First things first, we shouldn't be on an International break. We shouldn't even have the OPTION of being on a break, but even though we do have it we ought to have passed it up in my opinion. As an opener, to see League Two games postponed & giving up the opportunity of gaining new fans during international breaks makes me need a lie down. In cities like London where literally thousands of fans of "big" clubs might be encouraged to bring their kids to see REAL football, it is utterly nuts to call games off. Not only that, but while MK were getting their faltering season up and running yesterday, we were playing head tennis & having the afternoon off. Who got the best end of that deal? You decide.
The MOM awards. I've long held the view that a certain Ivor Hellor should never have been taken off the job in the first place. I was told a while back by a certain high up person at the club that they had sympathy for my view and to "Watch this space". Well I've watched the space for over a year now & bugger all has happened. Either they were lying to me back then or they've changed their minds. Whichever is the case isn't massively important, but I STILL think Ivor should be doing it. If the club ever gets someone else who is better at it I'll be the first to change their minds. I'm less inclined so to do though when the stand-ins aren't even half as good. Please get Ivor back, it was part of the matchday experience. I once took my kids to Kingsmeadow along with a bunch of their pals, Ivors MOM presentation performance made almost as much of an impact on them as the football did. Bring him back.
The DTB? There's an extra special (even specialler than normal) general meeting coming up next week. It's been petitioned for by the fans (I signed the petition myself, people seemed to feel pretty strongly about the stuff they wanted discussing). There's been arguments/debates about how many signatures are needed to get the meeting up & running, whether or not you'll be able to vote on stuff in advance if you aren't there, how big the room it's going to be held in and goodness knows what else. That's before the meeting itself takes place and folks get involved in the "50 + 1" stuff & all the old wounds that seems to open up. My own view on the "50 + 1" argument is that I don't really understand the ins and outs of it. My suspicion is that I'm in the vast majority of AFC Wimbledon fans in that respect, although not many are prepared to confess their utter cluelessness.
My thoughts on the meeting before it happens are FWIW that both sides have it totally wrong. The DTB have to my mind not really engaged effectively with the fan base over the brief time I've supported Wimbledon. There is a deep suspicion amongst many fans that there is a "jobs for the boys" culture & that much of the decision making is made by the same old faces in the same old way. Many folks who support the club feel neither listened to nor respected and represented, and that's before you even get into the "PLC" board (don't ask me because I don't know) & whatever they're involved in. Because of this sense of bemusement amongst many supporters, such things as petitions for EXTRA, REALLY REALLY special General Meetings crop up. Because of the mistrust, the moment someone mentions that the meeting room might be too small it feels to many like some sort of Machiavellian ruse rather than the totally innocent logistical problem it no doubt is. The people that run the club need to engage better, and it's not enough to say that they stand in a tent at home games.
Where the more antagonistic fans in my view have it wrong, is that I think their general mistrust is misplaced. I know a lot of the folks who run the club on a personal level, they are thoroughly decent people who in my judgement just want to do the best for AFC Wimbledon. They give up their time (which would in many cases be prohibitively expensive to buy) for free. To this outsider/bandwagon jumper they look to be doing a bloody good job by and large and in nearly all cases, don't deserve nor bleed the villification.
In amongst the angst, it's worth reminding ourselves from time to time that we ARE all actually on the same side or supposed to be. I hope that whatever is thrashed out at the meeting, the main protagonists get together afterwards for a couple of beers. Perhaps that's what's missing, something to break down the perception of barriers.
On the football (remember THAT?) we are continuing to absolutely thrive. Despite being knocked to the canvas a couple of times against Ipswich & chasing shadows for much of the game, we clung on like a bulldog with lockjaw and got a famous win. I think we deserved it for pure endeavour. Then, in one of my favourite performances during the Johnny Jackson era we got over the line 1-0 against Fleetwood. Unlike the other teams we've played in the league, Charlie Adams men will be top ten in the league, and despite being brilliantly orchestrated by Danny Meyer we deserved the narrow win. It was a superb game of football between two good teams, I loved it.
Now, the MK game will tell us much. Given the strength of their squad I cannot even envisage them finishing outside the top three, if we beat them next Saturday then we are REALLY starting to look like a team that's going places. It won't be easy, they are a good side and as I've said already, will be helped in my opinion by playing yesterday.
As it is though, my "12th in the league" prediction continues to look way off. Fantastic stuff, and my "we are ugly to watch" observation is now under threat too after the last two performances. Long may it continue, here's hoping for a great week for the club both on and off the pitch. 👊
