AFC Wimbledon

[Guest]

Last night there was an 87% vote in favour of admitting the new football club AFC Wimbledon to Ryman division 2. Sadly this wasn’t a big enough majority. I gather that the vote needed a 95% majority because there had been less than 21 days notice of the club’s application. I understand the voting system was quite complicated with the votes of some clubs being pooled, rather than the system being one club, one vote. But however it was done, it seems a few clubs voted against AFC Wimbledon joining. I – and most other Wimbledon fans – are incredibly angry at this. The League’s management committee had recommended accepting us; all the right boxes were ticked – we had the required financing, membership of the London FA; a limited company to provide the right corporate structure; a ground share at Kingstonian, and a manager and playing staff lined up. Yet a handful of club chairmen saw fit to turn down the income from gate receipts, programmes and beer money that would have been generated by 1,000 Dons fans coming to Ryman division 2 clubs. Frankly, I’m appalled and dismayed. Is the Ryman League scene so vibrant and financially healthy that clubs can afford to turn their nose up at this? Especially when there are spare places going in the League and no other club would have been prevented from joining? If you can shed any light on who voted against us – whether it was your club or any other – I’d like to hear from you as we clearly have some lobbying to do. Feel free to e-mail me at ianpollock@beeb.net. Best wishes, Ian Pollock.

[Rob_the_Saint]

Why all the angst? If you go into, and win the Combined Counties League next season you go into the Ryman Div 1 (South) the season after that [think I'm right in saying that, though I haven't seen it mentioned officially] , the same as if you had won the Ryman Div 2 and surely an easier task. This has got to be the Ryman's loss and your gain, for next season at least.

 

<small>[ 18 June 2002, 01:49 PM: This message was edited by: Rob the Saint ]</small>

[Knocky]

I'd like to know which clubs voted against it.

 

This would give a massive boost to those clubs in the lower reaches of this league as the club progresses, although those in Div 1 North would probably miss out.

 

In the long term (a couple of years) this will cost City, and all other clubs, a large pay day.

[Guest]

I can't go into details, and I don't know who voted against you, except to say that we supported your application, but some clubs who have been denied ground development clearances and the like for being a day or so past the deadline set took exception to the rules being bent in this case and not theirs. 95% agreement is an exceptionally high requirement, and the fact that associate members (ie Div 2) only get one vote between several clubs didn't help.

[mdetaylor]

The football leauge finally show some sense - two up two down - and the Ryman league (or at least some members) act like an old boys club.

 

If it is true that some members acted as a result of their own various applications being turned then it is fairly petty, toys out of the pram etc.