Information - Kingstonian FC Information History and Origins by Mark Murphy The "Kingstonian FC" name dates back to the late summer of 1919, when the two largest clubs in the town of Kingston - Kingston-on-Thames and Old Kingstonians - were merged after the Great War. However, the modern day Kingstonian Football Club can trace its roots back to 1885 and the formation of the Kingston & Surbiton YMCA Association Football Club in the autumn of that year. Rugby was the dominant football code in the town and the borough at this time, but the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) didn't believe that they were large enough to sustain a rugby club, so they formed a club to play what was then referred to as "Football under Association rules." Their first fixture was on November 9th 1885 and the club played friendly matches against local sides during the next two years, with home games taking place at Spring Grove. However, the YMCA's attitude to the game hardened somewhat, believing the game to be increasingly violent and unsuitable for young Christian men.

The decision was therefore taken to change the club name to "Saxons FC" for the 1887/88 season. One year later they moved to a new ground on Oil Mill Lane (sited on what is now Villiers Road) and in 1890, Honorary Secretary Mr. William G. Carn, generally regarded as the club's founder, successfully moved a motion at the club's Annual General Meeting to change the name to "one more identified with the town." Thus they took the field the following season as "Kingston Wanderers FC." During this season the Wanderers also started to use the Fairfield Recreation Ground in the town centre as their base for home games. And in April 1891 they were invited for the first time to take part in the annual "Charity Festival of the Kingston Football Clubs" over the Easter weekend. This raised funds through the staging of one match under each code of football - association and rugby. The event was staged at the rugby club's Richmond Road ground, a venue which was to play a large part in Kingstonian FC's history. A movement to amalgamate all the major clubs in the town under one banner met with success in 1893.

With other Surrey towns such as Guildford and Reigate already having established clubs it was strongly felt that Kingston should be alongside them. Thus was "Kingston-on-Thames AFC" formed on September 13th 1893, affiliating to the Surrey Football Association and entering the Surrey Junior Cup, where their first competitive fixture saw them lose to Hampton Court & East Molesey that November. Their earliest foray into the Surrey Senior Cup resulted in the club's heaviest defeat to date, 13-0 to Weybridge in 1894. So Kingston-on-Thames re-entered the Junior Cup and in 1896 joined the Kingston and District League, winning the league at the first attempt and losing the Junior Cup Final to Chertsey 2-1 in a replay. Progress continued to be slow but steady, with the club taking the opportunity to move to their first private, enclosed ground at Dinton Road, next to Kingston Barracks, in 1898. This season also saw them take a step up into the East and West Surrey League, with the "A" team fulfilling the Kingston & District League programme.

The turn of the century saw another move of ground to Lower Marsh Lane, followed, in 1902, by a move to the lower part of the rugby ground in Richmond Road, where the club established itself for the pre-Great War period. On-field success was still elusive, not helped by a decision to enter the London League as well as the East and West Surrey League in 1903, an ill-fated one-season experiment. But by 1905 results were beginning to show an improvement and the championship of the re-constructed West Surrey League was clinched in 1906, ahead of competition from clubs such as Walton, Guildford and Woking. They retained their title the following year and reached their first Surrey Senior Cup final, losing 3-1 to Clapham in front of a 4,000 crowd at Croydon. However, just as Kingston-on-Thames were beginning to establish themselves in the amateur game in Surrey, a damaging split occurred, centred on a dispute over ground availability for the 1908/09 season.

As a result, the Kingston-on-Thames treasurer, Douglas Judd, formed the "Old Kingstonians FC" who were to play their home games at Norbiton Sports Ground, the site of the current Kingsmeadow Stadium. Meanwhile, Kingston-on-Thames continued to play at Richmond Road, the home of Kingstonian FC from 1919 to 1988. Most of the first team remained with the Kingston-on-Thames club, with Mr. Judd's side initially known as the "reserves." Kingston-on-Thames regained the West Surrey League title, with Old Kingstonians finishing third. But the balance of power gradually shifted. Old Ks won the West Surrey League in 1910 and the Surrey Senior Cup in 1911 and 1914, beating Woking & Metrogas in the respective finals, while Kingston-on-Thames invariably came off second best in matches between the two clubs. It is generally accepted, however, that the rivalry between them served to greatly improve the quality of football in the town. The Great War put an end to Amateur Football for five years, but the summer of 1919 saw renewed efforts to get the game re-started in the town.

Not surprisingly, old rivalries had been put into proper perspective by the hostilities and thanks to great work by officials of both previous clubs, a new, united "Kingstonian FC" took to the field at Southall FC on September 6th 1919 for their first game, in the Athenian League. The new club soon faced major problems, however. The Richmond Road ground was owned by the Dysart family who, during the summer of 1920, decided to lease it to Leyland Motors FC, leaving Ks without a home. Once again officials were plunged into intensive negotiations which led eventually to a ground-sharing arrangement, Leyland Motors having priority in the event of fixture clashes. And as soon as Ks solved all those problems by purchasing enough land to have their own ground on the site in 1922, the team found themselves having to apply for re-election to the league after finishing bottom that year. They successfully gained re-election which proved a major turning point in the club's fortunes. For the period between 1923 and the outbreak of World War Two was to be the most successful in the club's history until modern times.

Inspired by the Rassell brothers and army forward Frank Macey, Ks won the Athenian League in 1924 and 1926, the latter occasion with a record number of points. During the next ten years, they were also finalists on six occasions in the increasingly prestigious Senior Cup competitions of the London and Surrey FAs, winning the latter in 1926, 1931 and 1932. And in 1929 Civil Service FC dropped out of the Isthmian League with Ks successfully applying to take their place, acquitting themselves well from the very first season in what was widely considered a stronger league. Macey, a regular England international, was captain and remains the second highest scorer in the club's history. And he was the wise veteran by the time of Kingstonian's greatest triumph of this era, the winning of the FA Amateur Cup in 1933. They had lost narrowly to Dulwich Hamlet in the 1932 semi-final but exacted revenge in the following season, on the way a meeting with Stockton in the final at Dulwich's own Champion Hill ground on April 8th.

