AFC Wimbledon, also known as “The Dons” is a semi-professional club. They were formed when devoted fans were disappointed after Wimbledon FC was moved to Milton Keynes and was later reformed, becoming Milton Keynes Dons. Therefore, AFC Wimbledon was created by fans and the former Wimbledon football association members. This was known as a continuation of the former Wimbledon FC team. Despite this, The Dons were a newly created team, so they would have to start at the very bottom of the football league pyramid. In the Combined Counties League, this is 9 tiers below the Premier League!

Unbelievably, in 2009 AFC Wimbledon now find themselves in the Blue Square Premier (which is tier 5 on the English football pyramid), after a dazzling season. They reached this feat in some style by defeating St Albans City by 3 goals to nil at the Kingsmeadow stadium in Kingston-upon-Thames. Thousands flocked to the big crunch tie with a record number of 4,722 packing the small home ground. This sparked a fourth promotion in just 7 years in addition to their previous English record of 78 league matches in a row without a defeat. Quite a turnaround for a team which was only formed in 2002 by angry Wimbledon fans at the club’s decision to move to Milton Keynes. However, AFC Wimbledon will now find it a lot harder, as they will be locking horns with some of the bigger teams, whist facing the uphill task of attempting to be promoted into the English Professional Football League, which would be a truly remarkable feat for a club that started off so far down in the tiers.

The remarkable rise of AFC Wimbledon has shown no sign of slowing down as their momentum and confidence increases, and who knows how well they will do in the Blue Square Premier next season. The community of Kingston also has a new buzz going around as a local club is finally on its way up... to the very top.