AFC WIMBLEDON: COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE CHAMPIONS, 2003-04
Reads well, doesn’t it?
I don’t think I’ve ever experienced unbridled joy before. At least, not without involving body fluids or causing GBH on somebody. And until the 9th May, when we find out what league we’re in (assuming the CCL don’t dock us 20 points for being too good), I’m not sure if it will sink in. Obviously, once people had heard that Wallies only drew 1-1, they got in their cars and headed down to watch Casuals 0 Scarfers 3. There was a queue at 1pm, there was a longer queue at 1.30pm, and by 2.15pm they had delayed the kickoff by 20 minutes.
TBH, I don’t care about the game itself (KC scored two and Matt E scored a typical goal if you must know), but today, it seems worth it. Since 1988, the club has been on a constant spiral, with greedy fuck stains taking, and taking and taking until it became, well, what passes for a club at Milton Keynes now. Wimbledon FC was a cash cow, a cinderella club that became a crack whore, and now it’s shaking its flabby varicous veined arse before getting sodomised by sweaty businessmen. This is special, and cunts like Hammam, Koppout, Wankelmann, Reg Davis etc can’t take it away from us. No Crazy Gang bullshit, no fallen idols like Fash and Vinny to hog the limelight. This is us. Today was the ultimate Fuck You to those who tried to destroy us. I think we have the last laugh right now. The joy they feel at Milton Keynes is bogus compared to the real joy today.
The celebrations at the end were something else. In fact, I taped it on the SW19 dictaphone, but the sound quality came out so awful that I gave up. Shame, as there’s some good singing on it. Nobody wants a cheap and extremely tempermental dictaphone do they?
The players certainly loved it (I even said “hello” to Simon Bassey who recognised me – first time I’d spoken to him in 12 years, when he was in my French class at school). The sight of champagne being brought onto the pitch and sprayed liberally was something you don’t quite get at Highbury or OT.
As you read this, chances are there’s the KM party is still going on, though personally I’m too bloody knackered to go. As it is, you’ll just have to put up with…
Plus points: Oh come on.
Minus points: Refer to “plus points” above
The referee’s a…..: Suitably crap for the occasion. The lino looked like Rudi Voller’s dad, and ran like him as well. My favourite official has to be the fourth official. Female, blonde, youngish. She could check my studs out any time.
Them: They must really love us, even though some AFCW fans aren’t quite so reciprocal. I don’t really blame them for charging £8 to get in, their beer tent was popular and certainly was appreciated by many. The nice woman in the tea bar even let me jump the queue because all I wanted was tea. Their stands/covers built from the proceeds of our previous two visits looked nice. Oh, and no Danny Wheeler. Shame.
Oh what an atmosphere: What a buzz. Could feel it before the game, and the next time I’ll see so many happy Wombles will be when Sam Hammam gets done on tax fraud. “Are You Watching Milton Keynes/Charles Koppel” got an airing, as did “We’re proud of you” and “Champions”, obviously. CS got an airing as well, though can’t really see too many chavs in Walton. Oh, and “We hate West Ham” to Tony Gale….
Point to ponder: Isn’t setting up a club from scratch, with no players, no infrastructure, and taking them to winning the title so comprehensively within 24 months so damn impressive? It’s a shame that nobody gave TE much credit today for the whole season, after all, it was his team for the large part.
Truth is stranger than fiction: (1) The mens toilet/latrine that was dug out because the portaloos hadn’t been delivered. Guy beside me in the, er, trap likened it to Glastonbury. With the music outside and the high prices, it did feel like a music festival. (2) Seeing “Champions” badges on sale before game. Good job the footballing gods were in a good mood. (3) Plenty of “Champions” during the game, especially after the goals. (4) Did you know that it was 4 years ago to the day that we lost 2-0 to Sheff Weds at Selhurst in THAT game? (5) If you told me 2 years ago that on 12 April 2004 that I’d be celebrating a league championship I would have thought that I’d have a Celtic season ticket
Wallingford/Franchise/anyone else watch: This is our moment. Read it and weep. Or even better, buy the DVD and weep. Unless you’re Franchise in which case you can buy the DVD and fuck off and watch second division football next season.
Anything else? Yeah – how many bloody flies were there about? And why did the coppers stand OUTSIDE the ground looking at the game from the bank? Surely the Surrey OB could afford the £8 entrance fee per officer….
So, was it worth it? Please refer to “minus points” above.
In a nutshell: Champions.
Now, when I remember more stuff I’ll type it up. As for now, I think I might have a little drink…