The 1-1 draw saw the two teams travel to Darlington for the replay two weeks later, and with Stockton reduced to ten men by an early injury Ks clinched the cup with a convincing 4-1 win. The Isthmian League title was won in both 1934 and 1937, with Scottish International Douglas Whitehead taking over the mantle of leading player from Macey who retired in 1936 after 13 years magnificent service. And the Surrey Senior Cup was won in 1935 and 1939, the latter being the second occasion that a Kingston club had won the County Cup immediately before the outbreak of war. Competitive Amateur Football was suspended on September 3rd 1939 and the dressing rooms at Richmond Road were commandeered within two weeks for ARP purposes. Kingstonian's efforts at entering war-time leagues were therefore abortive and the first post-war season was one of struggle both on and off the field. Special appeals for funds had to be made to undertake renovations to the ground and, in particular, the dressing rooms. And the team, without virtually all their pre-war players, finished bottom of the league.

A return to something approaching pre-war standards was not long in coming however. Ks reached the London Senior Cup final in 1948, losing 2-0 at Brentford to a strong Barnet side. This period's players included pre-war star Bill Whittaker, a young Freddie Jones - later to be Ks secretary and then chairman for many years - and an even younger Ted Croker - later to be a distinguished Chief Executive of the Football Association and Ks club president for many years. And in 1949 Ks found themselves with a new star forward on their hands: Johnny Whing. Whing, a native of the north-east, was Ks top scorer for nine of his thirteen full seasons at the club. His total of 295 goals is still a club record by some distance and it is likely to remain so. His achievements were all the more remarkable as they came during a period of limited success for Ks. The Surrey Senior Cup was won in 1952 but Ks were a mid-table side in the Isthmian League for much of the decade. The highlights were provided by the FA Amateur Cup.

In February 1955, Bishop Auckland attracted 8,960 people to Richmond Road - still the club's official record attendance. Unfortunately they also inflicted Ks heaviest ever home defeat, 12-3 with all Ks goals coming in the last six minutes. And the following season saw Ks advance to the semi-final for the first time since their 1933 success, only to meet up with Bishop Auckland again, losing 5-1 at Newcastle United in front of 27,000 people. 1959/60, however, saw Ks go one better, this time winning their semi-final at Newcastle, 2-1 against Crook Town to clinch their first ever appearance at Wembley. Almost inevitably, it was Johnny Whing who scored Ks goal after 38 minutes and they hung on to that lead in the face of considerable pressure from their Athenian League opponents Hendon before two goals in the last three minutes saw the cup deservedly go to North London.

Whing finished his Ks career in 1962, turning out on three occasions that year to help nurture a young prospect called John McCormack, who was soon emulating all of his "master's" goalscoring feats as Ks built their most successful side since the 1930s. With other players such as goalkeeper Brian Wakefield, South African inside-forward Norman Field and a host of other amateur internationals, Ks were a leading light in Amateur Football throughout the first half of the sixties. They came very close to clinching their third Isthmian League title in 1963, only to be cruelly pipped at the post by great rivals Wimbledon, who defeated Ks home & away in the season's last two games to win the title by two points. Ks also reached the FA Amateur Cup semi-finals for the third time in eight years in 1964, losing to Enfield in a replay. Consolation was gained through a number of Surrey and London Senior Cup successes, with the double being done in 1963.

But although the Surrey Cup was won again in 1967, Ks entered a long period of decline after McCormack's Ks career was cut off in its prime by a broken leg suffered in 1965. Amateur Football itself was in decline in the face of competition from an increasing number of semi-professional clubs (including Wimbledon, who turned pro after their 1963 Isthmian League and FA Amateur Cup double) and by the end of the 60s Ks were playing in front of hundreds of spectators where thousands once watched. As a result, the 70s were not good years for the club. A number of managers were appointed in various bids to return to the glory days. Ks finally turned professional in 1975 but they only once finished in the top half of the Isthmian League during the decade. And, in 1979, they were finally relegated to Division One, winning only three home games throughout the season. After six mediocre years at this lower level, including a further flirt with relegation in 1984, Ks regained their Premier Division status in controversial circumstances in 1985, their centenary year.

At the season's end they had lost out on promotion to Leatherhead on goal difference. But a week later, the league deducted three points from Leatherhead for fielding an ineligible player, giving Ks the second promotion spot behind runaway leaders Farnborough Town. Apart from title challenges in 1990 and 1991, and an FA Trophy quarter-final appearance in 1990, Ks were largely mid-table material for the following dozen years. They won their first trophy for 20 years in 1987 when they regained the London Senior Cup, but that competition had lost much of its status in the intervening period. So the major activity was the move from the famous old Richmond Road ground in 1988 to the club's current home, via a short ground-sharing spell at Hampton FC while the new facilities were being built. These years were punctuated by relative FA Cup success. Ks reached the first round proper in 1992 for the first time since 1933, and they repeated the feat four times in the next six seasons.

Third division Brighton were beaten 2-1 in 1994 and first division Peterborough were held 1-1 at Kingsmeadow in 1992. Ks lost the replay 9-1 but gained national publicity when the FA ordered the game to be replayed after keeper Adrian Blake was knocked semiconscious by a 50p coin thrown from the stand with the score at 3-0. Ks lost the behind closed doors rematch by the only goal. But the 1990s resembled the 1970s, as Ks replaced manager after manager in another bid to return to the glory days. However, the board of directors finally found their man in 1997 in the shape of the successful and popular Woking manager Geoff Chapple. In his first year, Ks won their third Isthmian League title, as well as their first County Cup success for 31 years. In his second year Ks not only consolidated themselves in the Nationwide Conference, but also won at Wembley for the first time, beating Forest Green Rovers 1-0 to clinch the FA Trophy.

