WIMBLEDON have made an encouraging start to the season, just one defeat in their opening 11 league games, a win over Championship side Coventry City in the League Cup and knocked out by Premier League neighbours Chelsea in the next round, but only after a
determined scrap.
Johnnie Jackson’s team are ten points better off than the corresponding stage last season, so there are plenty of positives after an extensive summer rebuild encompassing 12 new signings.
So what’s in this issue? Tim Hanson is excited by the new-look Dons, enthusing: “It’s an extremely tall order to go from 21st in League 2 to promotion challengers in the space of a few months, but based on everything I’ve seen so far, the Dons are a very good team, and quite possibly one of the strongest in the division.”
There is a comment piece headed “No winners out of the Macklin mess.” You might be interested in some of the things that happened (or didn’t happen!). Ray Armfield
also has his say on the scandal.
Windlesham Don rounds up the club’s business in the transfer window, concluding that Jackson now has a squad of greater depth from which to choose.
Colum McAndrew fills in his report card on how Jackson is faring four months on from receiving the vote of confidence from the club’s board.
Steve Dowse is enthused (as we all are) by the immediate impact of new signing and topscorer James Tilley, while Trevor Pearce explains why clubs like Chelsea are not in the winder interests of football.
With the first set of Plough Lane Bonds due for maturity in early 2025, Tim Nicholls looks at how the Dons Trust Board is gearing up for it.
Delighted to have Dave Kenwery, Tim Smith and Andy Powell back with their columns, while Terry McFadden brings us up the date with the womens football scene. You will also catch up on Zach Robinson and Will Nightingale’s loan spells in Off The Post, while Around League Two is back.
It’s all in WDSA’s latest Wombles Downunder newsletter edition No.259, the longest-running (by far) and respected fanzine devoted to Wimbledon, now in its 38th continuous year. Come on, make the call, come and join us as many others have, all around the world, you won’t be disappointed!!
Wombles Downunder has been chronicling Wimbledon FC since October 1985 …..
“WE were there when Fash was terrorising defences in the old Division 2; we were around when Dave Beasant lifted the FA Cup at Wembley; we witnessed the heart-rending day when the Dons went down from the Premier League, and left Neal Ardley on his haunches sobbing; we raged at the injustice of the hijack to Milton Keynes; we flippin’ burst with pride when AFC Wimbledon rose like a phoenix and we cheered when ‘it took only nine years’ to reach the Football League.”
It’s all in the acclaimed ‘Wombles Downunder’ newsletter and all for just one dollar an issue (you get six continuous issues). We proudly produce a bevy of testimonials after reading Wombles Downunder …
Marc Jones … The WDSA “newsletter” is a rather humble moniker. It’s always been far more than that. A collection of opinions seldom found huddled together anywhere else. Its custodian and editor continues to serve the supporters furthest away as if the whole bunch of them live just opposite Plough Lane. Having fans so dedicated in all corners of the globe continues to give those of us actually just up the road a real sense of how special this club is. Long may this dedication and delightful gathering of opinions reign.
Ray Armfield …. Huge congratulations to @OnyaDon and @WDownunder for reaching their 250th newsletter. Such incredible and sustained dedication across the miles to producing readable and on-point material about all things Wimbledon. So look forward to Rob’s next trip. Plough Lane awaits mate!
Graham Stacey … The Wombles Downunder Newsletter is a veritable treasure trove of information, analysis and opinion on all things Wimbledon. With big name contributors writing alongside fans old and new, and more stats than you can shake one of those bendy sticks at, it’s time (and an Aussie dollar/British pound) superbly spent for any Dons fan.
Mike Taliadoros (Radio WDON) …. The newsletter is one of the most essential and informative reads available, not just for our Down Under fans, but for Dons supporters all round the globe.
Kevin Gage …. You said I might be surprised by your ‘newsletter’……I certainly was! A newsletter implies a sheet of A4, the type of thing I used to bring home from school! How times change! It’s a great read.
Phil Godfrey …. Thanks for all the hard work you put into this. 30-plus years! Astounding…
Ian Cooke …. Thirty years!! REALLY? I have always enjoyed the read and your correspondents are very similar in their views/outlooks to most of the fans I speak to.
Singapore Don …. Thanks for the newsletter: an excellent read as ever. It’s always such an interesting and engaging set of articles, and great to read others’ views and opinions on tactics, players and so much more. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Jason Steger … Lots of info; good stuff. You do a great job. It’s good value.
