WUPBlog

Now that the season is over, I thought I’d spend a Sunday afternoon summarising what the loyal band of raters has come up with this season. Luckily it is pretty much all the work I have to do as the system runs itself during the season.

As such it could support 100 or 300 adding their ratings just as easily as the 30 or so. Thus I’m appealing for a little help.

If you don’t currently contribute I’d be interested in why and whether there is anything that would change your mind.

If you do contribute I’d be keen to hear any ideas that would make it easier for you or for additional facilities you’d like to see.

afcw@foto.co.uk is the address to send any comments.

Individual Performances

First the ratings across the season, where Danny Kedwell is comfortably ahead of three centre halves led by Ben Judge. The top ten also contains a goalkeeper, a full back, another striker and three midfielders so a reasonable spread across the team.

Top Ten (minimum of 10 games)

The next table shows how often players have won man of the Match awards (individually or jointly) and the total number of votes for them over the season. Again Danny Kedwell is well ahead on both criteria but Kennedy Adjei appears from nowhere in the overall list into third in this category. Sam Hatton’s total of votes is a little suspect as he has a relative who comes on and votes for him in every match!

Man of the Match (minimum 3 Awards)

The best performance in a single match was locked up by Jon Main in the very first game of the season with the top 5 places being monopolised by the two strikers.

Best Individual Performances

Team Performances

The best team performance was judged as the dismantling of Braintree at Kingsmeadow, closely followed by the commanding home victory over Havant and Waterlooville.

Best Team Performances (Main Competitions)

No great surprise that the worst team performance was the dismal display at Uxbridge, though with hindsight maybe it was the most important result of the season. The top 5 is rounded out by three of our league defeats and the dire goalless draw at St. Albans City.

Worst Team Performances (Main Competitions)

Opposition Performances

Little surprise that the best opposition performance was that of Wycombe Wanderers, the only team from a higher league that we faced. A Ryman Premier team sneaked into third place behind Welling’s excellent performance at Kingsmeadow. Good to see that neither Eastleigh nor Hampton made the top 5 although Bromley’s performance at Kingsmeadow, rather than Hayes Lane, did.

Best Opposition (Main Competitions)

A little hard on Fisher Athletic and Bognor Regis Town who both had reasons for fielding weak teams but the table doesn’t lie. Uxbridge were one of the worst teams but still good enough to beat us.

Worst Opposition (Main Competitions)

Referees

Firstly thanks to Uncle Arthur and Paul Raymond for help in identifying referees. I can’t remember many of these performances which may reinforce the cliche about not noticing the good ones but Mr. Mason stands out for not falling for the usual Hampton tricks and his interesting approach to the treatment of injured players.

Best Referee

Mr. Knight heads the list of shame for his inability to handle drop balls and judge penalty appeals accurately.The referees for both Eastleigh games make up the numbers.

Worst Referee

A Trip Through History

The ratings system has now been running for three years so it is worth looking at this season in comparison to others. The first table looks at those who have achieved a rating of at least 7 across a season and Danny Kedwell has gone to the top of the tree with Ben Judge and Jason Goodliffe also joing the select role of honour.

Historic Ratings (minimum 7.00)

Still nobody approaching Andy Little’s goalkeeping exploits at Aldershot but Jon Main’s hat-trick at Newport slots him into third place. A good reminder to see Luke Garrard featuring in both tables and we must hope he recovers to show his form in the Blue Square Premier.

Historic Individual Performances (minimum 9.00)

Braintree and Havant come in as our best ever performances although I think maybe we underrated the Aldershot game at the time.

Historic Team Performances (minimum 8.00)

Source:

These are the links from news stories, photos and Erik’s participation on The Non League Show

Match highlights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN5MnkiZxgE

Erik on The Non League Show -

Part 1 – http://itmustbedons.com/Erik_RL.mp3

Part 2 – http://itmustbedons.com/Erik_RL_p2.mp3

Part 3 – http://itmustbedons.com/Erik_RL_p3.mp3

Littlehampton Don’s pictures http://www.littlehampdon.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=445&page=1

Your Local Guardian http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/sport/football/4304038.Main_basks_in_promotion_glory

Jason Goodliffe http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/article-23678249-details/article.do?ito=newsnow

Celebrations (Facebook link) http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=2204427789&view=all

Zimbio Pictures http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/5LwT-DhZV-J/Hampton+Richmond+v+AFC+Wimbledon/9AOl47UXTnc

Setanta coverage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8llQa_8f7I

Thanks to Raspberry for bringing all these links together and PaulR for the audio files.