Then, in his third year, Ks finished a remarkable, if slightly flattering, fifth in the Conference, on the back of the best away record in the division. They even lead the table, and the non-league world, for six weeks before Christmas. But even more remarkably, they retained the FA Trophy with their second consecutive Wembley win, a 3-2 win over Kettering in a classic final. Chapple had built much of his reputation on FA Cup success. And he guided Ks to the second round in 1998 before his side broke all club records by reaching the fourth round in 2001, winning at league clubs Brentford & Southend on the way. They were one kick of the ball away from the 5th round, only for second division Bristol City to equalise with that kick & win the Kingsmeadow replay 1-0 with an 87th minute goal. Ks league form was in sharp contrast, however. And they were relegated back to the Isthmian League, having won only three home league games, just as in 1979. Chapple left by "mutual consent" in early May 2001.

And he was replaced by former Dover manager & Esher-born Bill Williams two days later. But excessive spending, both on the team & on ground re-development designed to bring Kingsmeadow up to Football League status, had left the club unable to pay its bills. And when, in October 2001, the Inland Revenue threatened to wind-up the club within seven days if it couldn't pay its tax bill of £179,000, Ks went into administration. While the search went on for a buyer for the club, coach Steve Sedgley took over from Williams as manager & maintained Ks Ryman League Premier Division status on the pitch. But off-field problems continued to dictate Ks situation and the continuing uncertainty led to Sedgley's resignation in December 2002. The club immediately promoted Harris, a former K's striker, to manager and appointed former Woking man Scott Steele as player/coach. The club had ups and downs over this period but only failed to make the new Conference South following a single goal defeat to Lewes in a Ryman League playoff final. Following a poor start to season 2004/05 Harris decided to call it a day after just four games.

Scott Steele was promoted to manager but, despite encouraging good football from his side, was unable to prevent what became an inevitable relegation to Division One. However, good news arrived off the field when local businessman Jimmy Cochrane bought the football club, giving the club a positive outlook for the first time in several years. Steele's resignation followed towards the end of the season when former assistant manger Ian McDonald was brought in along with Stuart McIntyre as his coach with a view to resurrecting the club's fortunes. The 2005/06 season saw K's move up the table only to miss out on playoffs on the final day of the season, though silverware was achieved following a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon in the Surrey Senior Cup Final. McDonald was almost immediately succeeded by McIntyre as manager, whilst the club was jointly bought by Mark Anderson and Malcolm Winwright. Stuart McIntyre's time as manager was unfortunately short-lived and unsuccessful, and midway through the 2006/07 season he was replaced as manager by former Walton and Hersham manager Alan Dowson. Dowson and his team immediately transformed the club, and achieved a semblance of stability.

There was plenty of expectation for the 2007/08 season, though inconsistency led to the K's missing the play-offs once again on the final day of the season. The 2008/09 season was successful from start to finish. A run to the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup was highlighted by a 4-0 home win over Conference South team Braintree Town, all four goals scored by midfielder Dean Lodge. This performance led to the K's player winning the Performance of the Round award from the FA. But it was in the Ryman League Division One South that the biggest success came, as a very strong start and a storming finish led to Kingstonian winning the division by seven points ahead of Cray Wanderers. After an absence of four years, the club almost passed straight up through the Ryman Premier Division, recovering from a difficult start to reach the end of the season playoffs. It was Boreham Wood, however, who won the controversial final match. Heartache followed in the following 2010/11 season when a final day collapse at Margate cost another attempt at the playoffs.

The following two seasons saw mid-table finishes in the league accompanied by successive London Senior Cup final appearances, before a return to the playoffs in the 2013/14 season, after the club finished runners-up in the league. A semi final defeat against AFC Hornchurch however denied the chance of promotion, in what turned out to be Alan Dowson’s last game in charge. Where next?

 Honours FA Cup Fourth Round Proper: 2001 FA Cup Second Round Proper: 1995, 1996, 1999 FA Cup First Rou Affiliations The Cherry Red Records Stadium | Kingsmeadow | AFC Wimbledon | Guide The Cherry Red Records Stadium Capacity: 4,850 (Seating 2,265) Address: Jack Goodchild Way, 422a Kingston Road, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 3PB Telephone: 020 8547 3528 Stadium Tours: 0808 280 0816 Pitch Size: 110 x 75 yards Club Nickname: The Dons or The Wombles Year Ground Opened: 1989 Home Kit: Blue and Yellow Away Kit: All Yellow WHAT IS THE CHERRY RED RECORDS STADIUM LIKE? Kingsmeadow (and also known as the Cherry Red Records Stadium in a corporate sponsorship deal) is a small but tidy stadium that has seen investment in recent years since AFC Wimbledon took over the lease from Kingstonian FC, who still groundshare with the Dons.

On one side is the Paul Strank Stand. This covered, all seated Main Stand looks fairly modern, having recently been extended. It accommodates 1,265 spectators and although only eight rows high, it is free of supporting pillars, resulting in uninterrupted views of the pitch. Surprisingly the team dugouts are not located in front of this Main Stand, but opposite in front of the Rygas Stand, which leads to a procession of players and club officials, at half and at full time. This terrace is partly covered to the rear and has open flanks to either side. At one end is the Chemflow Terrace (aka the Athletics End, from the Athletics Stadium that sits behind), where the majority of the home supporters stand. This newish looking covered terrace is located quite close to the edge of the playing area, giving a reasonable view of the game. Opposite is the John Green Stand (Kingston Road End). This new smart looking stand was opened in September 2012. It is covered having a raised roof and has an all seated capacity of 1,000. In addition the stadium has a set of four rather plain looking floodlights.

