Synonymous with rough play and arrogance in the late 80s and early 90s, Wimbledon’s notoriety didn’t last long.
The club gained fame not for its local achievements but for its reputation as football hooligans. The London suburb of Wimbledon, better known for its tennis tournament, had a representative in the English football elite for 13 years – from 1987 to 2000. However, this period was marked by a bad reputation for fights, alcohol, and scandalous behavior.
History
On January 31, 1981, Dave “Harry” Bassett was appointed manager, beginning a new era in the club’s history. The team began to rise, and two years later, Wimbledon entered the Third Division. The “Dons” quickly moved up and earned promotion to the Second Division. From there, on their second attempt, they entered the top flight in 1986. Two years later, they even won the FA Cup after defeating the illustrious Liverpool team managed by Kenny Dalglish.
Founded in 1889, Wimbledon FC competed in very low local divisions under various names until the second half of the 1970s. In 1978, Wimbledon made its debut in the Fourth Division, marking the beginning of the club’s rise.
Key Figures
Dave Beasant, Andy Thorn, Wally Downes, Laurie Sanchez, and Dennis Wise were notable figures during the club’s memorable period in the late 80s and early 90s. The crown jewel and de facto leader of this “crazy gang” was Vinnie Jones, who also made a name for himself in Hollywood after his playing career.
Vinnie Jones broke into Hollywood after his career as a player
Brutes…
Wimbledon became infamous for the philosophy embraced by everyone at the club: extremely rough play by the players on the field and their arrogant behavior towards opponents. No one in the football circles on the Albion liked the club, its people, or playing at Wimbledon’s stadium, Plough Lane. Only the locals did. Their football lacked technical merit, relying instead on physical confrontations. However, the players often used techniques from combat sports.
“We could sense the soft opponents. With Dennis Wise in the middle of the pitch, we were like a well-oiled machine. I’d say to him: ‘Dennis, this one’s ready. As soon as he gets close to us, we start – an elbow to the nose, a kick, a stomp. Just to let him know who he’s dealing with.’ This is something unthinkable today when any rough play is severely penalized.”
Even when teams like Liverpool, Tottenham, and Arsenal arrived at Plough Lane, the “Dons” were the least impressed or intimidated by their reputations. For instance, the team’s emblematic striker John Fashanu elbowed Liverpool’s Gary Mabbutt in the face, breaking his cheekbone. Mabbutt never fully recovered from it. Asked if they sometimes went too far, Fashanu said: “Did anyone die? If not, then there’s nothing wrong.”
John Fashanu talks about his time at Wimbledon in the documentary about the “crazy gang”
Terry Phelan, part of this “crazy gang,” shared years later that he and his teammates conducted all sorts of psychological attacks on their opponents to make them feel uncomfortable. The club deliberately maintained the changing rooms in poor condition, and the guest team’s toilets were often left without toilet paper. As Laurie Sanchez recalls: “They didn’t like our game, our base, nothing. We made them feel awful, like losers.”
…and towards their own
Besides others, the players of the “Dons” were also rough with each other, which entertained the older players on the team. For example, newly recruited Joe Kinnear found his “Armani” suit cut into strips in his hotel room. The suit he was supposed to wear for his official presentation.
After training, many players would head to a nearby bar, where every evening ended either with a scandal or a fight.
The club’s president, Sam Hammam, was no less crazy. During matches, he would wander the stands, inciting the fans against the opponent. He often stormed onto the field looking for a brawl.
In 1988, Wimbledon’s head coach Bobby Gould decided to bring in Terry Gibson from Manchester United. However, Hammam’s condition was simple – he handed Gould 12 sheep testicles and declared he would sign Gibson if the coach ate them. And so it happened. Shortly after, Gibson became a “Don.”
British businessman of Lebanese descent Sam Hammam (with white hair) was no less crazy than his players. He later had a period as the owner of Cardiff.
The Sad End
The story of the “crazy gang” ended in 2000 when Wimbledon was relegated from the elite, and Sam Hammam sold the club, which was deep in debt. Thus, in 2001, Wimbledon not only didn’t have its own base, using Crystal Palace’s ground on a rental basis, but it was also threatened with bankruptcy. The new club president explored the possibility of relocating it to Milton Keynes, where new businessmen aimed to “buy” a team, as there had never been one there.
Wimbledon fans opposed these intentions and in 2002 founded AFC Wimbledon, considered the successor to the old club.
And what happened to it today? In 2002, it went into administration – the insolvency procedure in English football. It dropped to the Third Division, was relocated to Milton Keynes, and has new owners. This club is still known today as Milton Keynes Dons.