise customers will continue to splutter their protests, but they know we're right and they know they have no way to stop Winkelman either. Tear up as many season tickets as you like, there are far more potential customers out there who will come to watch 'MK City' than will ever come to watch Franchise FC - and that bottom line is all that counts to those with the power to change things.

Customer illogicality in a nutshell

I was going to do an update about the impossibly illogical and inconsistent positions Franchise customers take in their desperate attempts to avoid dropping the 'Dons', but someone has beaten me to it with a succinct and hilarious post:

http://www.concreteroundabout.co.uk/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=48073#p48073

On the one hand the Franchise customers want dropping the 'Dons' to be a big deal and of huge importance to them, but on the other they want changing from Wimbledon to 'Milton Keynes Dons' to NOT have mattered.

Any sane person studying those facts can only come to one conclusion - if the name didn't matter enough to them in 2004, then it sure as hell isn't important enough now to justify continuing to annoy Wimbledon fans with it. This is why they are guaranteed to lose on this matter - because they simply cannot have things both ways. The smarter among them have realised it, but they will all have to face up to it eventually. Drop the Dons.

Reminders of progress

Perhaps it's time I reminded the Franchise customers that read this blog (and for the entertainment of everyone else) of a little history:

What Wimbledon fans said: "It's not Wimbledon FC any more it's a Milton Keynes team. They'll change the name to reflect that soon enough."
What Franchise customers said at first: "It's Wimbledon FC, we're keeping the name, the MKSA voted 15-0 against a name change."
What happened: Winkelman changed the name in 2004.

What Wimbledon fans said: "You're not Wimbledon and you look damn stupid singing 'Womble Army'."
What Franchise customers said at first: "We'll sing it because we're Wimbledon and because it annoys you."
What happened: They now sing 'MK Army'.

What Wimbledon fans said: "You've got no right to Wimbledon's honours, you should give them back."
What Franchise customers said at first: "We're the same club that won the 1988 FA Cup, we'll never give them back."
What happened: The 2006 Accord returned the honours, including the FA Cup replica, to Merton.

What Wimbledon fans said: "You're a new club, you're not a continuation of Wimbledon FC."
What Franchise customers said at first: "We're the 'legal continuation' of Wimbledon FC."
What happened: The 2006 Accord acknowledged Franchise was a new club, started in 2004.

Are you sensing a pattern here?

What Wimbledon fans said: "Drop the Dons."
What Franchise customers said at first: "We'll never drop the Dons."
What happened: ...?

It's going to happen. The only choice Franchise customers have to make, is whether they want to be part of doing the right thing or whether they want to dig their heels in, try to spite Wimbledon fans... and then lose anyway.

Ask yourself this Franchise customers... Do you really want this 'Dons' business coming up EVERY time you're in the news? Do you really want it coming up EVERY major anniversary of the Commission? Because it's going to. The momentum is building, the change is going to come and the only choice you've got to make is whether to progress and be part of that change for good or whether you want to be part of yet another inevitable defeat. You can't change history, but you can change the future. Drop the Dons.

A customer prepared to face reality?

It's not often I read something from a Franchise customer and give it a nod of respect, but that rare event has happened today. For once it is a post from someone prepared to face the actual reality of Franchise FC, instead of desperately trying to defend anything and everything simply out of some knee-jerk need to never accept they did anything wrong. Here's a link:

http://www.concreteroundabout.co.uk/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3492&p=47542#p47542

Forget the praise for AFC Wimbledon, what matters there is the acceptance of reality. What we usually get is blank denial and this mantra about 'not our fault', 'we didn't do it' or 'go blame Hammam' and so on. But here we have someone prepared to face up to the choice they made, rather than deny that they had one.

This is why Franchise should drop the 'Dons' - out of respect for Wimbledon fans and what we went through. We were the ones who had to re-form our club and come back from nothing to earn a Football League place the right way, while Franchise customers just turned up to watch a team still masquerading under our club's nickname. It's time to end the farce, it's time Franchise stopped trying to spite Wimbledon fans - it's time to drop the 'Dons'.

Winkelman apologises... but not for killing Wimbledon FC

After yesterday's fiasco of the postponed Franchise match against Carlisle in Milton Keynes, Winkelman went on the radio to make a grovelling apology to all concerned. It's 30 minutes in on the recording at this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019f2c7/606_14_01_2012/

Now I don't give a damn about a Franchise match being postponed or the reasons for it, but how is it that Winkelman is prepared to make such a grovelling apology to Carlisle fans for their wasted trip and expense of going to MK, but in 10 years he has never once had the decency to apologise to Wimbledon fans for poaching our football team, trying to make us travel hundreds of miles each week to see our team and causing so much heartache to the fans, plus the financial expense of rebuilding our club from scratch? Where is our apology for his part in destroying Wimbledon FC? When you know what he did and how he has never answered for it or apologised for it, it makes his cringeing, obsequious grovelling yesterday seem all the more insincere and worthless. Apologise all you like for your incompetent stadium management Winkelman, but the Wimbledon fans you really owe an apology to are still waiting.