NEW STADIUM The Club have been given planning permission to build a new stadium on the site of the Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. The former Greyhound track is very close to the former location of the old Plough Lane Wimbledon football ground. The new stadium would have an initial capacity of 11,000 seats. Timescales have yet to be announced as to when construction will begin, but it is great that the Club will be returning home to Wimbledon in the next few years. In a separate move the present Kingsmeadow ground which is owned by AFC Wimbledon, is to be sold to Chelsea FC, who will use it for youth and Chelsea Ladies games. Where this leaves the other tenants of Kingsmeadow, Kingstonian FC remains to be seen, but most likely they will need to find a new ground. WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR AWAY SUPPORTERS? Away fans are housed in the Rygas Stand Terrace at one side of the pitch. If the the away following is expected to be less than 600, then one side (towards the John Green Stand) is allocated and hence the terrace is shared with home supporters, although adequately separated.

For larger followings then more of the terrace can be allocated, with the maximum allocation being 700. This small shallow terrace is partly covered to the rear, with open standing areas on each side. In addition a number of seats are made available in the new John Green Stand, adjacent to the East Terrace. Please note that the away terrace is not accessible by going through the main entrance into the stadium car park. Away fans should instead continue going along Kingston Road (keeping the main entrance on the right) and take the next right into Jack Goodchild Way. Outside the stadium near the main entrance is a handy chip shop whilst a bit further along is the amusingly named 'Fat Boys Cafe'. I also noticed outside the Main Stand a vendor displaying and selling the largest array of different football badges, that I think I have ever seen. PUBS FOR AWAY FANS There are two large bars located inside the main Paul Strank Stand. Away supporters are generally welcome to frequent the bars, however for the bigger games, and/or when it is all ticket, the bars are reserved for home fans only.

On my visit I felt that the inside of the bar that I frequented, was a bit dim and drab looking, but with a real ale on offer from a local brewery and a barbecue selling burgers and hot dogs outside, its plus points outweighed the negative ones! Otherwise, there is not much near to the ground, with a number of pubs closing in recent years. You could drink in Kingston or New Malden town centres and then get a bus to the ground (or a long walk!). The 131 bus passes the ground and goes through both town centres. If in Kingston, catch a bus heading to Tooting Broadway; if in New Malden, catch a bus heading to Kingston. On New Malden High Street there is a Wetherspoons outlet called the Watchman., which is located near to the Fountain roundabout on the 131 bus route. See the London Bus Routes website for timetable details. FIND AND BOOK YOUR LONDON OR SURREY HOTEL AND HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE. If you require hotel accommodation in London then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com .

They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going. DIRECTIONS AND CAR PARKING From Outside London: M25 Junction 10, take the A3 northbound into London. At the exit for New Malden/Worcester Park, turn off and take the left into Malden Road (A2043) towards Kingston. Follow this to the next roundabout. Take the first exit into Kingston Road (A2043 still) and Kingsmeadow is one mile on the left. From Central London: Take the A3 out of London, exiting at New Malden/Worcester Park. Cross over the A3, and take the Malden Road (A2043) towards Kingston. Follow this to the next roundabout. Take the first exit into Kingston Road (A2043 still) and Kingsmeadow is one mile on the left.

There is limited parking available at the ground and, for Saturday games, to be sure of a space you need to arrive before 1.45 pm (7pm midweek games) at the latest. Parking in adjacent streets can be tight as it is a residential area. BY TRAIN The nearest railway station to the ground is Norbiton, which is about a 15 minute walk away. The station is served by trains from London Waterloo via Clapham Junction and Wimbledon. Leave the station via the back exit (Westbound platform), and take the first left onto Norbiton Avenue. At the end of the avenue, turn right Gloucester Road, and at the end of Gloucester Road turn left into Cambridge Road. The main entrance to Kingsmeadow is 400 yards down on the right, with the away entrance a little further on past this on the right hand side and is well sign posted. Thanks to John Woodruff for providing the directions. Dave Nathan adds; 'New Malden station is also in walking distance of the ground.

This may be a preferred route for away fans as there are better pubs in New Malden namely Bar Malden and the Glasshouse both outside New Malden station and The Fountain at the Fountain Roundabout. Come out of New Malden station and follow the High Street to the left, and proceed up to the Fountain Roundabout. At the roundabout turn right into Kingston Road towards Kingston ( or jump on a 131 bus) and the ground is a good mile on the left after passing under the railway bridge and Homebase on your right. This will take about 25 minutes to walk'. Find train times, prices and book tickets with trainline. Booking tickets in advance will normally save you money! BOOK TRAIN TICKETS WITH TRAINLINE Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance. Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets.

Click on the trainline logo below: Main Stand (Centre): Adults £29, Concessions £18, Under 18's £13 Main Stand (Wings): Adults £24, Concessions £15, Under 18's £10 John Green Stand: Adults £24, Concessions £15, Under 18's £10 Chemflow Terrace: Adults £20, Concessions £12, Under 18's £5 Rygas Stand: Adults £17, Concessions £11, Under 18's £4 Away fans Rygas Stand (Terrace): Adults £17, Concessions £11, Under 18's £4 John Green End (Seating): Adults £24, Concessions £15, Under 18's £10 Concessions are available to full-time students, over 65's and the unemployed on production of proof of status. Due to the large number of season ticket sales for the Main Stand, match tickets for this area will be very limited.

