The power of supporters is underrated, without supporters the game would mean very little. Football Clubs FC United and AFC Wimbledon are a magnificent example of this. These two clubs derived from the supporters’ unhappiness with the running of their previous clubs.
AFC Wimbledon were formed in 2002 after the Football Association sanctioned the relocation of Wimbledon Football Club. “In view of its transplanting to Milton Keynes, a large majority of Wimbledon fans felt that the original club no longer represented Wimbledon’s legacy and tradition” and thus switched their allegiance to the newly established club. AFC have enjoyed great success since their formation, they have been promoted 4 times and have set the record for the most amount of games unbeaten.
FC United was born out of the supporter’s dissatisfaction for the Glazers hostile takeover of their club, Manchester United. Since the Clubs formation in 2005 the team has enjoyed similar success to that of AFC Wimbledon, winning three successive promotions and currently finding themselves playing in the 7th tier of league football. In 5 years it is fair to say that the club has taken massive strides enjoying success along the way. These two clubs are living proof that supporters can achieve anything.
The cultures of the clubs are slightly different; however both teams have their origins in rejection of the Board visions for their respective clubs. FC United are motivated by rejection of the Glazer takeover, although massive protests at Old Trafford over the last couple of seasons, has some protest been stilled by the success the club has enjoyed since the Glazers takeover? This is not to say that the supporters of FC United have not achieved a great deal.
These two clubs are unique in that “both teams are fuelled by passionate support beyond the norm for their level, which has propelled them at speed through the lower tiers of the Pyramid. Now the fascination is to see just how far each club can go and whether the momentum can be maintained against the big boys of non league.” The supporters of FC United and AFC Wimbledon have achieved a great deal in a short space of time, the real test is whether they can maintain this.
The success of these two clubs has inspired other disillusioned football supporters to create their own lower league teams to bring fun and loyalty back to the people’s game, most recently AFC Liverpool. The philosophy “owned by the fans, run by the fans” springs to mind, and shows that restoring the link between the club and the supporters is the key to achieving on and off the field success.
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