We were contacted by a member of the Dons Trust (Wimbledon FC) regarding an article in today’s times. See the letter we sent reproduced below. Needless to say, we are extremely disappointed with the quality of the article which led us to contact the newspaper with the following:
Dear Sir
Alyson Rudd said of Wimbledon FC, in her recent piece on the Middlesbrough-Wimbledon cup game,
“On Tuesday evening Alan Green, the Radio 5 Live commentator, was given a couple of minutes in which to whet our appetites for the FA Cup third-round replay between Middlesbrough and Wimbledon. Kick-off was imminent, but the stadium virtually deserted. He said he could count six or seven Wimbledon fans. I turned the radio off. In the end around 100 Wimbledon supporters turned up. Two stands worth of home fans opted not to bother, lending the Riverside stadium a ghostly air.
Now, here the football scientists could have a field day. Games with a relatively poor turnout are never any good. Is this because supporters have excellent intuition or because empty stadiums induce naff performances? Or is it because Wimbledon have sunk so low that not even their supporters care very much any more? Wimbledon are a bit of a blemish on the beautiful game. They have not got a home. Why, even Leicester City are building a new ground. Wimbledon are the Incredible Shrinking Club. I know the fans detest the idea of relocating to Milton Keynes, but if they hold out much longer there will be no team left to relocate. Middlesbrough is a long way from South London, but this was the test and the fans failed it.
The Nationwide League first division side knew that victory would pair them with Manchester United, so Tuesday’s game was a pivotal moment that provoked shrugs of apathy. The sooner Wimbledon become Milton United or merge with QPR or just diversify and become a dry cleaning business the better”.
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It was not that surprising to find a paper in the Murdoch stable deriding non-Premiership teams in such a way but you should be concerned that, in the traditions of another Murdoch rag, she cannot even get her facts straight. Discussions over a merger between QPR and Wimbledon were dropped at the end of last season after both sets of fans protested long and loud at the proposal.
Having taken a central role in killing this attempt to end our club’s existence, we at QPR1st are deeply angry to find that, through a lack of basic professionalism, Rudd has resurrected the issue. QPR has struggled through the experiences of relegation and spending 10 months under administrative receivership, to stand a very creditable 6th in division two. The Club has achieved this with the full support of its fan-base, raising season ticket sales to record levels and with home gates at least 10% up on the previous season’s efforts. We have formed QPR1st as a supporters trust (has Rudd even heard of such things) and another fans’ group is establishing a fund to help the club buy players. It is deeply offensive to have our efforts to help our club survive dismissed so lightly and in such an ignorant and unprofessional way.
Yours
QPR 1st Supporters Trust Committee