Wise Men Say Fanzine £1 WUP Fanzine £1 Record attendance (For an AFC Wimbledon game) 4,870 v Accrington Stanley League Two Play Off First Leg; May 14th 2016 Average attendance Saturday 3rd September 2016, 3pm David Chapman (Chesterfield fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Kingsmeadow Ground? I wanted to visit Kingsmeadow one last time before Wimbledon move to a new stadium. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? The ground is easy to find. There is disabled parking at the stadium but make sure you arrive before 1.30pm as after that it is manic. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? Spoke to several home fans, very knowledgeable and friendly. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Kingsmeadow? Small disabled enclosure holding five wheelchairs (max) disabled toilets very good. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Good atmosphere through out the game, the roof nearly came of the John Green Stand when AFC Wimbledon scored the winner in the last minute. Stewards very helpful, basic facilities at the ground. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: We were ushered out of a side entrance which led us onto the main London Road, difficult to make your way back to car park with home fans coming in opposite direction, if attending match in wheelchair and have parked in car park wait in ground after game for ten minutes because even if you get back to your car there is only one way out of the car park. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Enjoyable day out, spoiled only slightly by late winner for the Dons. Saturday 12th December 2015, 3pm James Walker (Stevenage fan) Why were you looking forward to visiting the Kingsmeadow ground? I was looking forward to this away game as it was another new ground for me, plus I've heard nothing but good things from other away fans about Kingsmeadow, so it made for a fun day out. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? I took the supporters coach for the game.

We left at 12.30pm and arrived in Wimbledon for just after 1.40pm. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? I went straight to the Club shop for a programme which cost £3. I then walked around the ground to meet Terry, the famous badge seller to meet Terry who literally has hundreds of badges from across all different clubs, including matchday badges. I bought several to add to my collection and then continued onto the supporters bar to watch the second half of Norwich v Everton. The home fans were among the friendliest I've ever met at a football match. There was a very special buzz around the place as it had been announced less than 24 hours before that AFC Wimbledon were returning to their rightful home of Plough Lane, and you could quite easily tell all the fans were delighted with the news, and rightfully so. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Kingsmeadow Stadium? I was impressed when I saw the Kingsmeadow Stadium as it looked and felt like a little community ground. Not big in size but feels big when you remember what AFC Wimbledon have completed in their time there.

There is a terrace running along the side of the pitch for away fans and some seats in the corner behind the goal, a stand shared with home fans. There is a small covered section for disabled away supporters located in the middle of the two. Kingsmeadow Stadium Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. Wimbledon started brighter and went in at Half Time 1-0 up largely thanks to awful defending from Stevenage. However we hit back in the second half and scored two fantastic goals (one from our own half) to turn the game around and take all three points. No pies here, so I went for a burger and chips. Priced at £5, ir was one of the nicest burger and chips I've ever had at a football match. The facilities were all clean and stewards were all very helpful and friendly. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: As I took the coach, getting away was easy. We arrived back in Stevenage for just after 6.30pm and even got to enjoy the draw for the Euro 2016 Finals on the way home!

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Great company, three points and scoring from our own half for the second time this season. This truly was a wonderful day out, and will definately be a ground I'll return to in the future, given the chance. Half Time: AFC Wimbledon 1-0 Stevenage Full Time: AFC Wimbledon 1-2 Stevenage Attendance: 3.846 (280 Away fans) Saturday 3rd October 2015, 3pm James Sweeney (Barnet fan) Why were you looking forward to visiting the Kingsmeadow ground? This was a nice local trip to South West London. We knew that there was a lot of Barnet fans going, so we decided to join the bee army at the Cherry Red Records Stadium. It was a short drive and it gave us an excuse to drive through central London and see all the sights. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? The journey was very straight forward. We drove through Blackfriars, Elephant and Castle, Clapham and Wandsworth via the A3 which pretty much takes you directly there.

Although we were advised to take the North and South Circular, there was an England match on at Twickenham so we decided that it would be best to avoid it. There isn't much parking at the ground but we managed to find a space on a side road close by. For all fans travelling from outside of London to Kingsmeadow, I would advise that you take the M25 to its Junction 10 then onto the A3 Northbound, as this saves you queuing through South London. Just remember that the ground is in Kingston not Wimbledon. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? We stopped off at a local cafe in Clapham which did a very nice burger and chips for £3.40 and got back into the car to find that there had been an accident further up the A3, so we was stuck in traffic all the way up to the A308 junction. The home fans were generally okay, although our manager Martin Allen was taking quite a bit of stick from the home fans. Still the Wimbledon support especially in the home end were loud, but not in any abusive manner.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium? The ground is quite small by Football League standards. On one side is the Main Stand which is about eight rows of seating high and this is where the teams emerge from. Opposite to this is the away terrace which is very low and has a number of supporting pillars and the dugouts in front of it, which makes it very hard to see. Next to this terrace to the right is the North Stand, where about 80 seats to the far right of the stand are given to away fans and the rest home fans. There are two enclosures next to this stand which is allocated for police, disabled supporters and the Wimbledon mascot. Opposite to this is the home end, which is like your usual South terrace, where most of the Wimbledon fans sing. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. Barnet lost 2-0 with goals right at the start and right at the end of the match, and Barnet barely making an attack throughout the match.

An attendance of 4,068 saw a penalty save by Max Crocombe but it wasn't enough to see of the force of the home side who had all the possession and created more chances. Overall, I thought Barnet's performance was very poor, possibly the worst of the season, considering we have had enjoyed good results against Wimbledon before. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: The journey back was very straight forward, as we got onto the M25 from the A3 and there was no delays apart from when we got near Twickenham and was home for 6:40pm. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Overall, I found Wimbledon a friendly place to go, although I would advise away fans to go into the seated area, (although you have to get there very early as there is only 80 available) as the terrace is very low and has the gantry, pillars and dugouts impeding your view. AFC Wimbledon v Plymouth Argyle Johnstones Paint Trophy, First Round Tuesday 1st September 2015, 7.45pm Tom Harris (Plymouth Argyle fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Kingsmeadow Stadium?

This was my first away game of 2015/2016. Having previously beaten Wimbledon on the first day of the seaso, I was confident of a win. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? I travelled by supporters coach. It left Plymouth at 1pm and reached Kingsmeadow at 6.30pm, so it was a long journey, but as an Argyle fan long journeys travelling away are the norm. The coach dropped us off on the main road outside the stadium entrance. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? I visited the club store for a look around to kill some time and then found our way into the stadium. Home fans seemed friendly enough got no grief from them so it was good. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Kingsmeadow Stadium? The Kingsmeadow ground is quite small, and not much is visible from the main road so I guess it would be quite easy to miss. We sat in the stand behind the goal which I'm told isn't used as the away end all the time.