Our win yesterday leaves us clear at the top with three games to go, and while it would be a massive disappointment were we to slip up now, its worth recycling the cliché that any one of us would have taken the position we are in now if offered it at the start of the season.

We now have the luxury of knowing two wins in the next three games will win us the title, starting on Monday at Bromley. If we slip up there the last two games will be like playoff matches anyway, with no further room for error presuming that Hampton and Eastleigh win their games in hand. If you thought yesterday was nerve-wracking, imagine having to win at Hampton then in front of a full house at Kingsmeadow against St Albans.

On the subject of the Basingstoke game, it’s really disappointing to hear stories of stewards being abused just for doing their jobs. We are in the unfortunate position of attracting some brain-dead morons to our club, people who will never really get what our fantastic club is all about. Yes, we were all disappointed we couldn’t use the bars at halftime, but bearing in mind the layout of the ground means you have to leave the stadium to get to the bars, with such a large crowd the club were left with very little choice on this occasion. If we get promoted, its highly likely we will have to put up with no bar access repeatedly next season, sadly that’s one of the costs of success.

There were a couple of things that caught my eye in yesterdays programme. Firstly Erik pointed out there will be a price rise should we be promoted, and seemed very apologetic about having to do so. Yet as he points out, even a £2 price rise will still mean we have the lowest entrance fee in the division. I don’t think any of use will begrudge that rise as and when promotion comes. The idea to try to offer direct debit payment is a great idea, but should it not prove to be practical, I feel the club should offer half-year season tickets for the first half of the season if they can. This will really help out fans that are feeling the squeeze at the moment, but again it might place an extra burden on the hardworking volunteers who have to deal with the admin side of things over the summer months.

Secondly I had almost forgotten about our linkup with Bucheon FC 1995. My heart went out to them when I saw the picture of their stadium decorated with banners with our badge saying ‘We will be your friends forever’. I felt like Id just received a Christmas card from a long distant elderly relative, knowing full well I hadn’t sent them one in return. I’m all up for creating a banner now with both teams badges and a twee slogan like ‘Holding hands across continents’ or something. The message board mentioned http://s1.zetaboards.com/Wimbledon_to_Bucheon/index/ is extremely underused at the moment, and I’m sure we are all busy right now, but maybe in the summer some of us could take the trouble to find out their latest results and offer congratulations/commiserations accordingly?

Finally a massive thanks to the WUP guys, for another great effort putting together the fanzine for yesterday. As a mere contributor I have no idea how much time it takes them to print out the pages, put them in correct order and most importantly staple them, but Id imagine whatever time it takes is too long!

Apparently theres going to be a press release tomorrow from the Beveree announcing the sponsor of their new stand – Lego. By all accounts the toy manufacturer are simply saying thanks to Trumpton for buying so much of their product for use as the main material in the construction of The Lego Stand. Arf!

I currently have the Blue Square South League table (BBC Version) open in another window. I know how many points we are ahead of the Trumptonians, Eastleigh, Hayes & Chelsea, even Chelmsford (just to make sure they’re still a playoff position…). I can even recall goal difference, give or take a goal or two. Yet I still keep it there and look at it from time to time, just to give some sense of perspective.

I know we should placate the Football Gods by being Respectful of Our Rivals chances, but looking at that table, and looking at Hamptons remaining games, can anyone seriously see them beating us to the title? They’ve done really well to get where they are at the moment, but can anyone imagine living in a world where those bastards gain promotion at our expense in two out of three seasons?

Surely they are going to come apart at some stage, as Chelmo did before them, and we seem to be doing now? After yesterday I’m more worried about Eastleigh. They look the real deal. Tough to break down, playing to their strengths, on a couple of occasions they put some really awkward balls to deal with into our box for their forwards to get onto, almost as if they were saying ‘Go on then, try clearing that!’

And they were appaling at the start of the season! Losing five goals at Bromley and St Albans surely shouldn’t be on a champions CV, but if we end up falling over Hampton and they nick it, good luck to ‘em. I’ve heard a lot of people say if Hampton win the league they would have deserved it, but Eastleigh have come from nowhere. If they get revenge over St Albans on Wednesday night they are just four points behind us.

Anything could happen between now and the end of the season, thats for damned cliched sure. There’s only one way to guarantee that title, thats by winning every game. Theres not that many of them left, so its more than possible. I just hope the lads feel the injustice of yesterday as much as we do, and turn that anger into something positive.

