In a few weeks time, Wimbledon will be awash with tennis references, flags, signs, associated retail promotions and the like as the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament gets underway at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in SW19.
For now though, football is standing out in the town centre where we’ve been based for 10 years. On Monday our local side AFC Wimbledon take on Plymouth in the play-off final at Wembley, with the winners promoted to League 1. If it’s the Wombles that go up, it would represent a remarkable achievement for a club started just 14 years ago. When AFC Wimbledon was formed, it affiliated to both the London and Surrey Football Associations, and entered the Premier Division of the Combined Counties League, which is the ninth tier in English football.
So a victory on Monday would see the club enter the third tier of English football.
It’s been great to see local businesses like us proudly displaying posters in their windows this week, the Centre Court shopping centre brandishes a sign at its entrance beaming support, while inside a pop-up shop has opened selling Wembley and club merchandise. Indeed on the times we’ve been past the store, it’s been packed with queues outside.
A couple of members of our team are making the trip to Wembley (or Wombley as the club’s fans are referring to it on social media) to cheer on Neal Ardley’s men. And if you’ve been swept up with Wembley fever, you can still get tickets for the game at its Kingmeadow Ground and at the Centre Court store (for more info, click here).
Our prediction? A tight game, with a 1-0 win to the Dons, courtesy of a Lyle Taylor winner. Come on you Dons!