But the facilities in there are really nice you could tell it was a new stand. The rest of the stadium looked like a typical League Two arena, standing stands on the left and the opposite stand and the seating stand on the right. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. We were 2-0 inside 20 minutes and I began feeling as if id wasted my time, but we got one back before the break to keep us in the game. The toilet facilities are average. No pies on offer but a very nice burger and chips made up for that! Stewards were friendly and we won the game in the second half when we came back to make it 3-2. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: It was easy getting out and the bus was where we left it on the main road. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: We got back to Plymouth at 3am in the morning. It was a great evening out and a nice win for Argyle. Well worth the long trip. AFC Wimbledon v Exeter City League Two Steve Ellis (Exeter City fan) Why were you looking forward to going to this ground?

This was a new ground for me and like Exeter they are a supporter owned club. How easy was your journey? The journey was straight forward, travelling up on the supporters coach leaving Exeter at 8am, arriving at 1pm. What did you do before the game? On arrival at the ground some of our supporters opted for the clubhouse. We instaed took a 10 minute walk up the road to the Prince of Wales pub which was away supporter friendly and pints priced from £3.40. On returning to the ground I picked up the match day programme for £3. First impressions on seeing the ground? We stood in the 'Your Golf' terrace, some of which his covered and some uncovered, the Paul Skrank Main Stand opposite is all seated and covered. Away fans can also be housed in the Nongshim stand behind the goal which is all seated and has a reasonable height disabled bay, opposite is the EcoHouse terrace where the louder home fans gather. All stands look modern and offer good views. Comment on the game, atmosphere, refreshments, stewards and toilets? The game was played in good spirit with the Dons running out 2-1 winners, atmosphere between the two sets of supporters was good.

Refreshments all seemed to be reasonably priced with drinks starting at £1.50, hot food from £2.50. Toilets are portakabins behind the Nongshim Stand but seemed clean and the stewards were helpful and low key. by Sam Elliott in Ryman Leagues with 1 Comment KINGSTONIAN’S days playing at Kingsmeadow now seem numbered as AFC Wimbledon edge ever closer to an emotional return to Plough Lane – but the K’s will get a huge helping hand to build a stadium of their own. New London Mayor Sadiq Khan now looks certain to reverse predecessor Boris Johnson’s decision to ‘call in’ the League One Dons’ plans to return to Merton – yards away from where the original Wimbledon played until 1991. Although great news for the Football League club, the switch has provoked questions about the K’s future with the Ryman Premier outfit set to be homeless at the start of the 2018-19 campaign.

Wimbledon have already agreed a deal with Premier League neighbours Chelsea to purchase Kingsmeadow and they will house the Blues’ academy and women’s side – but there is seemingly no room for Kingstonian in any contract negotiations as the 2015 champions do not want a sitting tennant. The Non-League club have been proactive, already identifying a site in nearby Chessington. Chairman Mark Anderson believes it can be the making of the club and they can “rediscover their identity” by taking control of their own destiny. The NLP understand K’s will be aided by a sizeable gift from the Dons – thought to be in the region of £1m. The decision is also a blow to K’s neighbours Staines Town, who will now miss out on the cash bonus given to them by Chelsea for the use of Wheafsheaf Park for the ladies for Women’s Super League matches. Talking for the first time about the impact on K’s, Wimbledon chief executive Erik Samuelson said: “The way I look at this, and it’s a sincerely held view, is that any club without a ground will not survive. “That’s why I advocated buying Kingsmeadow when we did. Kingstonian don’t have a ground.

If we could afford to give them this place, then they couldn’t afford to run it. “Their best chance of getting their own ground is if we give them a substantial sum of money, which we are doing. I think it’s a real potential win-win situation. “The worst thing that can happen is that they receive enough money from us to pay for a groundshare for decades, that’s hardly a death sentence. They couldn’t stay at Kingsmeadow and survive. “We have had a fair bit of criticism, mainly from people who don’t understand what an opportunity this is for them. But their owners do – and their relationship with us continues to be strong. “We are under no obligation to hand over such a large sum, but it’s the morally correct thing to do.” Chelsea close in on deal for AFC Wimbledon ground Chelsea close in on deal for AFC Wimbledon ground 17 November 2015 01:17 Chelsea have moved a step closer to completing the purchase of AFC Wimbledon's ground at Kingsmeadow. The deal will raise funds for the League Two club's proposed move to a new stadium at their original home of Merton. The Blues want to use the Cherry Red Records Stadium to host their youth and ladies' matches.

At a special general meeting on Monday night the Dons Trust, the largest shareholder of AFC Wimbledon, voted overwhelmingly in favour of selling the stadium lease. The next stage of the process will be for AFC Wimbledon PLC shareholders to pass a similar resolution in December, although that should be a formality as the Dons Trust controls over 90 per cent of the shares. Dons Trust chairman Matthew Breach told the Trust's website: " The successful vote on the stadium sale is an important milestone in helping to return AFC Wimbledon to its spiritual home in Merton. "On behalf of the Dons Trust board, I would like to thank our members for voting in such large numbers and for backing our proposals so unambiguously. "There is still a lot of work to do to deliver a new stadium but the outcome of the vote shows the overwhelming support among Trust members and the club's fans for having AFC Wimbledon play where it belongs, back in Merton." AFC Wimbledon bought the lease on the ground from non-league Kingstonian FC in 2003. The club, formed after the original Wimbledon relocated to Milton Keynes and became MK Dons, plan to build a new stadium where the old club used to play at Plough Lane.