I’ll be in the States for a week on Tuesday so I’m missing the Team Bath game. I’m obviously disapointed to be away for a week at this stage of the season, but for some reason I have a funny feeling things might look a little more rosy by the time I get back. Maybe its the holiday feelgood factor. Or maybe its because despite the up and down form this term, I still believe its going to be our year. Perhaps if we all believed, we’ll somehow muddle through.

The Online Dictionary defines a moaner as ‘a person given to excessive complaints and crying and whining’. I recently wrote a match report on the Welling game for my blog The Anonymous Don, and had a bit of a rant about the moaners in the John Smith stand. Who are these people? Why do they moan rather than use all that hot air actually supporting the team? I decided to investigate further…

They’re the sort of people who will argue black is white. They are never completely satisfied. Even after a 5-0 home win they still won’t be happy. Are these people so successful in day to day life they can’t bear any failure? Maybe they had superb playing careers themselves and have every right to moan, as they themselves would never have made such basic errors as slightly miscontrolling a bobbling ball and almost conceding possession? In a way they are all different. But I have noticed three particular types of moaners – see if you can spot yourself!

Firstly, the Alan Sugar Wannabe moaner. They have single handedly worked their way to the top. They know what hard work is and how it should be done. And now they get people to do the work for them, they have to make sure its being done by competent individuals, those that will listen and learn. The ASW (Alan Sugar Wannabe Moaner) will absolutely believe in his heart that he is a better man manager than any Dons manager, past or present, and genuinely believe they could take over at any time and improve performances noticeably. After all they’ll just get an Assistant in to deal with tactics, training and all those other minor jobs a manager has to deal with.

The fact that the ASW has had no playing experience worth noting outside Wimbledon Goals 5-aside league on a Wednesday night has no relevance to them. The only thing keeping them from applying for the managers job when available is the convenient conspiracy that managers jobs only go to ex-players for some reason, something they are extremely bitter about.

Secondly, the Panic Stricken Moaner. You have to feel sorry for the PSM. They attend matches with all the right intentions, and when things are running smoothly you barely hear a negative word out of them. However when things get a bit tight, and its not looking good for the team, PSM starts to panic. Any pass to a Dons player is accompanied by a screeching ‘Aww my gawd!’ if an opposition player happens to be in the same postcode. And you don’t want to hear what happens if someone dares try a back pass to the keeper. Its like someones holding their family at gunpoint and are about to pull the trigger – ‘Nooooooooooooooooo!’ movie-style, by the time they’ve finished play has moved on several stages and residents of Berrylands are certain there has been an atrocity committed in their neighbourhood.

PSM’s are annoying because they want to be the manager for all the wrong reasons. Like those desperately afraid to fly sometimes comment they wouldn’t mind it as much if they could fly the plane themselves, PSMs desperately want some control over the events taking place before them. Logic goes out of the window and they become convinced they could take the place of an experienced professional, as in their head they would prefer to fail themselves rather than have no control of whats happening. In reality they are having a negative impact anyway, as their nervous cries cannot fail to be heard by the players, and its only natural that will cause them to feel some pressure as well, no matter how professional they are.

Finally, Not Good Enough moaner. Nothing goes right for NGE. The pretty girl he married a couple of decades ago has aged badly. The kids have ASBOs. They’re stuck in a dead end job. They work hard for their money and expect a ridiculous level of value once they pay their yearly season ticket money or tenner at the gate. Any human error is seen as a reflection of their own failure.

NGEs have no problem yelling two pieces of ‘advice’ back to back which, while not directly contradicting themselves, aren’t exactly mutually exclusive either. For example ‘Keep it on the deck!’ could be followed by ‘Just get it forward!’. The philosophy of keeping the ball on the floor and passing round opponents doesn’t mix well with getting the ball forward as fast as possible. Unless they are intending on us playing a whole new game, where balls are played hard along the deck while confused opponents do their best to keep out of the way.

NGE’s are annoying as they are still vocal even when the team are winning. Also, they have a habit of encouraging the other two types of moaner to moan even more. And all of them make me so angry I have to come home and moan about it on my blog. And when that didn’t satisfy me, I had to moan about it on someone else’s blog as well…

If all this sounds a bit thought police for your liking, don’t worry. No-one is telling you not to moan. You just have to consider that little things like audible dissatisfaction (i.e. abuse) are just going to add more pressure to a team that is under great pressure to start with in the middle of a title race. The more pressure, the more cracks are going to show. So by all means, have a good moan at the match if you want. You paid your money and have every right to do so.

