Cod Almighty | Diary

"Get over it"? Never

21 August 2018

Today's diary has been written by Ray Armfield, an AFC Wimbledon supporter.

Hard to believe it's been over 10 years since some of your number made the incredible gesture of foregoing a Wembley final featuring the Mariners to visit AFC Wimbledon instead. It will always be fondly remembered. Many of your best-selling (in these parts anyway) ‘Never forgive Never forget’ t-shirts were sported, handshakes exchanged and ales supped. Sadly, there was no joy to be had at Wembley as Dean Lewington and the rest of the cast of Village of the Damned gurned in front of the cameras, whilst the Dons managed to lose 4-2 at home to Horsham.

But hey, you can’t let a hiccup spoil things. Three years later, we'd swapped the rollerball of the Ryman League for the Conference play-off final. Wimbledon’s football club got its Football League place back and then two years ago came the satisfying night when they were put to the sword at Kingsmeadow.

The Franchise support that night had to be seen to be believed. Bussed in under 'bubble' match arrangements usually reserved for Millwall v Leeds games, their "firm" – well, I say firm, perhaps a Limited Liability Partnership would be more accurate for the accountants among you - decided on a grand, noisy entrance into the stadium, accompanied by arch-pied piper Pete Winkelman. But it ended up looking more like Sesame Street than Green Street. Then of course came last season where the old faithful chant of "Dons are staying up and the Franchise going down" was given plenty of airtime during our last few games.

Grimsby of course know what it's like to recapture a Football League place the legitimate way. On the pitch, rather than by bundling it into the back of a van and driving it 50 miles up the motorway. So when you defeated Forest Green Vegan Sandal Meat Is Murder Rovers to regain your's in 2016, I was delighted for you. Back in the 92 – or should I say 91 – and with a few new, interesting places to visit. And Milton Keynes.

So, should you be going tonight? Well, as Peter Cook once said, portraying a High Court Judge in the brilliant piece of satire screened on The Secret Policeman’s Ball, that is "entirely a matter for you". Personally, I’ve never set foot in stadium:MK, nor will I ever. Plenty of AFC Wimbledon fans have of course, on the four occasions we've played up there, including my own son - a Dons' season ticket holder since the age of 4 - who has been twice and managed to witness our two defeats there. Naturally, a 'discussion' was had about that, but there you go.

"Get over it" is what you’ll hear tonight from any home fans you have to the misfortune to meet, among much spoon-fed ignorance. Take a bingo card and tick off the following phrases: "They abandoned their club"; "We're the real Dons"; and the classic "We 'saved' Wimbledon". Yes, of course you fucking did. By carpet-bagging it to Buckinghamshire and then quickly changing the name, badge and colours.

Go get the three points tonight Mariners. And may your god go with you.

Tonight's game will be streamed live. As we understand it, none of the proceeds from sales of match passes to the streaming sold through the Grimsby Town site will go to MK Dons.