Source: PA by Sam Elliott in Ryman Leagues with 1 Comment AFC WIMBLEDON have been urged to ensure Kingstonian are properly looked after should they get the green light for an emotional return to Plough Lane. The League Two Dons’ plans to turn the town’s Greyhound Stadium into an 11,000 all-seater ground are currently under council consideration – and fans are being asked to vote on a proposal to sell Kingsmeadow to Premier League champions Chelsea, who want to house their ladies and youth teams there. Wimbledon bought the 4,800 capacity stadium from former Ks owners the Khosla family in 2003 and have transformed it into a Football League standard ground whilst charging Kingstonian a peppercorn rent to remain as tenants. But should the Dons be successful in returning to their spiritual home, the Ks could be in limbo – despite an announcement that the Ryman Premier club will look to build a ground more fitting to the club’s size nearby.

Now, long-term sponsor Jon Tolley, a Kingston councillor who has backed the club financially for seven years through his Banquet Records company, says Wimbledon have an obligation to make sure the two-time FA Trophy winners’ future isn’t put as risk. Interest The NLP understands there is no agreement in place which would see the Ks continue to groundshare should Chelsea buy the lease. However, Wimbledon are expected to put forward a sizeable sum towards their tenants’ relocation. Tolley said: “I’d like to think there’s someone who can protect us. It can’t be in Dons’ moral interests to want this (homelessness) to happen, and it can’t be in Chelsea’s interests from a PR point of view, either. “Everyone recognises how terrible the situation was when Wimbledon FC were allowed to move to Milton Keynes, absolutely screwed over by money grabbing asset-stripping chairmen who cared nothing for their fans and almost destroyed their club. “With a sale of the ground from Wimbledon to Chelsea looking imminent, and all signs pointing to Chelsea not wanting a Ryman team lodging at their ground, we’re now looking at being forced out.

Injustice “Wimbledon’s undoubted injustices are so big that the injustices dished out to K’s are overshadowed. Now, for the first time as I see it, we really do need Wimbledon to save Kingstonian. “Their supporters more than anyone know about the wrongs served by chairmen not looking after football fans. They also know more than anyone about doing something about it and making it good. “We need them to help sort us out, and give us a home. Not a free-letting in an oversized ground we’re not completely allowed in, but something to start us off in a new place.” Kingstonian are pressing ahead with plans to locate a more suitably sized stadium in the area and their three co-chairmen – John Fenwick, Mark Anderson and Malcolm Winwright – have confirmed the club aim to become fan-owned before the end of the season. The Dons’ possible deal with Chelsea will also be a blow to Staines Town, who receive a large sum every season to host the Blues’ ladies side.

Chelsea close in on deal for AFC Wimbledon ground - Premier League 2015-2016 - Football - Eurosport UK Chelsea close in on deal for AFC Wimbledon ground By PA Sport 0 0 Chelsea have moved a step closer to completing the purchase of AFC Wimbledon's ground at Kingsmeadow. The deal will raise funds for the League Two club's proposed move to a new stadium at their original home of Merton. The Blues want to use the Cherry Red Records Stadium to host their youth and ladies' matches. At a special general meeting on Monday night the Dons Trust, the largest shareholder of AFC Wimbledon, voted overwhelmingly in favour of selling the stadium lease. The next stage of the process will be for AFC Wimbledon PLC shareholders to pass a similar resolution in December, although that should be a formality as the Dons Trust controls over 90 per cent of the shares. Dons Trust chairman Matthew Breach told the Trust's website: " The successful vote on the stadium sale is an important milestone in helping to return AFC Wimbledon to its spiritual home in Merton. "On behalf of the Dons Trust board, I would like to thank our members for voting in such large numbers and for backing our proposals so unambiguously.

"There is still a lot of work to do to deliver a new stadium but the outcome of the vote shows the overwhelming support among Trust members and the club's fans for having AFC Wimbledon play where it belongs, back in Merton." AFC Wimbledon bought the lease on the ground from non-league Kingstonian FC in 2003. The club, formed after the original Wimbledon relocated to Milton Keynes and became MK Dons, plan to build a new stadium where the old club used to play at Plough Lane. On the same topic Wimbledon's Return Home & The Future of Kingstonian | Twohundredpercent Posted by Ian | Dec 13, 2015 | Football League , Latest , Non-League | 0 | Wimbledon, then, are going home. Almost a quarter of a century after the old Wimbledon Football Club bade farewell to Plough Lane at the end of the 1990/91 season, on Thursday night planning permission was unanimously granted for a new stadium to be built on the site of the Wimbledon greyhound stadium, a short walk from the site of the old ground.

It’s a significant victory for the club, which has played out the last thirteen years of its history in nearby Norbiton, but it’s a victory that comes at a cost, and that cost is a home for Kingstonian Football Club, the former owners of the Kingsmeadow stadium that the two clubs both called home for more than a decade. This story begins in essence in 2002, when Kingstonian, who’d been the owners of the ground since its construction in 1989, collapsed into administration. The club and the ground were both sold to two businessmen, Rajesh Khosla and his son Anup, but the Khoslas had no interest in Kingstonian Football Club – they were only really interested in the value of the land upon which Kingsmeadow stood. The newly-formed AFC Wimbledon played their first season as tenants at Kingsmeadow, but after one season Wimbledon undertook to purchase the leasehold on the stadium, which was completed the following year.

As a part of the deal, Kingstonian would remain at Kingsmeadow as tenants, paying a lower rent than they had previously been paying and with a pre-season friendly to be played every season with Kingstonian as the “home” club, to offset as much as possible of the cost of that rent. Whilst Kingstonian remained a non-league club, continuing to ply their trade in the Ryman League – they’ve been members of its Premier Division for all bar three of the last fifteen years – Wimbledon embarked on their much publicised rise through the non-league game. For the Dons, there were two matters than ran through the club’s DNA. The first was to win back the place in the Football League that was taken away by the Football Association’s independent commission in 2002. The second was to return to the London Borough of Merton. The first of these was achieved in May 2011 at the City of Manchester Stadium with a penalty shoot-out win against Luton Town. And with promotion to the Football League came requirements for ground improvements that caused something of a schism with Kingstonian supporters.