But before you do, ask yourself whether you want to see your team playing Conference National football next season. If you do, and you want to help the team, try being a bit more supportive, just for these next few games. Hold off any criticism until the bar after the game. Reduce the pressure on the lads, and see what a difference it can make.

After a turgid display at St Albans where we couldn’t manage a shot on target during 90 minutes,  Terry Brown has given us a timely shot in the arm by signing Kezie Ibe, who of course scored the winner for Ch£lmsford at Kingsmeadow last season after coming off the bench. Let’s hope he can perform similar feats for the Dons and help drag us out of the mini slump we find ourselves in. Wimbledon have enjoyed a certain tradition of effective black forwards in the past and whilst nobody would question the positions of Main and Kedwell, it’s great to have another option at this stage, which might just be enough to kick us out of the recent malaise. Looking at his recent goalscoring record, it hasn’t got near to the strike rate he achieved whilst at Staines but he could well prove to be the player for the big occasion, and we have eight big occasions remaining which all seem to have the “cup final” factor about them!

Victory in our next two home matches would surely leave Hampton with an uphill task. It remains to be seen if latest midfield recruit Rob Saunders can be the missing catalyst in a position which some have identified as our weakest/most unsettled area all season. One thing is certain, whatever the final outcome of the season, changes in the engine room will be forthcoming. Just as DeBolla, Ferguson and Co. were jettisoned unceremoniously directly after securing our elevated status, Finn, Davis et al should be looking over their shoulders right about now.

It seems strange to talk of “problem areas” when you sit six points clear at the top of the league, in a season which has generally surpassed expectations, but such is the frenzied fascination we as a fanbase have, analysing the every move of both management and playing staff alike. Even stranger to use words like “slump” and “malaise” when we haven’t actually lost a game in ages! The truth is, we should have made 3 points safe early doors at Weston and didn’t, but travelling Dons did get the feeling that Pullen’s penalty save might be viewed later as a crucial factor in the title race.

Hampton are only going to benefit financially from the current tense table standings, with nervous Dons fans swelling their modest attendances. It’s a win win situation for them and for as long as their results hoodoo remains over us, the tension and pressure are all on our side.

Whilst namechecking the Beavers, I noted recently that a capacity online audience availed themselves of the online interactive matchday experience at www.wimbledonstadium.com on the occasion of their home match versus Newport. Can you imagine, 215 people “tuning in” for a non league match not involving their own team!

I’ve seen it written on many an opposition forum that the interactive online stadium and it’s associated Radio WDON commentary are  the envy of others and way above the normal provision of updates for non league (and some league) fans unable to attend the game. As someone who has only been able to scrape into double figures for physical match attendance this season, I’d like to say how grateful I am for this fantastic service, and to it’s creator Mike Arrowsmith – if there isn’t some sort of accolade heading your way come the end of the season, then there should be! You have given the exiles a platform to gather together and share the collective joys and frustrations of supporting the Dons, and offered an experience which really is second only to “being there”. I’d also like to thank Mikey T and Geoff Hawley for their sterling work in relaying the action and making sure we never miss a kick. To all the freeloaders out there, it really is more than worth a fiver for the virtual season ticket over the course of a season!It’s worth more than that just to be a part of the remaining fixtures of this season

Finally for now, we’ve been asked what the deadline is for the next WUP. The answer to that is, shower us with your submissions starting now, and we’ll be in a position to know when an issue launch is most viable!

Come on Dons, settle our blood pressure’s* presure down a bit today, please!

*Thank you Sally for the comment

One would argue that merging two distinct and proud Clubs would like to a large proud Club, correct? Not a chance. We have seen the Hayes & Not Yeding already this season and now we’ve been to Havant & Not Waterlooville. What a shame that 90 years of history gets gobbled up by the money men to feed their cruel hunger for a “redevelopment opportunity”. Next Dorchester & Weymouth?

Well, the day started with delays for those travelling via Clapham Junction as someone decided that it was a good idea to do a Superman impression and stop the express from Waterloo to Bournemouth. Sad and selfish, if you ask me.

The teams came out as we walked through the turnstiles and found out that programmes were sold out a good while earlier. Had they told the WUP that arrangements were to be of a Disney character type, we could have knocked a few extras for them. Most people expected us to have 1,000 travelling fans there and the estimation seemed to be just about right. We heard many of our supporters say that the queues for the bogs and burgers (don’t know if they were separate or the same) were very long so people were deciding to give it a miss. The burgers, I suppose.