Paul Jeater ….. Thirty years is a remarkable achievement, for any football publication, let alone one based in a different continent from that in which the Club that its focus is located. What makes WDSA newsletter so special is that it recognised the need to go ‘online’ ahead of the race and that it also complements rather than competes with other AFC Wimbledon fanzines.
– great interview with @trevwomble72 , who was first introduced to me as 'Tooting Trev' @AFCWimbledon
— Paul Jeater (@EssexWomble) March 11, 2017
Rob Cornell (Radio WDON) ….. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being interviewed for the WDSA newsletter. It’s an excellent, well researched and well established magazine for Wimbledon and AFC Wimbledon supporters everywhere!
Thanks again to @OnyaDon for essential reading during these times. @WDownunder has in-depth, up-to-date content on every aspect of #AFCW – the oldest, established and the best fanzine around for Dons fans. Saving the Carlton Fairweather interview to enjoy later! #AFCW ⚽
— Rob Cornell (@Dons_Sayer_WDON) April 8, 2020
Richard Fairbairn (Aberdeen, Scotland) ….. Great fanzine, nicely written and it gives me some insights that it’s just hard to pick being a remote supporter.
Sophie Waldron ….. OMG…. it looks incredible!
Howard Fry .. Love reading your wondrous fanzine….
Stephen Crabtree (The Historical Don) … If you want in-depth, up-to-date, critical comment on every aspect of AFC Wimbledon then the Wombles Downunder newsletter is for you. Each issue Rob gets together a range of writers to examine the parts of the club other publications do not reach. Always well informed, at 200 not out it will no doubt be at the crease for many years to come.
This is a cracking read which oozes energy, spirit, optimism and never-say-die attitude. It’s about football but could be any community activity. Well done @WiggoProp, Woody @charlietabloid @NiallCouper THE FANS BEHIND THE PLOUGH LANE BOND https://t.co/LTbVtqmQd5 via @WDownunder
— Jonny Whitehead (@jonnyw71) May 1, 2020
Erik Samuelson… I’ve always been impressed by the quality and the range of topics from Dons fans around the world. WDSA brings them all together and produces a very high quality newsletter (and website). Long may it continue. My only grumble is that during our interviews he always manages to get me to say a bit more than I meant to, while respecting genuine confidences.
Wombles Downunder Wimbledon Downunder Supporters' Association An Australian Fanzine, that’s brilliant, imaginative,a truly fantastic read. How Rob the producer gets so many great contributors to this Australian piece of literary excellence , is a marvel. https://t.co/0fbROYJy6K
— Don Dom (@DomTeuma) October 11, 2022
Rob Bushaway (Derbyshire) … I have often commented that the news provided by the fanzine was much more informative than the national press. It’s been brilliant and fair to say it still is.
Andy Powell (Devon Womble) … I stepped inside Plough Lane to watch my first Wimbledon match sometime late in 1972/1973 (against Nuneaton Borough if memory serves me right), but beyond the fragments of sage wisdom in the local pub about our performances, and a constantly biased press; it was always hard to know much about what was really going on inside the boardroom, inside the dressing room, or occasionally, on the pitch (!) Now, almost 40 years later all I have to do is subscribe a token amount of dosh and I get Wombles Downunder newsletters loaded with the sort of stuff I suspect few club supporters get yet most crave. Where are you hiding the webcams Rob? Probably the best £10 I’ve spent in years.
Bobby Gould … I have printed off the three pages of your Dons’ newsletter containing my interview and thoroughly enjoyed the read. Hope your loyal readers enjoyed it as much as I did.
Paul Harman … Thanks for a great magazine. With the advent of technology, the Wombles Downunder newsletter is still required reading. I print each edition and spend the next couple of days reading the magazine.
Tony Shipman …. I’ve been meaning to subscribe to your newsletter for some months but didn’t pull my finger out until now. $6 bucks is a great deal and I will read it with interest.
Iain Sandford …. I think the newsletter’s fantastic. Full of really interesting and well-informed content and measured, balanced opinion pieces. The Harry Bassett interview was a particular joy. So yes, a terrific read and well worth the investment.
So if you’ve been meaning to take out a subscription this is an excellent time to discover the many delights of Wombles Downunder. Here’s your chance, you’ve read what the many others say so don’t miss out on a consistently high-quality read … so what are you waiting for?
To get your email PDF subscription to the comprehensive and widely-read Wombles Downunder fanzine and its many pages of quality reading simply follow this link and you will soon become a devotee as are many others around the world — UK, Europe, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, United States and Australasia. Now in its 38th year and still very much a thoroughly good read ….. and so much MORE than just a newsletter!!