Football League seating capacity requirements necessitated Wimbledon to build a seated stand at the Kingston Road End of the ground, which had been the traditional “home” end terrace for Kingstonian supporters. The real problems began for Kingstonian at the end of last year, when it was confirmed that Wimbledon had agreed terms with Chelsea, who had been looking for a home for their youth and women’s teams, to buy the Kingsmeadow site. The problem – for Kingstonian, at least – was that Chelsea didn’t want the club there as tenants. The good news for both Wimbledon and Chelsea – which was bewildering news for Kingstonian supporters – was that the directors of Kingstonian FC issued a statement saying that, “After much long and careful thought Ks Board have come to the conclusion that the best long-term interests of our club would be served by us taking this opportunity to leave Kingsmeadow, at the appropriate time, and finding a stadium better suited to our needs, income and level of support.” No particular workings for this conclusion was ever confirmed by the club, but the site believed to have been identified by the club is strongly believed to be at South Chessington, in Surrey.

Or, to put it another way, in order to facilitate WImbledon moving back to their home borough in London, it is apparently necessary for Kingstonian to leave their town, if not quite their London Borough. In 2008, however, as part of a deal transferring ownership of some land around the perimeter of the Kingsmeadow site, Kingstonian were given a new twenty-five year tenancy at the ground that they used to own. With this apparent security of tenure in place, the question of why Kingstonian’s owners would suddenly decide that Kingsmeadow is no longer suitable for the club and that it must leave is not one that is easy to answer. It is understood that the position regarding the matter of the club’s ongoing tenancy is more complex than at first presumed. It is, for example, known that there is a “break clause” in this agreement. By September, however, this seemed to be answered once and for all, when a joint statement issued by both Wimbledon and Kingstonian confirmed the latter’s desire to leave Kingsmeadow by 2017.

The club is to compensated for this, but the exact amount of this compensation isn’t known and is certainly unlikely to be anywhere near enough to re-home Kingstonian permanently in a brand new stadium of its own, as supporters would surely want, as only this would give the club a future in which money wasn’t being frittered away on rent and/or building costs. As things stand, all we know about Chelsea’s position over it all is that they do not wish to purchase Kingsmeadow with Kingstonian there as a sitting tenant. Relations between these two clubs have traditionally been okay, so it surely has be to be worth taking the chance of speaking to them to see if they would be open to the idea of the club staying there, but this doesn’t seem to be on the agenda of those running the club at the moment, regardless of what the supporters want, as has been seen from their previous statements on the matter. Those who run the club want out, but they don’t seem to be particularly forthcoming on where it will be headed next.

There is an athletics ground close to the site of the Kingsmeadow site which could – as has been seen at Enfield Town and Chelmsford City – be converted into a perfectly serviceable football stadium, and it’s possible that the pay-off from Wimbledon plus some extra funds, which could possibly be made available through grants, could bring that up to scratch. It is understood, however, that this is not a viable option, although the reasons for this have never been fully explained (there is an argument which states that the athletics club would require primacy over use of the facility, but Kingstonian don’t have primacy at Kingsmeadow, so how that would necessarily impact on Kingstonian’s ability to use that site is unclear.) As things stand, however, it seems most likely that one of two options will play out for Kingstonian. The first is a new ground somewhere within in the vicinity of Kingston but nowhere near the town itself – Chessington, as mentioned above, seems to be the favourite – or ground-sharing, leading a nomadic existence until the money that the club might make from this ground sale is used up.

The worrying precedent here is the case of Wealdstone FC, who sold their Lower Mead ground to property developers in 1991, received only a fraction of the full sale price themselves and ended up leading a nomadic existence until they were able to purchase the existing ground of Ruislip Manor in 2008. A petition organised by supporters urging the local council to “ensure that the sale of the freehold of Kingsmeadow stadium ensure that both the covenant on the land is upheld and the future of Kingstonian is protected” and to “ensure that Kingstonian are not left homeless and futureless by the sale of Kingsmeadow” raised enough signatures to be put before them for debate. In an age of considerable austerity at local government level, however, it’s difficult to know what the local council would be able to do if the directors of the club itself are so intent on leaving Kingsmeadow. The directors, however, do not seem to speak for the overwhelming majority of supporters in this case, and this distinction is an important one, and is one that supporters of AFC Wimbledon, of all clubs, should surely understand. This situation was, perhaps, always the endgame with regard to Kingstonian and Kingsmeadow.

Ever since the separation of the club from the ground itself in 2002, it has been known that there would be a point at which this moment would come. This has been postponed by AFC Wimbledon becoming its owners but, with it being known that a return to the London Borough of Merton was a core part of the ethos of this club and that this would surely not go ahead without the eventual sale of Kingsmeadow to somebody, what is unfolding now was never anything more than a postponement. Some might argue that Wimbledon should, perhaps, be held to a higher moral standard than others. Some might argue that Kingstonian have only been able to continue for as long as they have as a result of their munificence. Some might well wonder whether those that run Kingstonian FC have just spent the last thirteen years keeping their fingers crossed that Wimbledon would somehow forget about their aspirations of moving back to Merton and consider that perhaps they should have acted somewhat more decisively before now. Ultimately, though, the stark fact remains. Wimbledon supporters will get their home in Merton. Chelsea supporters will get a base for their academy and women’s teams.

Kingstonian supporters will be left wondering where their club will end up playing and, ultimately, whether they will be left with any club at all. You can follow Twohundredpercent on Twitter by clicking here . You can follow Twohundredpercent on Facebook by clicking here . Share:

Question: Which Football League club shares its home ground with non-league Kingstonian FC?
Answer: AFC WIMBLEDON