The game was just that: a 0-0 draw. Neither team had the edge, neither team threatened with any incisiveness and neither team can claim an advantage. The bloke doing the Paul Ince impression wearing a head bandage did most of the work all day. Clearance after clearance, their defence seemed to have the measure of Terry Brown’s new found love for the long game. Tony Finn huffed and puffed but bring the back 4 line down. Godfrey tried on the right and also failed. Once he had a good chance when he controlled the ball, passed the defender, but the ensuing bobble ricocheted the ball out of play. I only remember the keeper making on save in the second half. A good attempt by Leberl from 20 yards out.

Good points: no apparent injuries Bad points: we look knackered – again.

Moment of comedy: the PA announced the away crowd as 801 set a ripple of laughter around us. Similar in value to Chelmsford’s 800 estimation when we played them earlies this season at Melbourne Park. For these people, none of our supporters entered via their side of the turnstiles or were sitting in the stands. Whatever fills their boots.

Excellent pre-match beer at The Old House at Home near the crossroads in the old side of town.

How can a night get any better when at the chip bar the serving wench delivers a piece of comedy genius.

Paddy, myself and Bubble, queuing for some outrageously decent chips, were at the front of the queue. Paddy, being the generous lad he is, decided to fork out for two portions of chips. “two chips please”. In a superb piece of comic timing the serving wench thrusts in front of us a carton with two rather tasty looking chips. Absolute genius. She must have been waiting for that moment, but what a start to the night.

Worcester saucily came at us with gusto from the first moment. They didn’t create too many moments of real danger, but boy did they keep us from getting anywhere near their goal. I cant remember us leaving our half to be honest. Kedwell and Main looked as ineffective as they were on Saturday, whilst Worcester crashed into every player, winning the ball back and pressing us at any opportunity. Honestly, though, they never looked like scoring, their best chances would be from any mistakes but Little didn’t look like making one.

When we remembered that we could actually lose this game, we started to kick on, matched the midlanders and somehow got us a penalty. Ball in the box, Main was prevented from scoring, yellow card for defender. The keeper looked far too confident with his dancing on the line and he made a good save low to his left.

Second half Brown brought on Finn and it seemed he was playing a rather disjointed unbalanced left winger pushed forward as support for Kedwell and Main. But who needs balance when Finn caused untold damage. He was chaos for their defenders, he was a man possessed and ran around them like a dog on heat. This meant Kedwell and Main could join the game, but it was Inns who finally smashed in the first goal. We were dominant now and all the action was in front of the Tempest End. We collectively knew the goal was coming having seen chance after chance spurned. When it did come it was from a delightful corner which was saved on the goaline from (i think) Kedwell and that gave Inns the chance to rifle the ball home. Eat that. Everyone went fucking mental.

Soon after, ball down the left and Main made it two. Chaotic scenes behind the goal, bits of people flying around the place; glasses, watches, chips and mustaches all ended up where they shouldn’t have been. Crazy few minutes.

There were many chances spurned by the Dons with Main shooting after some sensational dummy twisting from the edge of the box, the ball rebounding off the post and Kedwells confused body not being able to turn correctly enough to hit it in from a yard out.

Kedwell should have scored when he was given the ball in the area in a stupid backpass. After a comedy double take he was squeezed out by some excellent defending.

Worcester are a decent side and they will trouble most sides with their high tempo pressing. But I like to think we rose to their challenge and beat them fairly. Sign of champions? Lets hope so.

Only sour note was Andy Little who injured his ankle after falling. No contact, just an unfortunate moment.

Must be said that for a midweek, Worcester fans turned up in good number and were a credit to their club.

The Wimbledon Guardian reveals that Tony Finn is “happy to keep the bench warm” while on-fire AFC Wimbledon keeps winning.

http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/sport/4148100.Finn_finding_his_feet_for_Dons/

The South London Press reports Terry Brown saying “Kedwell is as brave as a lion”

See story here

Errr… sorry Terry. The fanzine was there before you outlining Danny Kedwell’s super-human qualities on our latest WUP.

We just need to make sure he is as tough as a Rhinoceros, as fast as a Cheetah, as strong as an Elephant and can jump higher than a Giraffe.

If he can stay fit, I think we will all be laughing like Hyenas.